Lost my power steering fluid
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NJ
Lost my power steering fluid
This morning my truck had a puddle of fluid under the front drivers side. I figured 'damn, another water pump already?'. But it was power steering fluid-the resevior was real low plus it had fluid on the top of the cap and all over the steering components underneath. Anyone know what could have caused this? When I drove it to get some atf you could really hear something going on under the hood I figure the pump was starving for fluid. Could it be the pump goig bad? Or does the cap lose its ability to seal over time? 137000 mi. Thanks
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Joined: May 2002
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From: College Station U.S.A.
I don't know why, but my pump throws out fluid when I try to turn the truck with the engine off, like when I'm towing it 
. If I have enough fluid in the pump, it runs fine and doesn't leak, they seem to be temperamental. 
I had a pump that sounded like it was going to fail for over 1000 miles, but it didn't leak and ran fine, I always made sure the level was good. I finally replaced just in case, but it never gave me trouble, just made noise. I would check if yours is leaking when the engine is running. 
If the leak increases when you try to turn the wheels or press the brake (the break uses the power steering pump fluid pressure), then you probably have a leak on one of the high pressure hoses.
The thing to be aware of, is that if the pump fails or runs dry, you not only loose the power steering, no big deal, just more exercise and helps keep those arms strong ; but you loose the power brakes, which can be kind of exciting if you are hauling or towing a lot of weight, unless you have a very strong leg. 
. If I have enough fluid in the pump, it runs fine and doesn't leak, they seem to be temperamental. I had a pump that sounded like it was going to fail for over 1000 miles, but it didn't leak and ran fine, I always made sure the level was good. I finally replaced just in case, but it never gave me trouble, just made noise. I would check if yours is leaking when the engine is running. If the leak increases when you try to turn the wheels or press the brake (the break uses the power steering pump fluid pressure), then you probably have a leak on one of the high pressure hoses. The thing to be aware of, is that if the pump fails or runs dry, you not only loose the power steering, no big deal, just more exercise and helps keep those arms strong
; but you loose the power brakes, which can be kind of exciting if you are hauling or towing a lot of weight, unless you have a very strong leg.
Last edited by alalor; Jul 20, 2005 at 01:07 PM.
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NJ
It isn't leaking now, only a little bit this morning[short drive]. It was major hot outside yesterday coming home from work plus I had my cooler in my cooler rack[fishing accessoiry] that kinda blocks the radiator. Maybe I boiled the fluid and it came out the vent in the cap?
