You’re wondering how to tell if your power steering pump is bad of if it’s your pack and pinion. We’ve been there. Determining whether your power steering pump or rack and pinion assembly are bad can seem like a difficult task, but if you pay attention to the symptoms closely it can be done rather easily. Power steering pumps and rack and pinion assemblies serve two completely different purposes but are both part of the same system. You can use the symptoms and some simple tests to determine which unit – a bad power steering cooler or a bag rack and pinion - may be bad and causing your issues.

You may be wondering how to know if your power steering cooler is bad. A failing power steering cooler can develop in several different ways. Traditionally power steering coolers are in the front of both the air conditioning condenser and the radiator. This placement is often referred to as “first air”. The reason for the placement is that the cooler is often much smaller than any other cooling elements. Therefore, it does not block a lot of air running through other components. This front placement - while beneficial to the cooling purpose - can be detrimental to the longevity of the cooler.

Most of the vehicles being manufactured today come with electronic power steering. Some models may offer it as an add on feature but will still come stock with traditional hydraulic power steering. You’re probably wondering what happens if your electric power steering fails. Diagnosing issues with electronic steering is completely different from diagnosing issues in traditional hydraulic power steering systems. Instead of searching for leaks you will often be looking for wiring issues, or communication problems.