I've got a 2004 Dodge Dakota SXT 4x4 Quad Cab With Flowmaster 40 Dual throw back with 4" Stainless tips, and a K&N FIPK2 with 47,000 miles and adding up chainging to Synthetic Oil on my next oil change that will be at my 48,000 Miles.

I've got a problem with my power steering a couple days back the stering got relly stiff and I checked the Power steeering fluid every day and its fine were it should be but the steering is hard what could it be??

Help me Please

 

I had a problem like this a while back with my '79 Chevy El Camino.
It would fight me when turning and would squeal at "maximum Deviation" (the farthest it could go to either side)
The mechanic replaced the P/S pump, and when that didn't entirely fix the problem they tried to replace the Steering Gear Box. Sadly, my frame was too rusted for them to be able to put the new Gear Box on, so I don't even know if that would have worked....
I know this isn't much help, and I'm sorry. That is the only experiance I have with P/S.

 

Most likely the pump or a loose belt.

 

just asking, but are you putting ATF4 in your power steering. if you are using regular power steering fluid it will destroy you power steering assemblies.

 

I have not put any Fluid in to it Ive been checking the fluid every day and its full the fluid that it has is the original factory one and the belts are tight.

 

Had same problem with my 04 with 16000 miles dealer replaced pump still had problem dealer then replaced the rack, problem still there, i went to napa and bought grease injector needled and greased the ball joints and problem solved napa has greasable upper
ball joints but not lower. dealer installed pump and rack on 5-5-06 and never checked ball joints. there is a recall involving ball joints but not sure if 04's are included. good luck!

 

Had the same problem with my 2004 Dakota. 35000 on the odo, which is under their "minimum" driving limit of 40k for a 2 year old vehicle.

The symptoms came right after the spring thaw, when the roads were wet and puddles were constant. Once the roads dried up I noticed the steering would stiffen up, but would be loose in certain parts during a turn. So when your turning the wheel it would go stiff, loose, stiff, loose, etc. Normally, around the center mark it was very stiff. I've had it in and they've replaced everything from the ball joints to the steering pump. One thing to watch for, the first time I had it in they replaced my parts with used parts, which didn't happen the second time. Still, the issue hasn't gone away and they're now going to be replacing everything from the pump to the steering wheel to see if that solves it. They had a recall on the 2000 to 2003 Dakotas because of steering and ball-joint issues, I think the 04 should have been included too, considering. Read more about it here;

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in660217.shtml

 

viper, my problems are exactly as you describe just like you were in my truck, my problem came back even after the balljoint greasing i mentioned in my last post and took it back for a third time, they kept it for a week and a half( i told them to call me when it was fixed right) had to go get it fri due to some POS stealing my spare car from my work place and the steering has been working flawless, they claim they could find nothing wrong but i think that they did something and do not want to admit to something other than what they did. who knows dealers[:@]

 

I brought my'04 Dakota in to Car-X today. I thought my power steering pump went bad, because it was really jerky to drive. Turns out it's worse. It's the steering rack. It starts to leak fluidout by the boots. The guy poked a small hole and some fluid started coming out. He said he's had the problem before on GM'sbut never on a Dodge. Thesteering rack isabout 790 bucks. Dodge Country has over three hundredon back-order. I wonder if/when Dodge will issue a recall.

 

Just wondering if you ever got your power steering problem fixed. What was the problem and what exactly fixed it? My truck (04 Dakota)is doing the exact same thing now - stiff, loose, stiff, loose steering.