Power Steering Problems

[sundownz]

Okay... my power steering works fine when I first start driving but by the time I get to a stop light that I set at for about 15 minutes every morning... right as I get going again it feels like I have no power steering and it stays that way the rest of the way to work. It has done this every day for the past 3 days.

Now... I had my power steering fluid flushed about 6 months ago and haven't looked at it since. Last night I pull the dip-stick out and when I wipe it on the rag I see that the fluid is light brown, and certainly does NOT smell like ATF. If the shop put regular PS fluid in there, could that have caused damage over time? Or is it something else maybe?

Thanks all.

[aiwapro]

Yes, regular power steering could cause a problem over time. You should flush it, and see if the problem goes away. You can flush it yourself. I did mine a little over a month ago, and it costs me $6.99 plus tax. I used sprayer thingy from a soap dispenser to get all of the fluid out of the reservoir, then poured new ATF in, up to the line closest to the top of the reservoir cap. I used Mobile 1 Synthetic ATF with Dexron III. I then turn the steering wheel fully to the left, then fully to the right, then I was finished. Some say another flush should follow, after turning the steering wheel; I'm assuming this is to get the fluid replaced from the power steering pump. I didn't do this, as I wasn't having an PS problems, just doing this as preventive maintenance, because I didn't know what kind of ATF fluid was in the vehicle, and I wanted synthetic.

[sundownz]

*bumps*

Anybody have more information about what regular PS fluid could do? I'd like to have some information on hand when I call them out about the mix-up.

[aiwapro]

Do you have a receipt that states what fluid they used? My 99' 528i says ATF right on he power steering cap. They shouldn't have missed that. If they missed it when they took the cap off, they surely shouldn't have missed it when putting the cap back on.

[thejlevie]

These days not all ATF is red, nor does it necessarily have that ATF smell. And even red ATF that's been in the PS system for a while may look brown further down the road. I don't think you can conclude anything from the color of the fluid. But if you have doubt as to what fluid is in there flush it yourself and refill with ATF (procedure below).

A worn PS pump can cause the symptoms described. When the fluid is cold the pump can produce enough pressure for normal operation in spite of the wear. Once the system gets hot the thinner fluid won't allow full pressure to be developed.

Easy PS flush:

1) Use a suction gun or turkey baster to suck all of the fluid from the reservoir and refill with fresh.
2) Start the engine and cycle the steering from lock to lock a couple of times.
3) Repeat (1) and (2) until you've gone through a quart of ATF.

[sundownz]

Hmmm... I'll take it by the shop that did the work and have them tell me what fluid it is. Since they did the work, they should know. If they said Power Steering fluid then they get to flush in some ATF for me for free after I show them "ATF Fluid ONLY" on the cap

[sundownz]

Alright... well I suppost I can't prove much about the shop since it has been 6 months. So today I used a spray bottle assembly to get the fluid, whatever it was, out of the resevoir... I then replaced it with proper ATF.

No go... still the same problem. SO, thejlevie, you suggest I replace the pump as my first course of action? I tend to agree since I am not leaking ANY power steering fluid so I don't think it's my rack.

[thejlevie]

I'd go further than a single refill of the PS reservoir (see above). If after that flush process you still experience a loss of power steering after the system gets hot a replacement pump is probably indicated.

[sundownz]

I'd go further than a single refill of the PS reservoir (see above). If after that flush process you still experience a loss of power steering after the system gets hot a replacement pump is probably indicated.

Will do. I'll flush it out again when I get a chance and the new fluid has had time to make it's way through the system. So, tonight may be adequate as I would have driven about 100 miles with the new fluid by the time I get home.

Thanks for the advice.

[sundownz]

Okay... I flushed the old system several times to no avail so I went ahead and ordered a new PS pump.

The new one was a different model than the old... an LF20 as opposed to an LF30 that was on the car. Looks totally different but it bolted on and all the hoses connected just fine. For that matter the LF30 model was listed as unavailable so I assume the LF20 replaced it.

Bad news is this... my power steering still doesn't work! Now I will admit that I am more than a little bit irritated that after spending $400 on a part my PS system still doesn't work. My rack has NO leaks at all so I assume it can't be that?

One note... I'm not sure if I properly "bled" the system. I put some fluid in and rotated the wheel back and forth quite a few times as my instruction shet said, then topped off the fluid and did it again. How would one go about making sure no air bubbles are present if what my sheet told me is not enough, and could this cause the system to not work properly?

[sundownz]

Well... now the rack is making metal on metal sounds so I'm pretty sure it's narrowed down to the rack! I guess I'll be buying on of those now too... when it rains it pours.

[aiwapro]

Hmmm, I maybe would have taken it to a shop or dealer for further diagnosis, after the flush didn't work. Maybe it's not the rack.or maybe it is. I'd take it to the dealer, or some place else if they really know what they are doing on a newer model BMW, before you put more money into it, and not solve the problem.

I turned the steering wheel from left to right, and back and forth, until I could see no bubbles in the fluid in the reservoir.

[rogair]

so what was the problem?

[bmwdirtracer]

I highly recommend replacing the power steering fluid reservoir, and the hose from that reservoir which has the inexplicable splice in it before throwing pumps and racks.

The reservoir is also the filter, and the splice is a tiny restrictor. If either of those is clogged, the power steering will stop working normally. It will then begin eating the pump and rack internals, due to improper lubrication.

[DieselMaster]

i have a 2005 BMW545i with active steering and dynamic steering my friend ran into a curve hard i replaced engine craddle rack an pinion and pwer stering pump flushed all lines now when i fill up with fluid steeirng is very hard no power steering i pulled bottom lines off and start car nothing comes out of power steering pump. is there a special way to get fluid cerculatig or is my rebuilt pump bad thanks