xUnKnOwNx

i got off work and i was leaving the parking lot, so i made a right onto the street. then i tried to make another right turn, all of a sudden, my steering wheel locked up and i cant turn. (its like when your car is not on, and you try to turn the steering wheel). it requires ALOT of strength just to turn the wheel. i drove a car without power steering before and it is not this hard. i was a good 40 miles away from home, and i had to drive like that and use lots of strength to turn the wheel. the only thing i can think of is that its out of power steering fluid.... but that wouldnt make sense, because when i exit the parking lot, i was able to turn just fine. and if it was out of power steering fluid, it would steer as if it had no power steering and right now, its steering as if the car is off. ever tried to turn the wheel when your car cant start? yea... its like that.

i need help ASAP. thanks

eriksseven

iTrader: (6)

Either you killed your PS pump, something electrical happened, or... ?

Have you checked the fuse?

I ran my PS pump out of fluid, and it permanently destroyed the pump. BUT, it actually wasn't THAT bad. It was still better than when the PS was disconnected, or when the car was OFF.

A side note: After someone broke into my car and destroyed the ignition switch/assembly, I'd have to stick a little 'clip' into the ignition lock cylinder to "hold" the little button in place that causes the wheel to lock... This is what I THOUGHT what might've happened to you, but since you CAN turn (I couldn't at ALL) it's probably due to a pump burn out or something else (related to the PS pump setup).

Check your fluid.

BTW, was the PS making ANY weird noises before it completely died?

I ask this, because when I was in the MIDST of burning up my pump, it would kind of 'fade' on and off before I refilled the fluid and it just stayed kind of in between...

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

see if the belt is loose ..push down on the belt ..it it can be pushed down more than i would exaggeratingly say an inch tighten it up..could be slipping on the pulley ..fluid check too..look at the rack too..for anything unusual..like fluid around the rubber parts..squeeze the boots any fluid you got leaks...check the column,,,check around the knuckle assembly..nothin loose against it....some easy stuff for ya to ponder over.get you started ..eliminating the obvious..my $.02