This sucks (steering gear, PS pump)

Wife borrowed the 4Runner to go to Home Depot to pick up some plants and came back saying it’s really hard to turn the wheel.

I’ve been noticing it’s a little harder to turn the wheel these past few weeks, but I haven’t driven it much so when I got in, it took some serious muscle both at low speed and high speed.

Took it to the dealer because I don’t feel like flushing the power steering in my driveway, and they said they were air bubbles in the power steering fluid.

No idea how they got in there, the cap on the reservoir seems to be tight, and the fluid was clean.

Last time I changed the fluid was two years ago. It’s acting fine now they flushed the fluid.

Any idea what the hell is going on?

It’s a 2013 with 120k miles.

 

If the fresh fluid fixed it then leave it be. If still getting air in the system, likely from an old hose. I'd replace the 2 hoses coming off the reservoir. Unless you are able to pin point the source of the problem.

 

I had a similar experience decades ago with my 68’ Cougar.

I had removed and reinstalled the power steering pump for whatever reason and I tried to work the air out by turning the wheel back and forth. I gave up out of frustration and called it a night.

The next day the power steering was fine. Apparently the air bubbles worked their way out on their own.

 

Right now it’s behaving, but if it keeps sucking air the hoses will be replaced next.

 

One of my favorite cars. My dad drove a '68 XR7 when I was growing up.

 

Mine wasn’t an XR7 but my buddy had a 67 XR7. He painted his competition orange and I painted mine competition yellow, both had Cragers rims and black vinyl tops. They looked good cruising together.

 

So update after one week, the steering effort has actually decreased, I assume any additional air bubbles must have worked their way out of the system.

Very weird for the power steering to suddenly increase in effort like air got into the system, but after a flush it gets better and no further air is getting into the system. Will keep an eye on it, but I’ve never seen something like this before.

 

Weird.

My 4th get steering column U-joint ceased around maybe 200k miles. It was unbelievably hard to steer until I replaced it.

Hopefully the fresh fluid does the trick for you.

 

Strange that you also didn't get the "groan" from the pump that's often associated with air bubbles in the power steering fluid. That's how I knew to flush my Tacoma's steering fluid.

 

So apparently the steering gear went out and is causing the power steering pump to overheat and literally boiling the power steering fluid.

The dealer thinks that maybe heavy off-road use and the lift contributed to it, I got almost 120,000 miles out of the pump.

Still disappointing.

 

Have to lift up the engine a bit to pull steering rack. 3500 with parts and labor. FML.

 

Dealer quote or Indy shop quote?

That sounds like luxury/premium vehicle pricing.

 

Indy. Cali labor is 150-180 per hour.

 

Ouch. My Infiniti mechanic was charging $60 hour last year. He was a bargain.

 

Ouch. What will you do?

 

Take it up the butt and hope nothing else breaks in the next year or two.