Power Steering failure

[GTSpeeder]

While i was driving i suddenly lost all power steering and i could smell old mcdonalds hamburgers. My dad checked my power steering fluid and it was empty. One of my other friends said it probably was one of my belts, and there may be problems with the control arms. Around how much do you guys think it will cost to fix this?

[rixGAphx]

1. Your problem is that the PS pump is empty. Fill it. Then find out where the PS SYSTEM is leaking:
* At the pump, at an end of one of the two hoses, or at the rack.
* A pump leak is nearly always quite slow to develop; almost never does it just dump all the fluid and leave you with no power-assist.
* Same with the rack: nearly always a gradual process, when it leaks past one of the end seals.
* Each of the hoses connects to the pump, and to the rack (behind the engine and in front of the firewall, below the brake mastercylinder/booster).
A hose can burst and spray fluid everywhere, or one of the connections might have come loose somehow.

2. You don't have 'belts', you only have ONE belt (the 'serpentine belt' that wraps around and powers all the accessories).
* When the belt DOES break, you lose all power assist to the steering (and you now know what that feels like :eek: ).
* You also lose all charging by the alternator, so the 'battery' icon illuminates.
* The waterpump stops spinning, so the engine temperature starts to rise (but you'll have pulled over because of no power steering before the temp gets too high).
* And you'll hear the broken belt slapping around the engine bay; quite loud and nasty-sounding thumpety-thumpety.

When the belt just 'slips' it screeches loudly.

But neither of these is your present problem since the PS pump is empty.
And nothing about the belt affects the fluid level.

3. Your car is 10-yrs old (mebbe 120k miles?), and it *prolly* has many things that are worn, and some that are broken.
* This certainly includes the two suspension bushings on each of the 2 front control arms; but that would have nothing to do with a leaking PS system.
There are also bearings, tie rod ends, struts, and ball joints in the front suspension/steering that are expected to wear out.
A complete failure of some of these can cause a lot of Pontiac 'excitement' while driving, but none will have anyaffect on the PS fluid or its level.

Life's too short to listen to friends who don't know what they're talking about :roll:

:D :D

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[Pizzon]

probably was one of my belts

Wow since when do belts cause entire emptying of a power steering res.? lol.

But anyway, do what Rick said, but do save yourself a favor and fix it before it gets to the rack and destroying it(if it isnt already). Power steering fluid is corrosive to rubber, too, and think of what that's leaking on.

My mom had a simple power steering leak in her car, and ignored it. then gears started turning up in the fluid, then a major leak following by the rack breaking, pump, cv joints all went. about 600, 700$ worth

just a warning