Our Honda Odyssey 2006, which we bought used, is extraordinarily difficult to steer when backing out or making a ‘K-turn.’ We notice the problem at low speeds. My wife also maintains that even at higher speeds, the steering is very taut. I have been noticing it as well when I was making a right turn from a rolling stop. The dealer insists that nothing is wrong. Another mechanic familiar with Hondas told me that he has never heard of this problem before. Anyone, Tappet Brothers, Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.
Do you have the correct amount of power steering fluid in the pump reservoir? Not too much, not too little.
Honda requires a special power steering fluid, maybe somebody put in regular PS fluid but I’m not sure that would cause this problem.
Is the power steering assist even working? If you can take the belt off the power steering pump and drive the car is the steering effort the same? If its the same either the pump is bad or there is a blockage in the lines or rack.
I’d take this to a reputable independently owned and operated chassis shop and have them take a peek. The steering assist provided by the power steering system is as designed, but other thing sffect steering feel like alignment and ball joints, and even tires, and you may even have a power steering system problem. The place to look into this is on a lift, not here.
Two answer the two posts above, “I don’t know.” I didn’t think to ask the dealer these questions because, if anyone is trying to do extra diagnostics and recommend extra services, it would be them. I figured the dealer’s service center would know to check these items (amount and type of PS fluid, evaluating the power steering assist).
The day I took the car in, the service rep claimed that they had “just replaced” the power steering pump on another Honda Odyssey that just happened to be in the shop the same day. He told me that the service tech even compared the two Odysseys (mine and the ‘just fixed’ one) and found no difference in steering parameters. Go figure. Either their check of the power steering in my vehicle didn’t reproduce the problem, they never checked it as they allege, or they didn’t fix the other Honda Odyssey correctly!
I will have these specific items checked out at another shop that has familiarity with Hondas. Thanks so much!
I have to thank you again for your replies. I was having the car detailed and mentioned the problem to my goto guy (body shop work, changes lights, works on cars but not a mechanic per se). He checked something next to the power steering pump, found some relay box, noted that one of the switched looked exhausted or burned out and he obtained a new one. He set it in for me and I don’t think I am having the problem anymore. Something to do with the Power Assist switch. All in total was $50. The dealer would have charged much more and probably not have found anything!