Steering Issue

[mandabug]

hi. i have a problem with my steering & was wondering if anyone could share some opinions on it before i take it in to have it looked at, just to get an idea of what i might be getting into with it.

i have a 1995 camry le. 4 cyl. automatic. the problem started last year i guess, but it would only do it when i would turn the wheel completely in either direction. it would make a terrible screeching sound (in fact at first i thought it was just the wheels scraping the tire well) recently however, it has gotten much worse. the steering sort of locks up, making it very difficult to turn the wheel, all the time making the terrible sound. but it only does this when i first start the car up. and it goes away just by turning the wheel a few times, pushing through the resistance/tension/whatever.

so, if anyone has any clue what might be going on here, i'd be happy to hear it. thanks

[uibalnme]

When was the last time the drive belt was changed? If the belt is slipping against the power steering pump pulley, that would cause the wheel to be hard to turn. That would also cause the screeching sound. I had a similar problem a few years ago. My car made a very loud screeching when the steering wheel was turned all the way over to either side. Cleaning the pulleys and changing the belt solved the problem for me.

[Kenny_McCormic]

Slipping belt, you are gonna need a new belt now. Next time it starts barking when you bottom out the steering have the belt tightened up. The job is a total PITA due to location of the pump and lack of any sort of tension mech other than your pry bar.

[mandabug]

well, i've had the car for 3 years now. it was my mom's before then. as far back as i can remember, the belt was never changed, definitely not since i've had it.

very glad to hear it is probably a belt though; which is what my step-dad thought, and i had hoped. we'd heard a differing opinion from someone else, so that is why i was looking for others. the someone else being my ex who likes to overcharge me for work he does on my car - got $800 from me last year & never finished the work bleh.

thank you both for your insight

[Mike Gerber]

"but it only does this when i first start the car up. and it goes away just by turning the wheel a few times, pushing through the resistance/tension/whatever."

As the belt runs over the pulleys a few times, the heat caused friction of the belt slipping causes the belt to expand just a bit. Then it usually grabs better. Your ex was probably thinking you need a new steering rack, but a bad rack is not usually accompanied by the screeching noise you mentioned.

Any independent garage can change the belt for the cost of the belt (about $15-$20) and probably whatever their minimum labor charge is.

Mike