1993 Lexus ES 300 Power-steering fluid dripping rapidly

BESTDRIVER

MEMBER
1993 LEXUS ES 300

Steering problem
1993 Lexus ES 300 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive 134141 miles

my 93 ES300 recently started to leak it power-steering flluid, about 2 wks ago. At first it was a few drops every couple of hours or so but yesterday it started to drip heavily and I can feel a little noise and vibration in the steering wheel whenver I slightly turn it in either direction. What do yo thinks is the problem? P/s hose? Return hose? Hydro pump? O just the fluid line(s). Do you think I can still drive it 10 miles in that conditon to the repair shop. Should I need to replace everything in the pwer-steering how much would you estimate it will cost me? Thanks in advance. Need advice badly.

1 Reply

PEAR69

MECHANIC
1,482 POSTS

These prices are according to mitchel1--a mechanics' estimator program--
Powersteering pump--480
pressure hose287
non-pressure hose90
time6 hours
You can get a rebuild kit for the pump for 60 bucks but it takes 5.5 hours just to rebuild it that does not include the time to take the pump out. All totaled up--depending on the hourly rate of the mechanic--A guess would be around $1200.00 American dollars.
It sounds like one of the hoses are leaking--but when you can hear a noise and the steering is vibrating this means that air has entered the system. Air will do serious damage to a powersteering pump--if it hasn't already. I suggest changing the pump.
It will make it 10 miles just make sure that there is fluid in the pump reservoir. If not you will loose the powersteering and the car will be extremely hard, if not impossible, to steer. And if the pump runs dry it can catch on fire--fire and cars do not mix well.