When you are driving in your car and it suddenly becomes difficult to turn the wheel, you likely have a power steering issue. Power steering failure can have several different causes, some more serious than others. Knowing how to respond should your power steering go out is important, and having a general knowledge of how it works can help you handle the situation better. Let’s look at how to respond in the event your power steering should go out, as well as some common causes for power steering failure.
How to Respond
If you are driving your car and you suddenly notice steering has become much more difficult, turn on your hazard lights and carefully drive yourself to a safe location. You should still be able to steer your car, but it will take some more effort than you are used to. Once you are in a safe location you can check your steering and call a mechanic if need be. Depending on how comfortable you are with driving the car, you can drive it to a mechanic yourself or call for a tow truck.
Problem #1: Electronic Failure
So what causes power steering failure? There are two main causes of power steering failure, electronic and hydraulic failure. Electronic failure is when the electrical systems keeping the power steering running stop functioning. This type of failure can be caused by a fuse issue, so you can easily check the fuse box to see if one of the fuses needs replacing.
However, it should be noted that most vehicles have a hydraulic system, rather than an electric one.
Problem #2: Hydraulic Failure
The other main cause of power steering failure is a problem with the hydraulics in the power steering. Problems with the hydraulic system usually can be attributed to low fluid in the system. This is easy to check for, and if fluid is low more can be added to remedy the problem. If fluid is low, however, you’ll want to have the car checked out to make sure there isn’t a crack or leak in the system.
Losing the power steering while driving your car can be stressful and unnerving, but it isn’t usually a major expense to resolve. If you have experienced power steering failure come see us at Mighty Auto Pro! We are experts in our field and we can get you and your car safely back on the road as quickly as possible! Contact us today for your Medina, OH auto repair needs today!
