Assist Check at Road Speed

Assist Check at Road Speed
Assist (excessively light steering) at high speed:
1. Check the power steering fluid level, and pump belt tension.
2. Start the engine, allow it to idle, and turn the steering wheel from lock-to-lock several times to warm up the fluid.





3. Stop the engine. To simulate speeds above 62 mph (100 km/h), disconnect the hoses from the power steering speed sensor, and connect them to the bypass tube joint. Plug the end of the bypass tube joint.





4. Attach a spring scale to the steering wheel.
Start the engine; with the engine idling and the vehicle on a clean, dry floor, pull the scale. Rotate the steering wheel more than 90 degrees by pulling the spring scale. Read the figure on the spring scale while the steering wheel is in motion.
- If the scale reads more than 25 N (2.6 kgf, 5.7 lbs.), the valve body unit is OK. The power steering speed sensor abnormal. Replace the sensor, and check by road testing.
- If the reading is now 25 N (2.6 kgf, 5.7 lbs.) or less, problem is in the valve body unit or pump (see General Troubleshooting).