2006 Impala Power Steering Out

Iight so the power steering system has NO leaks I fixed them and I put a new return line and hoses because the return line broke and the hoses also broke. Fixed it all this is my second time fixing cuz I messed it up the first time. I knew what I did wrong tho I accidentally used the incorrect after market line and one of my pulleys eventually cut the line lmao. But I just fixed the power steering yesterday and while I was out driving it, the power steering went out again so I thought "oh the hose probably popped off again cuz the clamp I have on it sucks but anyway I get home and check and I still have fluid in the res and the hoses and lines are still properly hooked so what are the chances for an 06 impalas pump is actually toast?

It’s very possible the pump is toast because of loosing fluid recently. But first make sure the belt is turning the pulley. Then have the pump pressure tested.

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Agree with above, you may also now have a bad rack.

Yeah its turning it lol I actually took the power steering pump out and soaked it in water and soap for 12 hours and then put it back in and it worked for a little bit but then ended up where I am now cuz it wasn’t working before doing the same thing. Also could it be bad fluid cuz mix old fluid with new fluid. (Was in the bottle in my car for months)

Also I replaced the rack already cuz my rack actually fell out while driving lmao

Sitting in the bottle for months won’t cause the fluid to go bad.

What does the fluid in the pump look like now? Is it milky? I wonder if you didn’t get rid of all the water you soaked it in.

Well it wasn’t working before and when I soaked it it worked for a few days after that now it doesn’t work again like before but yeah its milky and it was milky before I soaked too should I just run fluid through a few times and drain it to clean the milky fluid? Could that be why its not working ?

… and your car wasn’t damaged severely when you lost all steering control?
:thinking:

Luckily not I was going like 10 mph lmao.

@Kewizzle Profanity is not appreciated and violates the Forum rules . So please edit out the words before you get flagged .

Sorry man I’m just so gangster I forget yknow

If you don’t know click on the slanted pencil next to the reply and you can edit your post.

Done.

Anyways I’m gonna drain my power steering fluid and refill it see if I can gwt it to not be milky

The relief valve in the power steering pump may be stuck open or broken.

Tester

If it was the relief valve would fluid still be pushed through the hoses tho? Because I just flushed it and added fluid and upon turning my steering wheel the fluid seems to be getting sucked from the res.

just a thought… what about a faulty power steering pressure switch?

Well I can’t find anything regarding to a 06 impala even having a pressure switch. But from what I seen so far from disassembling this car a few times is that its a “L” shaped return line that runs under the pulleys next to a motor mount I believe connected to two lines that go up not sure where those two connect to my guess would be rack and pinion and then the res has a line connected from the rack or something I believe and a hose which then the pumps pulley is connected by 3 bolts and is ran with the serp belt so nothing electronic with this pump beside whatever’s in the inside but my guess would be that relief pin getting stuck.

Ill probably trash it and pull a used Pump and pulley off a 2013 or something probably a little newer and get a warranty on it and clean it just in case

Don’t put water in the next pump, that can cause rust and the vanes can stick. The pump won’t work if the vanes are stuck, that is probably what the problem is with this pump.

See only reason I did it is cuz it was doing the same thing originally but it fixed it for like 2 days then went out again. but I mean it’s definitely the pump tho gotta be I don’t see any logic in it being something else. I just wanted to see if I was crazy before going out and pulling another pump