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Power Steering Coolers
Should you replace your own power steering cooler, or should you have a professional mechanic perform the job? Power steering cooler replacement cost is often not very much, but the job to replace the cooler itself is not extremely difficult either. For the most part, if you have any mechanical knowledge at all, it should be a job you can handle.
Many ask how often a power steering system has to be replaced. First, we think you should know more about your power steering system. There are traditionally around 4 or 5 total components to a power steering system. Some systems may have more components if they have a hydro-boost system. The components are the power steering pump, the steering gear or rack and pinion, the high-pressure power steering line, and the power steering fluid return line. Some vehicles will also include a power steering cooler, especially if they have things like a tow package, or performance package. With all of these parts, it’s important to know more about when you'll need to replace your power steering system.
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.
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A power steering failure in the past often times was a result of the system being low on fluid. In fact, the lack of fluid in an electronic steering system is one of the major benefits. With traditional hydraulic power steering systems, a potential failure was often foresighted by noticing drips coming from under the vehicle indicating the fluid was leaking, and the power steering system would soon start to fail. When the hydraulic power steering system would fail, the vehicle would just lose hydraulic assist and the steering system would still work but would require increased effort. But, what happens if electric power steering fails?
Electric power steering systems work using a number of different designs. While the designs may vary based on the manufacturer, they all work by taking drivers input, in conjunction with readings from different sensors on the vehicle to determine how much assist to give and how rapidly that assist should be given. For example, in a parking lot at low speeds the system generates much more assist than what will be required at highway speeds. The reason for this is that at highway speeds it takes much less effort to maneuver the vehicle than at slower speeds. One thing that remains constant between current electric steering systems and traditional steering systems is the required input from the driver. Even with today's modern systems failure can still happen and that is why the design of electric steering is still based around driver input and a failsafe of manual steering is still present. This means that if the electronic steering system were to fail in any capacity the driver will still be able to control the vehicle. What would happen if electronic steering were to fail is that all of the luxuries that come with it would be disabled. Things like lane keeping assist or autonomous parking would no longer work until the system was repaired. We hope this helps you to understand more about what happens if your power steering system fails.
If you have more questions on power steering, check out some of our other articles or post a question in our Ask the Experts forum.
Power Steering Q & A > What Is? > What Happens If Your Electric Power Steering Fails?
What Happens If Your Electric Power Steering Fails
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.
