Power Steering - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

krUnIzZlE · 03-01-2008, 01:16 PM

Idk whats up but one day i got in the car and the steering wheel is REALLY hard. like, if im turning, and i let go of the steering wheel. it will stay in that poosition and the car will keep turning. its hard to drive the car in traffic and the steering is hard to move. the steering wheel was fine a couple days ago but now its back to hard and stingy. anyone know whats wrong?

anything can help

EDIT: i forgot to mention its a 1996 Toyota Camry LE "Gold Package" it got 2 12's in it and a Sony Cd player with Sony x9's and Sony Door Speakers...

Mr.Nutcase · 03-01-2008, 07:42 PM

Have you checked the power steering fluid?

krUnIzZlE · 03-01-2008, 07:53 PM

its full.

Mr.Nutcase · 03-01-2008, 08:05 PM

Any leaks, have you checked the belt? Also you might to bleed the PS system

krUnIzZlE · 03-01-2008, 08:08 PM

i dont know how to bleed the PS system....

is the power steering pump or w/e/ out?

Mr.Nutcase · 03-01-2008, 08:28 PM

first check the power steering belt.

krUnIzZlE · 03-01-2008, 08:30 PM

its all there. power steering belt, power steering fluid.

the fluid is black. can that cause the problem? my friend said it should be like a pee yellow LOL

Mr.Nutcase · 03-01-2008, 08:31 PM

this should help.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t19334.html

krUnIzZlE · 03-01-2008, 08:36 PM

so dats my problem? the steering fluid?

DFBonnett · 03-02-2008, 08:42 AM

Your fluid may be yellow, the color of the OEM stuff Toyota puts in. It may be red, the color of Dexron, a factory approved replacement. What it shouldn't be is black.
I think replacing the fluid should be your first order of business.

krUnIzZlE · 03-02-2008, 12:39 PM

k, i will do that, ima go to Napa and get the steering fluid. it can only be Dexron or anything? my parents never took care of the car. the battery poitive was so rusted that one day the car wouldnt start. and guess who gets the blame. ME! "you broke the car. blah blah bah" god i hate when they do that.

weinerk · 04-18-2008, 01:23 PM

Did you ever get this problem resolved? I'm having the same issue with my 2000 Camry. Strange thing is is that when the weather is cold, the power steering works fine, but when it warms up outside I get the same stiff steering symptoms as you.

llcoolpass · 04-18-2008, 01:42 PM

check that the belt is driving the pump

EEngineer · 04-18-2008, 02:14 PM

i got the same problem, but in a more scary way

my steering works 99% of the time, but sometimes when i do a slow U turn
the steering wheel turns rock solid, so I have to force it hard. But the problems resolves itself usually in a few seconds...but it's scary as hell.

I believe the powersteering belt needed to be changed, because when i do full steer lock on either end, there is a very ugly loud noise coming out from the axle area

krUnIzZlE · 04-18-2008, 04:41 PM

na, im gettin a new car

lol

but i did get a Kicker Solobaric 12 inch L7. w00t. cant wait to put dat in..

and, when its hot, its good, when its cold, its hard...