Urgent* Power steering cut out while driving

[JoeRad]

Hi All,

As said above i was driving to work (LATE AGAIN) when i slowed down at a roundabout, as i was coasting around it my p/s just cut out and that thing is hard t turn without it. any way it kicked back in a few seconds later and i was good. but next time a slowed i notice my revs just went all the way too zero and the car would shut off, now i had the radio on the whole time and that had no interruption at all the whole time so i think it isnt the batt. it just kept happening everytime i pulled up it would idle really close to zero revs and try to cut off some of the time.

If any one can diagnose this before im heading home from work that would be fantastic.

[Fishboy55]

Do the RPM's drop when you're in park and idling or whenyou're in drive and your foot on the brake? That might be a dirty MAF or throttle body causing the idle to drop, which means the PS pump is too slow to move the fluid. Just a thought.

[JoeRad]

Sounds like a good idea, its a manual so whenever im not accellerating , the rpms just hang aroun 100-200 sometimes jusst cuts out, Man its scary losing your power steering speeding round a round-about.

I damn hope its something this simple as i am broke and this crap could put the galant off the road and force me into the 1990 toyota corrala 1L hatchback GLX(Grand Luxury LOL, Yeah Right) with a hood made completly of rust.

[4-G-rim]

Well I believe the issue is the very low idle and shutting down which is causing your p/s issues since the motor is no rotating fast enough or dying which is cutting out your p/s since its not rotating the p/s pump enough.

I can only think of 2 things that could possibly be causing your issues. Recently have you noticed that any of your illuminations (interior lights, headlights, etc etc) have been flickering? If so..could be your alternator and if you battery is weak also, there may not be enough juice to keep the car running. I had this issue with my 95 Galant years ago.

Second is it could be a really dirty MAF or a MAF failing causing very low idle/shutting down. You can try to clean the MAF with a MAF cleaner or get a donated MAF and swap out and test it it to see if thats the issue.

[JoeRad]

well i got throttle body cleaner, will that do for the MAF, i dont have time to pick an up before they close tonight,

[4-G-rim]

well i got throttle body cleaner, will that do for the MAF, i dont have time to pick an up before they close tonight,

NO..that will for sure kill your MAF. You need to buy cleaner specifically for MAF cleaning like this:

[JoeRad]

cool ill pick some up after work if crappy halfords have any, never got what you want there.

Thanks for the info i let you know how i get on later tonight

[qnz]

any squeaking belts?

[JoeRad]

Actually you just reminded, a belt would squeal when my steering was full lock, like reversing out a drive, but that only happen one morning and not since about 2 weeks ago. the only thing i have done is change the oil in the last week.

[JoeRad]

Just drove home sweet as, rpms kept steady at 800 idling, gonna have look tomorrow

[Fishboy55]

Well I believe the issue is the very low idle and shutting down which is causing your p/s issues since the motor is no rotating fast enough or dying which is cutting out your p/s since its not rotating the p/s pump enough.

I can only think of 2 things that could possibly be causing your issues. Recently have you noticed that any of your illuminations (interior lights, headlights, etc etc) have been flickering? If so..could be your alternator and if you battery is weak also, there may not be enough juice to keep the car running. I had this issue with my 95 Galant years ago.

Second is it could be a really dirty MAF or a MAF failing causing very low idle/shutting down. You can try to clean the MAF with a MAF cleaner or get a donated MAF and swap out and test it it to see if thats the issue.

I could have sworn that's what I said....you didn't mention the TB though...