Steering: Testing and Inspection

General Diagnostic Table

INSPECTION





*1 If the tires or wheels are wider than standard, the load to power steering system is increased. Accordingly, in a condition where the fluid has not yet warmed up, the relief valve may work before reaching the maximum turning angle. In this case, steering effort may be heavy. When the measured hydraulic pressure is normal, there is no problem.
*2 In cold weather, steering effort may be heavy due to increased flow resistance of cold fluid. After warming-up engine, turn the steering wheel from stop to stop several times to warm-up the fluid. If steering effort reduces normally, the power steering is functioning normally.
*3 In cold weather or with insufficient warm-up of the engine, steering effort may be heavy due to excessive drop of idling when turning the steering wheel. In this case, it is recommended to start the vehicle by increasing engine speed a little higher than usual. If steering effort reduces normally, the power steering is functioning normally.

ABNORMAL NOISE & VIBRATION

CAUTION: Do not keep the relief valve operating for over 5 seconds at a time or the inner parts of the oil pump may be damaged due to rapid increase of fluid temperature.

NOTE:
^ A screeching noise may be heard immediately after the engine start in extremely cold conditions. In this case, if the noise goes away when the vehicle warms up, the system is functioning normally. This is due to the fluid characteristics in extremely cold condition.
^ The oil pump normally makes a small whining noise due to its mechanism. Even if a noise is heard when steering wheel is turned at stand still, there is no abnormal function in the system provided that the noise eliminates when the vehicle is driving.
^ When turning the steering wheel with the brake applied when the vehicle is parked, a screeching noise may be generated by the brake disc and pads. This is not a fault in the steering system.
^ There may be a small vibration around the steering devices when turning the steering wheel at standstill, even though the component parts are operating properly.
Hydraulic systems are likely to generate this kind of vibration as well as working noise and fluid noise because of combined conditions, i.e., road surface and tire surface, engine speed and turning speed of the steering wheel, fluid temperature and braking conditions.
These conditions do not indicate a problem in the system.
Confirm vibration for an AT model, by applying the parking brake on a concrete surface, shifting into the "D" range, and turning the steering wheel repeatedly at from slow to rapid, step by step.








MEASUREMENT OF STEERING EFFORT

Step 1-Step 11:

INSPECTION OF CLEARANCE
This table lists various clearances that must be correctly adjusted to ensure the normal vehicle driving without interfering noise, or any other faults.