Hey Guys... My steering acted up this weekend got hard to turn both ways. Then at times
worked fine??? Today it was hard to turn most of the time.
fluid is level is fine. How do i tell if its the pump or the rack? There is no leaks nothing.
Dodge wants $154 for a pump?? $600 for rack??? I see rock Auto wants $91 for the pump with 30 returned when they get core back.. I also see $229 for the rack with them.. Dealers suck... Any suggestions Im doing the work myself but not sure whats wrong..
My guess is start with the cheaper of the 2???

 

I am not an expert when it comes to rack and pinion steering, but I am on my third rack in my 06. Each time one went bad, it felt as though the steering had loose spots. For example, when turning on an off or on ramp, where you hold the wheel through a long gradual turn, the steering would seem to randomly become looser, and I would oversteer, then it would go normal again. It also felt at times i had some "humps" throughout the steering, or not smooth when turning the wheel lock to lock if that makes sense. It never seemed to get HARD to steer though, I never had that.

That happened with the two I had replaced, and it was leaking at the inner tie rod ends, due to wear. I could never tell it was leaking and never really seem to have lost any power steering fluid. I only knew once the symptoms began.

I am not sure if powersteering pumps can go bad quiety?? I am sure someone else on the forum will chime in. In the past, on other cars, when my power steering pumps died they always sqealed like a b*tch. But maybe they can go dead quietly?

Not 100% sure.

Have you taken a look at the rack, by the inner tie rods (the boots) and the tie rod ends, to make sure its not somthing you can see? Checked the pressure lines going into the rack?

They say you can take some power steering fluid from the pump, and check it for a silvery look, which would indicate rack wear, but I have never tried that before.

 

Do you have the 6 speed? I know when mine idles down the belt kinda slips on the power steering and its harder to turn into parking spaces and crap like that.

 

::::::::Update:::::::

Took to the dealer instaed of spending money and not getting the issue fixed. Seems the steering intermediate shaft was bent?? They said the universals at the end of the shaft must have froze up and when I turned it caused the shaft to bend.. over time the universal kept failing till I had not much powersteering. Any how $433 later all is well.. On another note... This is memorial day weekend and the dealers are having some great sales.. I might Upgrade this weekend. Also June 2nd is some dealers last day due to the restructure..Im guessing they will have really good deals but may not take trades.

 

Yeah thats what my paper work said when I had that shaft replaced "bent"

I guess it can happen to any of us.

 

I asked that same question.......answer was the universal joints stiffened up
causing it to bend???? Doesnt seem right you would think the joint would give but nooooo.... This was something I would never have thought would be the reason I had 0 power steering?