# Power steering bubbles

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** wrangler, jeep\
**Created:** [February 15, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375 "2013-02-15T21:42:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TahoeFrank421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@TahoeFrank421](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TahoeFrank421)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375/1 "2013-02-15T21:42:10Z")

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hi all,  
I am baffled by this problem I’m having with my '97 jeep wrangler. It’s had a bad power steering leak the past few months, and about two weeks ago the leak got so bad it started smoking. Smoking so bad to the point when I stop at a light, the cabin fills with thick thick smoke. I looked for leaks, and found none in the line. Then I checked, with the car running. The leak is actually coming from under the cap of the power steering fluid reservoir. When running, bubbles of fluid burst from under the cap. Is this air coming from somewhere? A clogged line?

frank

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375/2 "2013-02-15T21:51:34Z")

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Is the reservoir part of the pump, integral to the pump?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TahoeFrank421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@TahoeFrank421](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TahoeFrank421)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375/3 "2013-02-15T21:57:04Z")

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integral to the pump? its a separate plastic reservoir that hangs off the fan housing, with a simple rubber hose going to the pump. (My jeep is the only car I’ve ever worked on, so I’m not familiar with terms, and didn’t know a power steering pump could be a different style!)

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-bubbles/77375/4 "2013-02-15T22:31:19Z")

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The last time I saw this problem was on a '96 Jeep Cherokee. The power steering pump bearings were seizing up. This could explain the smoke and it probably explains the air bubbles as well. You need to have a good, independent mechanic check it out.