SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Honda Civic Making A High Pitched Bad Power Steering Sound
Page 1 2 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Honda Civic Making A High Pitched Bad Power Steering Sound Login/Join 
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted
My trusty old 2007 Civic has 211,000 miles on and has been running strong as a daily driver for my 40 mile each way daily commute and I planned to get 2 more years out of it.

Yesterday morning it started making that distinctive high pitched whirring or droning power steering sound and I checked the power steering fluid reservoir and it was pretty low. Topped off and I was good until this morning when the sound re-appeared. Confused

Topped it off again and the sound went away. Clearly I have an issue. How screwed am I here?

I don't want to have to start pouring lots of money into this car if different bits and pieces are starting to fail on me.


 
Posts: 33608 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Avoiding
slam fires
Picture of 45 Cal
posted Hide Post
Check you hoses ,you have a bad leak,that is an easy fix.
 
Posts: 22407 | Location: Georgia | Registered: February 19, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of PowerSurge
posted Hide Post
If it was low that means you have a leak somewhere. The system is sealed and won’t burn fluid like an engine that can burn oil. It may be as simple as a leaky hose or maybe needs a new power steering pump. Could also be leaking from the power steeering rack. Only way to tell is do a visual inspection. It’s a bad leak so it should be obvious.


———————————————
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
 
Posts: 3955 | Location: Northeast Georgia | Registered: November 18, 2017Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His diet consists of black
coffee, and sarcasm.
Picture of egregore
posted Hide Post
[Captain Obvious] It leaks somewhere or the fluid wouldn't be low. Potential leak points (from most to least likely) are the pressure line, the gear (rack & pinion), the pump and the return line. Find your leak and you'll find the problem, then you can decide if it's worth it or not. One good sign is that the noise goes away when you fill the fluid, so (provided it isn't the source of your leak), the pump should be OK. It may not be for long, however.
 
Posts: 27834 | Location: Johnson City/Elizabethton, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I have a 2010 Civic with 125000 on it and started to have similar issues. I traced it to the high pressure line which is a complete PIA to change without a lift so, at the advice from a trusted friend, I picked up some Lucas Power Steering fix....I am usually not a fan of additives and quick fix solutions but this did it...no more leak or noise
 
Posts: 3987 | Location: Peoria, AZ | Registered: November 07, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Kevmo:
I picked up some Lucas Power Steering fix....I am usually not a fan of additives and quick fix solutions but this did it...no more leak or noise


I was looking at this but didn't know if I should just get it in to my mechanic to take a look at? I really don't want the power steering blowing out when I'm going down the interstate at 75 mph someday.


 
Posts: 33608 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
On the wrong side of
the Mobius strip
Picture of Patrick-SP2022
posted Hide Post
If I recall correctly, Honda vehicles require special power steering fluid not normally available at your local parts store.




 
Posts: 4123 | Location: Texas | Registered: April 16, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of PowerSurge
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
If I recall correctly, Honda vehicles require special power steering fluid not normally available at your local parts store.


You’re fine using a fluid that says it’s for Honda vehicles. Most auto parts stores around here carry some.

Honda’s automatic transmissions are another story. Anything other than the factory fluid can cause them to not shift correctly.


———————————————
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
 
Posts: 3955 | Location: Northeast Georgia | Registered: November 18, 2017Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My other Sig
is a Steyr.
Picture of .38supersig
posted Hide Post
Try the Lucas. The worst thing that could happen is that you would be out of six bucks.




 
Posts: 9112 | Location: Somewhere looking for ammo that nobody has at a place I haven't been to for a pistol I couldn't live without... | Registered: December 02, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I rebuilt the PS pump on my 03 Odyssey for about $20 worth of parts from the Honda dealer. I'd imagine your pump is similar. The PS setup is rather simple - pump, high and low pressure hoses and the rack n' pinion. In your adverse weather areas, you may see deterioration of the seals on the rack and pinion. Either way, I think any of these fixes would qualify for DIY.


P229
 
Posts: 3808 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: November 21, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
H.O.F.I.S
posted Hide Post
I'd pay money to watch a DIY're replace the rack and pinion on a 211K coroded Honda.



"I'm sorry, did I break your concentration"?
 
Posts: 1513 | Location: Above water | Registered: September 16, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of wrightd
posted Hide Post
If you decide to add a stop leak additive instead of paying for a repair, evacuate all the old fluid you're able to and replace it with fresh honda fluid before adding your stop leak. you don't want to add the majik miracle goo with 211,000 mile old fluid. Also take the previous poster's advice, use a top brand like Lucas. Stop leak products, if used, shouldn't be from non-major brands. It would be like putting generic motor oil in a corvette, a bad gamble from any angle.




Lover of the US Constitution
Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster
 
Posts: 8634 | Location: Nowhere the constitution is not honored | Registered: February 01, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted Hide Post
I ended up dropping the car off at my mechanic tonight for him to look at tomorrow.

It got bad, I ended up stopping twice on my way there to add fluid.

Hopefully not a huge $$$ repair.


 
Posts: 33608 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
2002 Camry. Power steering pump replaced for around $400.00. No leaks, no car payment. Still, hated to spend the money on it.
 
Posts: 1397 | Registered: November 07, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of usmc-nav
posted Hide Post
My Honda had the same symptoms, high pitch whine. I did not ever loose any fluid but thought it was the power steering. Turns out it was the belt tensioner. Search the web and you will find this is a common issue.

It should not be an expensive fix.
 
Posts: 538 | Registered: August 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His diet consists of black
coffee, and sarcasm.
Picture of egregore
posted Hide Post
quote:
I ended up dropping the car off at my mechanic tonight for him to look at tomorrow.

It got bad, I ended up stopping twice on my way there to add fluid.

Good. (The first part.) No "stop-leak" can fix a leak that big.
 
Posts: 27834 | Location: Johnson City/Elizabethton, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by oldbill123:
2002 Camry. Power steering pump replaced for around $400.00. No leaks, no car payment. Still, hated to spend the money on it.


UGH. I don’t want to have to be putting in that kind of money unless it’s for brakes and tires.

I guess it still beats a car payment though. Frown


 
Posts: 33608 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His diet consists of black
coffee, and sarcasm.
Picture of egregore
posted Hide Post
quote:
I ended up dropping the car off at my mechanic tonight for him to look at tomorrow.

Any word yet?
 
Posts: 27834 | Location: Johnson City/Elizabethton, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
quote:
I ended up dropping the car off at my mechanic tonight for him to look at tomorrow.

Any word yet?


He told me it was due to o-rings shrinking in the cold letting air into the steering fluid and making the noise and that it wasn't really any kind of leak. I'm going to have him change them and the hoses and purge it all and refill with fresh fluid but he had to order the parts. It's gone away again now that it's warmed back up a little. Last week it got crazy cold around here for November.


 
Posts: 33608 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Uhh, if the fluid level keeps dropping, and adding more fixes it temporarily, YOU HAVE A BIG LEAK! Find a real tech, Honda dealer is you have to, and get the problem fixed. "O-rings sucking air" is BS, the fluid is going somewhere. AS
s much as it has lost, a blind man could find the leak.
 
Posts: 1638 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: June 16, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Honda Civic Making A High Pitched Bad Power Steering Sound

© SIGforum 2024