Over the last few days I've had a problem with my power steering system, with the engine running it goes through periods of time like the pump has stopped pumping - the steering wheel is really hard to turn. This has only started in the last week or so, since the temperature here has turned pretty cold - I checked the fluid the first time it happened, and today, and it shows full with no change in level.

I did a search on power steering issues on this forum but didn't see much that was similar, and am wondering if anyone has had or heard of this problem?

 

I've had a problem with mine when it was really cold. Like the power steering wasn't working. It hasn't done it in a couple of years. Last time I noticed it it was well below freezing. Like 8 above. It doesn't get that cold around here that often. And if it does, it usually only lasts a few days. It usually went away after awhile, once the truck warmed up enough. I think I read somewhere that it had something to do with the fluid being too cold. I guess the heat from the engine eventually warmed it up enough for it to work properly.

 

Thanks phil, it certainly wakes you up in the morning when you try to turn on the highway & it decides to go into it's non-power mode. I'm currently sort of leaning towards the pressure relief valve in the pump. If this sticks, most (or all) of the fluid will just go from the pump to the reservoir without going to the gear. With the reservoir at the full mark and no leaks underneath, I have to figure it's something within the pump (that valve is a non-replaceable part of the pump) that's acting up & there isn't much in the pump other than that valve that would make it go from power to non-power modes several times in the course of a half hour's drive. I'm going to check out the price and availability of replacement pumps today and probably change it this weekend (more winter wrenching).

I see that there are aftermarket fluid filters for the PS pump - they appear to install in-line on the reservoir end of the return line, has anyone used these?

 

Well I finally got a PS pump - that was really hard to find unless I wanted to pay twice as much and get one from the dealership. I'm currently planning on changing that on either Saturday or Sunday depending on which is warmest and when our forecast Friday snowstorm finally passes. I hope to be in & out fairly quickly with the pump change, but may need to eat my words once I get to taking the one-time-use pulley off the pump. Currently, looking at the fluid, it looks clean, so I'm not sure I want to drain it all out, I may just go with draining everything but the gear fluid and wait until spring to do a full flush.

Since it's not good wrenching weather, I could use a few tips from those of you that have some experience with the Dakota PS system. Does anyone know whether the TRE's or the rack could cause symptoms such as I have described (PS sometimes on and sometimes off)? I currently appear to have no leaks, the fluid is at the full mark, and when the PS is "on", it all acts normal.

 

I had a problem with mine where I was getting a hard spot through the steering range. I sprayed the steering shaft joints with lube and I haven't had it happen again since.

 

As of Friday, the power steering has worked properly, so since I can't see anything externally wrong (no leaks and the plastic pulley is still intact), I'm going to wait before changing the pump. On Thursday night, the temperature went up, so when the PS worked on Friday morning, I chocked that up as a common denominator - I still think the pump is the culprit (most likely the pressure relief valve) and will change it along with the plastic pulley once the weather gets a bit better. There's still enough winter left for another cold snap or two, so I'll be watching for the erratic behavior next time it gets cold.

 

I just started to have similar issues, though even when I had to make a round trip 2 hour drive I was still having issues. I was thinking it is the pump as well. If that is the case and I can't find any good "How to" videos on YouTube and decide not to go above and beyond my skill level...how much could I expect to pay or a new (or refurbished) pump? About how many hours or labor or out the door cost should I expect from a shop to do it?

Thanks in advance

 

I plan on changing the pump and pulley myself and from a quick look at the setup, I think it shouldn't take more than about an hour if you remember to siphon out the fluid and if you have the pulley puller/installer tool. The pump around here is about $95 and the pulley is close to $20, so you'd have to add some fluid cost and labor cost to that & that would probably come to about $250 plus or minus a bit. Adding a full flush and after market filter to that would increase your total cost by at least a half hour and about $35 for the in-line filter.