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Steering & suspension

Heavy steering or a power steering leak

Some cars use hydraulic power steering, others electric. The symptoms overlap but the causes and checks are very different.

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Symptoms drivers describe

  • Steering heavy, especially when parking
  • A whine or groan when turning at low speed
  • Reddish or light brown fluid under the front of the car
  • Assistance coming and going
  • Steering or EPS warning light

Possible causes

  • Low fluid from a leaking pipe, rack or pump seal
  • A worn hydraulic pump
  • A slipping or broken auxiliary belt driving the pump
  • Electric assistance faults, including motor or sensor problems
  • Charging system problems reducing electric assistance

What you can do

  • Check for fluid loss if the car has hydraulic steering
  • Note whether the assistance is heavy all the time or intermittent
  • Do not ignore intermittent assistance — it is a safety issue

How we check it in the workshop

We identify the system type, check fluid level and leaks, inspect the belt and pump, and read steering system codes and live data on electric setups.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Get it checked promptly. Losing assistance in traffic or when parking is a genuine safety concern.

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Steering & suspension

Other symptoms in this group

Clunking or knocking noise over bumpsSuspension noises are best identified with the car off the ground and the joints loaded, because several components make similar sounds.Read more Car pulling to one sideThe key detail is whether the pull happens all the time, only under braking, or only under acceleration.Read more Uneven tyre wearTyres record what the suspension and steering are doing. The wear pattern is often the clearest evidence of an underlying fault.Read more Vibration at motorway speedSpeed-related vibration is nearly always rotational, so we look first at wheels, tyres and driveline rather than the engine.Read more

Want this looked at properly?

Send us your registration and describe the symptoms — we will tell you what the next step is.

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