It’s easy for us to take power steering for granted – you spin the steering wheel and your car turns. But behind the scenes your power steering is making it easy.
The vast majority of vehicles today have hydraulic power steering systems, which means that pressurized fluid is used to help you do the work of steering. A pump pressurizes the power steering fluid to provide the boost that you need. In some vehicles the pump is driven by the serpentine belt and in others there is an electric pump.
The problem is that over time the fluid becomes contaminated and can actually cause leaks in the hoses and connections. It gets harder to steer and could even cause total failure of the power steering system.
Periodically, your friendly and knowledgeable Express Car Care service adviser may recommend that you have your transmission fluid changed, which involves removing the old, dirty fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid. This helps the power steering components last longer and maintains your vehicle’s power steering performance and keeps you safely on the road. Your technician will also have your system checked for leaks and the belt inspected for other pending needs. Ask your service technician if it’s time to perform a power steering service on your vehicle today.