A local Dodge dealer replaced tthe power steering pump in my 2001 Dodge Intrepid (192,000 mis)because of a deep growling sound it makes intermittently. The noise remained, and they concluded that it was a bad pump from Mopar, so they replaced under warranty with the stipulation that I drive the vehicle 250 miles to get the air out of the system.When this failed to produce any results, they said I needed a new rack and pinion ($1400). Needless to say, I don’t trust them to get my car repaired as they wont refund the money I already spent on the pump. They insist that both of them were bad. I would like to keep this car as it performs well other than the noise. We have never experienced any steering problems. Any suggestions?
Find an independent garage. These guys are throwing parts at the problem, on your dime.
Under what conditions does the growling occur?
It growls when hot, when cold and sometimes doesn’t growl at all. When it growls the growling becomes higher pitched with acceleration. The growling stops when the steering wheel is turned to stop in either direction. There are no fluid leaks.