Hello all,
I just purchased a 2000 Durango from a private sale. I love this SUV, however the engine light just came on with the following code. PO0551Any ideas on resolving this ?
Power Steering Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance
Also, what is all the blogs I'm reading about oil sludge and engine seizing?? Making me alittle nervous. I take care of my cars with routine maintenance and extremely careful with keeping up on oil changes.
Thanks for your help!

 

Argh!

If you have a PS sensor going out, why jump to sludge in the motor as a culprit? LOL LMAO. And you just bought it with these suspicions?

Sounds fishy to me. Lots of folks want to flame Dodge and try to take pages from the sludgy engine book... which happens to be BS and a pet peeve of mine. Many posts about sludge as BS to just add fuel to the fire and give Dodge a black eye... all hidden in another topic so they can take pot shots at Dodge and sludge motors. Alot like, "I have a power steering issue... must be a sludge motor". That like saying, "I have a basketball, want to race?" WTF do they have to do with one another? Nothing... a lot like a power steering issue and a sludge motor. So.... I AM SORRY IN ADVANCE if you are not one of those types, but now you know why the "Argh!"

So, on to your issue... What motor do you have?

The P0551 is a "P0551 Power Steering Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance." Could be a bad sensor, a bad pump, bad/power steering fluid or a combo of all that. Clear the code, flush the pump at a service center and add new fluid and then see what she does. If you still get a code, change the sensor. If the pump is bad, the service center won't/shouldn't flush it and should let you know of such. Ask them to check it BEFORE the flush so you don't waste any money if it is bad

If you change out the pump, take the opportunity to replace the belt (Goodyear Gatorback).

2000 D's do not have a history of bad power steering units, so you may be okay and it's just a bad sensor or old fluid. My guess is that you possibly have the stock original fluid in there since little other info was given (hence my unfounded-to-date sludge spammer suspicions).

Again, what motor do you have?

IndyDurango

 

[sm=hail.gif]Indy [sm=funnypostabove.gif]

Very true. It is very wise to give all the info on your rig before we can help you. Try and keep all questions on different issues separate. This way when people do a search they don't have to read about different issues before they get their answers.

 

Who me?
[8D]
IndyD

 

IndyDurango,
These were 2 separate issues if you read the post right. Obviously sludge oil has nothing to do with the steering!!
However, thanks for replying about the code.

 

Basically the sludge issue that you keep reading about is apparently a lot smaller of an issie than is widely believed and it only happened on the 4.7's, check to see what size engine you have and if it is the 4.7 there is a TSB on it that I'm sure Indy would be happy to provide it is a cheap and easy fix.

 

It is the 4.7. Whats the fix??
Thanks for your help.

 

Search on this forum section for it. It is a simple TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) that adds a baffle to the valve cover, preventing moisture to enter there via the PCV valve. No moisture, no gunk/snot created by the air/oil/water combo. The gunk/snot is really as frofth that is created by the process that is stopped via the TSB.

Check here for inside pix of a friends 4.7D that he just took apart to add new HiPerf Cam and a new HiPerf manifold in. See any sludge? Nope. Pix start half way down the thread. http://durangoclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6960

IndyDurango

 

thank you Indy

 

i just replaced the sensor in my d. w 4.7l magnum. after replacing the sensor it seems like the whole power steering unit went out. any suggetions?