loosing power steering fluid - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

02box · 06-21-2010, 11:06 AM

I bought my car (2002 base, tip w/ 52,000mi) 1 year ago. quickly noticed steering noise and when checking resvior found it bone dry. put fluid in and 22,000 miles later it was off the stick again. took a couple oz. to fill it. not seeing any drips anywhere but I have notice some dark sticky stuff in the valleys on top of the block. are there any common areas for this to leak between resvoir and pump?

Thanks, Pat

chitowndad · 06-21-2010, 07:30 PM

Interesting but I noticed something similar with my car as well. My power steering fluid was low. For me oil on the top of the block was from a lose oil filler tube.

-Steve

HB. · 08-21-2010, 10:36 AM

.How do you check the power steering fluid? Last night while driving home my car started smoking a little bit, then turned off. When I cranked it back up I noticed it was extremely hard to turn the wheel. And, for some reason my battery and abs light stay lit.

Boxtaboy · 08-21-2010, 01:11 PM

HB, that sounds like your serpentine belt just broke. That belt drives all your accessories including the power steering pump, water pump, alternator, etc. So if it snaps, you lose everything and cannot drive the car until you replace the belt.

Belt replacement:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/05-BASICS-Belt/05-BASICS-Belt.htm

HB. · 08-21-2010, 01:21 PM

I can drive the car, it's just really hard to turn the wheel. I took it for a test drive today. On my way back home the car got really hot. I pulled off to the side of the road, and noticed coolant was leaking all over the ground just right in front of my passenger side rear wheel. This sucks because I just had my water pump & reservoir replaced just last year.

Boxtaboy · 08-21-2010, 01:33 PM

What I'm trying to do is explain to you that when your belt breaks you can drive the car, but if you do, you will overheat the car since the water pump will not be running anymore, as well as the power steering being lost because that pump is also run off the belt. Do not drive the car until you replace the belt!!!!! Also, your battery will eventually die because the alternator which recharges the battery will not run without the belt.

HB. · 08-21-2010, 09:41 PM

Oh, ok thanks! That makes sense. I hope that it's just the belt that needs replacing. Is it normal for them to go bad in about a year's time? I had mine replaced last year when the shop replaced my water pump. Would you say hearing a wine sound upon acceleration being a good indication of the belt going bad?