Power Steering Pump Leaking?

[golfinator]

Dealer said I needed a new pump, since there was fluid leaking. (a) I washed off the area, jacked that side up, removed the wheel and fender shroud, and had my wife turn the steering wheel while the car was running. Couldn't find the leak on the pump. After a few days of running the car, had the usual very small amt. of fluid on the garage floor. Repeated (a) without finding the leak. Traced all the lines, no fluid leaks evident. Below the pump pulley, a 1' section of rubber hose is clamped to one of the metal lines. I noticed just a tiny speck of fluid at the forward end of the connection to the metal line. I could swivel the rubber hose, so the factory clamps were not tight. Replaced the clamps and no more leak. I'm guessing only when the fluid and engine compartment got hot, the fluid would leak and the wind would blow it around in that area. Hope this saves someone a lot of aggravation.

97 Avalon- 140k mi.

[sseaman]

When you had your wife turning it was the car running? Good to hear you had an easy resolution

[toyomoho]

Great investigative work, no doubt you saved yourself a lot of $$.

Shame on the dealer for wanting to push off a new pump when a less expensive clamp tightening was in order.

[golfinator]

Originally Posted by sseaman

When you had your wife turning it was the car running? Good to hear you had an easy resolution

Acrually, you're right, it was the engine running, not the car. Conjures up quite a picture, doesn't it?