Power steering reduces the effort it takes to turn the wheel, using either a hydraulic pump or an electric motor depending on your vehicle. AutoTech Clinic repairs leaks, noise, heavy steering and failed racks at 24100 Michigan Ave in Dearborn.
Heavy steering at low speed is the symptom most people notice, and on a hydraulic system it is usually low fluid from a leak, a slipping belt or a failing pump. On an electric system it is usually a fault in the motor or the control module, and it needs a scan tool.
- How Long
- From about 1 hour for a hose to a full day for a rack replacement.
- Same Day
- Time frame confirmed before you leave the car.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Power Steering and Rack and Pinion
- The steering is heavy, especially at parking speeds
- A whine or groan from the engine bay when you turn the wheel
- Red or amber fluid on the driveway near the front of the car
- The steering wheel jerks or feels notchy as you turn
- A steering warning light or message on the dashboard
- Fluid level in the power steering reservoir dropping
What We Do
- 01
Identify the System
We confirm whether your vehicle uses a hydraulic pump, an electric motor or a hybrid of the two, because the diagnosis is completely different.
- 02
Find the Leak
On hydraulic systems we clean, run and inspect. The pump, hoses, rack seals and the reservoir are all candidates, and the lowest wet spot is rarely the source.
- 03
Scan Electric Systems
On electric power steering we read the stored codes and live data from the steering module before touching anything mechanical.
- 04
Check Belt and Fluid
A slipping belt and low or contaminated fluid cause exactly the symptoms of a failing pump, and both are far cheaper to fix.
- 05
Repair, Flush and Align
After a rack replacement we flush the system, bleed it fully, and align the vehicle, since the tie rods have been disturbed.
Noise When You Turn Usually Means Low Fluid
A groan or whine that appears when you turn the wheel, particularly at parking speeds, is the classic sound of a hydraulic pump running with air in the fluid. The air gets there because the level has dropped, and the level dropped because something is leaking.
Topping up quiets it for a while. The pump has already been running with aerated fluid though, and that wears it. Finding the leak early usually saves the pump.
Electric Power Steering Is a Different Job
Most vehicles built in the last fifteen years use an electric motor on the column or the rack instead of a hydraulic pump. There is no fluid, no belt and no pump, so there is nothing to leak or top up.
When these fail you get a warning light and heavy steering, and the diagnosis is electrical: codes, voltage supply, the torque sensor and the control module. A scan tool with the right software is essential, and we have it.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Hydraulic versus electric power steering
- Whether the leak is a hose, the pump or the rack seals
- Rack replacement, which includes an alignment afterward
- New versus remanufactured rack and pinion units
- Whether contaminated fluid has damaged the pump as well
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.