Steering wheel acting up sometimes... I need diagnoses please

[Q45dude]

I got a 94 Q45 with 122,000 miles. Its been may be about 5 months that the steering wheel all of a sudden becomes hard, like the old cars with no PS. This happens at both slow and on the freeway. It doesn't matter if the car is cold or hot. If i'm the freeway and it does this, I have to hold off the wheel really hard not to turn it too much as it pulls all of sudden.

I'm thinking it is the PS pump, about to go DEAD and is causing this, but I may be wrong.

please let me know before I go and purchase a pump.

[911/Q45]

Sounds more like a speed sensor. Go to Jerry Tucker in Miramar for diagnosis and repair.

[Q45dude]

why would you say its the speed sensor?My tachs all work. Like mentioned above this happens sometimes when I'm parking which i'm not even driving or speeding.Thanks though, but I don't think its the speed sensor. I had my speed sensor go back in my Maxima and the only it caused was the mileage didn't work and the check engine was on.

[Q451990]

Typically the speed sensor causes the speedometer to do weird things at the same time... might want to check the pressure sensor connection on the rack...

Heath

[911/Q45]

I believe there is a speed sensor that controls the speed sensitive power steering adjustment. Heath may also be correct. Whatever is wrong it is not the pump, so don't buy one.

[Q45dude]

Ok. thanks.Where do I locate and how do I test the speed sensor?Is it expensive? should I risk a used working one or go for new?

[911/Q45]

If you want to tackle this yourself, you must get the service manual. It has a complete diagnostic checklist for this and many other malfunctions. Used parts are always a crapshoot, the money saved is generally not worth the labor involved to redo the work if it fails again. A lot depends on the cost of the new part and whether it's a moving or electrical component. I assume you checked the fluid level in the power steering reservoir.

[Jeff Williams]

I would do a complete system flush as step 1 or 2 in your diagnosis. Some people use a turkey baster to suck out teh fluid from the reservoir, then re-fill and drive for a while. This procuedure takes a while, and you are blending old with new.

Both my Q's blew high pressure lines and puked the fluid all over interstate 65 , so my flush was very quick, yet overall more expensive.

[Q45dude]

Thanks, I'll try the turkey buster and see what happens.

[elwesso]

I use the turkey baster method. I swap out the fluid in my resovior every oil change....

[Q451990]

I use the turkey baster method. I swap out the fluid in my resovior every oil change....

Me too. Thinking of going to partial changes on the coolant (radiator drain/refill) and ATF (pan drain/refill) at each oil change and extending chemical flushes and full transmisison flushes to 2yr/30k... any comments on that idea out there?

Heath