ALMOST DIED! LOST STEERING
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 283
From: Canada
"Originally Posted by Monkeyleg
When the power steering goes, it doesn't feel like manual steering. It takes both arms and a good deal of oomph to turn the wheel."
This is true,
I had the power steering fail on my while I was making a right turn in my '97 Saturn. Scared the crap out of me since I was about to hit a car if I didn't make the turn. Luckily, I slowed down enough to avoid the collision. Took a lot of effort to turn the damn wheel.
When the power steering goes, it doesn't feel like manual steering. It takes both arms and a good deal of oomph to turn the wheel."
This is true,
I had the power steering fail on my while I was making a right turn in my '97 Saturn. Scared the crap out of me since I was about to hit a car if I didn't make the turn. Luckily, I slowed down enough to avoid the collision. Took a lot of effort to turn the damn wheel.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,454
From: Northern VA
"Originally Posted by Monkeyleg
When the power steering goes, it doesn't feel like manual steering. It takes both arms and a good deal of oomph to turn the wheel."
This is true,
I had the power steering fail on my while I was making a right turn in my '97 Saturn. Scared the crap out of me since I was about to hit a car if I didn't make the turn. Luckily, I slowed down enough to avoid the collision. Took a lot of effort to turn the damn wheel.
When the power steering goes, it doesn't feel like manual steering. It takes both arms and a good deal of oomph to turn the wheel."
This is true,
I had the power steering fail on my while I was making a right turn in my '97 Saturn. Scared the crap out of me since I was about to hit a car if I didn't make the turn. Luckily, I slowed down enough to avoid the collision. Took a lot of effort to turn the damn wheel.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 860
From: KS
a similar thing happened to my friend in his mazda 3. his steering completely locked and he lost power brakes when he was going down a steep hill but he ended up actually crashing through the front windows of a hotel... he wasn't as lucky as you
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 173
From: NY
I have a manual, and have not had any other occurrences.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 204
From: Texas
there is a pressurized valve in the pump that was staying open causing the steering to be tough at low rpm. it opens at higher RPM, Your's might have stuck open.
I know this is old, I just wanted to throw an idea out there , just in case.
I know this is old, I just wanted to throw an idea out there , just in case.
Last edited by Recon111; Jan 3, 2011 at 01:13 PM.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,597
From: Gallifrey
Is the pump loud (feel/sound like it's straining) at all when trying to say turn the wheel to the extremes coming out of a parking space?
My pump was dieing, not like this of course, but I had to take it into the dealer twice to show them before they finally replaced it. Great that everything turned out ok, and all is well now, but even with slipping that sounds odd. And I'm sure you'd wish to take care of it under warranty should something be truly amiss. I am certainly not any mechanical expert either.
Mine would probably have kept going indefinitely, just sucking badly from time to time is why I ask. It was rather intermittent the majority of the time.
My pump was dieing, not like this of course, but I had to take it into the dealer twice to show them before they finally replaced it. Great that everything turned out ok, and all is well now, but even with slipping that sounds odd. And I'm sure you'd wish to take care of it under warranty should something be truly amiss. I am certainly not any mechanical expert either.
Mine would probably have kept going indefinitely, just sucking badly from time to time is why I ask. It was rather intermittent the majority of the time.
Last edited by wayne613; Jan 3, 2011 at 02:30 PM.
