Steering Issues???

[chasineyes]

Boy, when it rains it pours. First the AC Blower and now steering issues.

04 Expedition with 102,000 miles. Starting yesterday, it started developing drag during steering. When turning, it will turn as normal then hit resistance/dead spot, then back to normal and then back to resistance/dead spot. I went out and checked fluid, lower/upper arms, CV boots, steering boots and all is tight and normal. Makes no noises whend driving and tracks normal down the road. Even doing tight circles in the parking lot seemed normal. Could it be air in the system??

Any thoughts GREATLY appreciated!

[Bigtom]

I would say power steering = check fluid, belt, hoses for leaks. Good posablity that it is internal pump issues. Good luck.

[Macgyver55]

Sure it could be air in the system but that would only happen if it were low in the first place, and it would be real "whiny". If the belt is good and not slipping, the problem is likely with the pump.

You could try a power steering system flush, it will sometimes cure intermittent problems. Otherwise you are probably looking at a pump replacement.

[jeffreyd]

might also be the idler on the tie rod. Could be dry and hanging up

[Jeremy airjer W]

might also be the idler on the tie rod. Could be dry and hanging up

Doesn't that have a rack and pinion?

[chasineyes]

Speaking of fluid, if it is getting old and contaminated and with the moisture in the air lately could there be too much moisture in the fluid? Kind of like air/water in your brake line? It's just funny how this started last Monday.

[Scott K]

I think you have air in the system. I would ignore it for a week, see if it goes away. Otherwise if you want to get it out now, get a vacuum pump, and a rubber stopper the size of the filler neck on the reservoir, drill a hole in it, and put a fitting on it. Apply vacuum to the reservoir, start the truck, turn the wheel back and forth slowly 3 times to each max turn position, but dont hold it to max turn, remove the vacuum, shut the truck off, re apply the vacuum and leave it sit not running for 30 minutes, start the engine and repeat again. Then re test drive, see if its fixed. If you turn the steering wheel without the vehicle running, you can get air into the system. Some models are worse then others for getting air in it, Explorers are the worse.

[chasineyes]

Thanks 4 wandering and everyone else. I just want to eliminate the "really expensive" things if necessary. A guy a work told me my Rack n Pinion may be going..

[Jeremy airjer W]

Explorers are the worse.

If I do any front end work/brakes on these the first thing i do is pop the outer tie rods. To many customers looking at you like your nuts when you tell them the shake/studder when they turn the wheel will go away eventually.

[Jeremy airjer W]

do you think its possible that you have a bad joint in the steering shaft? I run into a simular symptom with nissans every once and a while and the u-joints in the steering shaft go bad.

[Scott K]

Jer, if you remember to start the vehicle and use the steering wheel to turn the wheels, you wont have to pop the tie rod ends. What I do is turn the wheel to one side, then shut the key off to lock the wheel, then I am forced to go inside the vehicle to turn the wheel again, then I just start it, and turn the wheel.

[Jeremy airjer W]

remembering is the hard part. Then you have to lower the vehicle, start it turn the wheel raise the vehilce do the work, lower the vehicle, start it turn the wheel, raise the vehicle, do the work oooooooorrrrrrrrr. pull a cotter zip off the nut, couple wacks of the ford diagnostic tool and the knuckle is free to rotate. Its a lot easier to replace bolt in wheel bearings as well!

I can pull the caliper and get the rotor turning on one side and still pull the caliper and clean up the rotor on the other side without having to lower start turn raise.

If the car is on jack stands its a different story.

[fishing tech]

Sounds to me like it is the lower column shaft u joint. They will bind and cause this problem.

[chasineyes]

Fishing Tech..YOU ARE RIGHT!!! That's what the shop concluded and fixed it and problem solved.

[Jeremy airjer W]

do you think its possible that you have a bad joint in the steering shaft? I run into a simular symptom with nissans every once and a while and the u-joints in the steering shaft go bad.

[chasineyes]

Sorry airjer...you were right as well

[fishing tech]

Escapes have the same issue.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Haven't run into an escap with that problem yet but good info for future reference!

[fishing tech]

08 were having the problem.