1994 Dodge Intrepid power steering

MICHLO2009

MEMBER
1994 DODGE INTREPID
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
200,084 MILES

1994 dodge intrepid 3.3 LITER AND IT RUNS GREAT. I STILL GET ALMOST 400 MILES PER TANK (mostly freeway driiving). The only poblem I have with it now is that when I turn to the right it is very very smooth and easy. When I start to turn to the left, it gets very hard to turn as if it did not have power steering.

It started one very very cold morning, it was like 20 below zero and someone else had been driving it for a while. The car kind of stalled and when I pulled off of the freeway and checked everything seemed ok. I pulled the cap off the power steering and the level was low and a little smoke was coming out of the resevoir. I bought some more fluid fromt eh gas station and topped it off. Car started like nothing wrong but that is also when I noticed the steering problem.

I have searched online for answers but have come up with confilicting replys. One is that it is the power steering pump that needs to be replaced. The other is that the steering rack has to be replaced. But not sure if I need to do both.

2 Replies

BMRFIXIT

MECHANIC
19,053 POSTS

If its the pump than it will be hard as you turn left and or if turning right
I would for sure say its the rack that is no good and need to be replaced
good luck

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Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 AT 7:45 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,746 POSTS

200,000 miles, huh? If this were a GM product, the problem would have shown up at 35,000 miles!

Your rack and pinion assembly has what's called "morning sickness". It starts in cold weather. There are four teflon seals that shrink and allow pressurized power steering fluid to bypass the power piston. It only affects turning in one direction at first. The other direction will lose power assist within the next few months. The problem usually goes away as the fluid warms up.

Due to the location of the rack and pinion assembly, it's not a do-it-yourselfer project. It will also require an alignment after replacement of the assembly.

Caradiodoc