Power steering loss, no belts are turning but the car is running fine. I also have a soft pedal. Whats wrong with my car?
Thanksgiving day my family and I get into the car. Car kicked on after we struggled with the battery. The time I drove before this was thanksgiving morning around 2am-4am. Nothing was wrong with my car until I went to start it later that night.
The power steering was lost. It didnt go out when I was driving. It was already lost before I even moved the car
Then we pulled my car up under the carport to pop the hood open and seen that all the belts weren't spinning but the car still running.
I have a Convertible. Not sure whats wrong.
My car has 170000 miles.
My car has an automat
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
I have only seen this situation once in my 30+ years and it turned out to be a broken crankshaft pulley. Belts are driven by the engine. The crankshaft pulley spins the belts, which in turn spin the air conditioner compressor, power steering and water pumps, and the alternator. The vehicle should be towed to your local repair shop and not driven. Without the water pump spinning to circulate the coolant, the engine will quickly overheat and result in more extensive damage.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The most common cause of a stiff steering wheel is when you are running low on power steering fluid in your system. Often, this happens when there is a leak in the system from the pressurized hose area. Most of the time, it is due to a cracked or loose hose causing the fluid to leak out.
Thick Fluid
It becomes too thick to flow freely and lubricate all the parts of the system if you don`t change it within the specified period. It especially causes steering wheel hard to turn at low speeds. The only solution is to flush the old fluid out of the system and refill it with new, fresh liquid.
Some of the major causes for hard steering are less or thick fluid in the power steering, improper tyre pressure, damaged serpentine belt, etc.
One of the most common problems power steering systems have is leaks. The high pressure of the system combined with the soft hoses carrying the fluid makes it relatively susceptible to leaks. A low fluid level can cause a whining power steering pump and even a loss of fluid pressure and a loss of steering assistance.
1. Low Power Steering Fluid. Low power steering fluid is one of the most common issues that you`ll have as a driver. Your car will need its power steering fluid topped-up every once in a while, to ensure that the hydraulic power steering system continues to function smoothly.
The steering wheel will feel loose or the truck will seem to float on the road, or worse, will not respond to your manual steering input. This is commonly a warning sign of a steering stabilizer stop that is wearing out, or the seal is starting to leak fluid.
Another identifier to watch out for is a sudden squeaky noise coming from the engine. If you ever hear a grinding or squeaking noise coming from the engine when you turn the wheel, then that is a really significant indicator that your power steering belt has seen better days.
Answered by CarsGuide. The power steering is an electrical system, so a problem with the battery could affect the power assistance. You should still be able to steer the car even without power assistance. It won`t affect the braking.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Power steering loss, no belts are turning but the car is running fine. I also have a soft pedal. Whats wrong with my car?
ANSWER : I have only seen this situation once in my 30+ years and it turned out to be a broken crankshaft pulley. Belts are driven by the engine. The crankshaft pulley spins the belts, which in turn spin the air conditioner compressor, power steering and water pumps, and the alternator. The vehicle should be towed to your local repair shop and not driven. Without the water pump spinning to circulate the coolant, the engine will quickly overheat and result in more extensive damage.
Car won’t turn over. No lights come on when I turn it. Can’t even lock my doorsvor push the seat up or back.
ANSWER : Your probably correct, it sounds as though your battery is done. But it also sounds like you have charging system issues. I’m not sure that fixing your battery and charging system will solve the problem with the car shutting off, but it’s possible that it will and it’s a darned good place to start. By contacting Your Mechanic, you can have a technician come to your home or office to check out your car and help you figure out what to do next.
Driving, then engine/oil light turns on, steering locks up, car dies; but just fine after turning off than on.
ANSWER : Any time loss of steering, or power assist to the steering is lost, it can be a safety issue and should be looked into as soon as possible. If the oil light and/or check engine light are flashing before it stalls, it can be a few different issues causing this. Also, a fault code may be stored in the system. Warning lights flashing after the engine stalls is normal. Most engine control units monitor readings from the oil pressure switch as well as the dozens of other sensors. Make sure the engine oil level is correct. If the oil pressure switch is intermittently losing it’s signal, then the ecu may think there is no engine oil pressure and shut down as a safety measure.
Have a certified technician look into the engine stalling as soon as possible. Losing steering and brake assist can be a safety hazard.
Can i drive my car even when the "engine power loss" alert turned on?
ANSWER : Hi there. A Reduced Power light usually indicates a fairly serious problem with the throttle system. When this light illuminates the vehicle will often go into a “safe mode”, which will severely limit the speed of the car and in some cases will render the vehicle non-driveable. Since the Reduced Power light can trigger for a number of different reasons, tracking down the exact cause is extremely important, if the vehicle is not properly diagnosed and repaired, the Reduced Power light will trigger again, putting the vehicle in safe mode. I would recommend having a professional mechanic come to your location and complete a reduced power light inspection.
Car was working fine before but now bothing turns on at all, and no noise. Key remote also won’t un/lock car at all
ANSWER : Give the shifter a good wiggle forwards and backwards. If it starts after doing that, you may have issues with the shifter interlock or the shifter cable itself. If the shifter cable is loose or worn, it may not be allowing the shifter to be fully in park and causing issues with the ignition. If this does nothing to get the vehicle to start, then the ignition switch and/or ignition lock cylinder themselves may be at fault. The ignition lock cylinder car wear over time, as can the key(s). Try another key if you have one. If that doesn’t help, a new ignition with new keys may be the answer.
Hard to turn vehicle when car is idling. No leaking of power steering fluid under the car
ANSWER : Hi there. Chances are the power steering pump is at fault for the steering wheel being hard to turn both directions at idle. It could be, a faulty power steering pressure switch not sending a signal to the computer to raise engine rpm (revolutions per minute) to compensate for power steering load at idle. The power steering fluid level being low, indicates there is a power steering fluid leak even though, your not seeing it on the ground. Replacing components without proper diagnoses, can be expensive and time consuming without resolution. I recommend having your vehicle’s steering wheel is hard to turn at idle be diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.
my car has theissue that it often lose power steering suddenly while turning.nothing leaks but there’s clunky noice when turning
ANSWER : The only way to determine if the collision caused damage is to carefully MEASURE the alignment and, as well, the frame dimensions using a tram. If those steps have not been specifically taken, what the mechanics have told you about "no damage" is meaningless. If the dealer has told you there is a problem with the steering rack, there very well could be and that possibility should be investigated. If the rack is faulty, it should be repaired or replaced. There is not supposed to be any clunking noises when you turn the steering wheel. The fact that there is a noise indicates a problem. The noise could be due to a problem with the strut bearing that allows the strut to turn freely with the steering knuckle, a defective tie rod end, a sway bar link or component and so forth. If you have hydraulically (not electric) assisted powered steering, loss of power assist could be due to a fault with the pump, the pump drive belt, or rack. Based on what you are describing, I would recommend you request a steering inspection – intermittent loss of assist and the responding certified mechanic will pinpoint the origin of the noise, as well as the cause of loss of assist, and get the required repairs implemented. With regard to the possibility of damage to the suspension and/or frame due to the collision, the ONLY way to determine that is to have those components measured using the appropriate tools and having in hand the Factory Service Manual which contains every relevant frame measurement for reference. You CANNOT visually look at a vehicle and determine if it is straight and undamaged because some of the specifications are measured within tens of thousandths of an inch (toe, for example) or tiny fractions of a degree (wheel camber). A carefully selected shop with trained individuals will have to perform such an inspection. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Power steering belt slow to a halt. 2003 Hyundai Elantra
ANSWER : Hi – yes, you could have worn belts, or a weak tensioner, allowing the belts to slip. I would recommend replacement of the belts and tensioners by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
