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The importance of power steering fluid and low power steering fluid symptoms
What Happens If You Drive Your Car With Low Power Steering Fluid?
Power steering fluid is one of the most important fluids in your car. It helps move the steering wheel and change gears, so you can drive safely. If you drive on a low power steering fluid, you could burn up the pump causing difficult steering and even a loss of control. It can further lead to the burning of the steering belt once the pump is seized. If you are lucky and the serpentine belt doesn’t come off before finally you decide to get the steering system repaired, you could be saved from the terminal damage it would have done to the engine.
1. Visible Steering Fluid Leaks
The power steering fluid is the reddish oily fluid that gets darker over time giving it a sort of maroon hue. Taking a look underneath your vehicle can be one of the best ways to catch an early leak as it can create numerous other problems which can even reach the engine. Power steering fluid leak is usually found underneath the front of the car and on the road, it can appear to be a dark black oily liquid.
The first thing that you’re going to notice and the most typical one. if you’re low on power steering fluid you would observe a noticeable increase in the effort to steer. The wheel will slowly begin to feel heavier and the maneuvering will be a lot more cumbersome. This happens because the fluid that transmits the power in the steering cannot perform efficiently in its limited amount. This slight heaviness is one of the first signs and a telltale one at that of low power steering fluid.
A steering lock and can be quite nerve-racking, especially while you’re driving. Thankfully if you’re low on power steering fluid, it will only happen at low speeds and not when cruising at high speeds. This happens mainly due to the reduced fluid pressure in the steering system. A Dirty power steering can also cause a similar problem. The dirty and abrasive fluid increases the friction thereby increasing the temperatures which cause the hydraulic pressures in the steering system to slump.
4. Vibration In Steering Wheel
While vibrations and shakiness in the wheel is often attributed to an alignment issue it can however also be caused by low pressures from the power steering’s hydraulics system. In a situation of low power steering fluid, you would not feel the effects of an underperforming steering system when driving at high speeds quite as much as compared to when you are driving slowly. This is due to the kinetic energy you gain from the vehicle’s velocity when at high speeds which provides some steering assistance.
Another common sign of low power steering fluid is squealing noises when turning the wheel. If you have been hearing a lot of squealing noises lately, you could be either low on the fluid or have a damaged steering pump. The noises primarily come from the pump which is severely affected by the loss in the power steering fluid. The PSF is needed to lubricate the pump and also cool it down as the power steering system requires a lot of energy to work. In the absence of proper, the pump suffers by grinding and produces the noises that might be perceived as coming from the steering wheel. This can sometimes also cause whining noises when turning.
