# (Suddenly) can barely steer **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ford, taurus\ **Created:** [October 4, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333 "2017-10-04T00:34:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matthewdeanlarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@matthewdeanlarson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewdeanlarson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/1 "2017-10-04T00:34:46Z")
2003 Ford Taurus - Started my car tonight, and the car will barely turn left or right. My battery light is suddenly on, and there is fluid leaking out of the front passenger side - it’s dark out, so at least for tonight, I can’t get a good feel for where it is coming from. I opened up the power steering reservoir, and it appears to be full. Ideas about what the cause would be? ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/2 "2017-10-04T00:37:51Z")
That fluid you see is probably getting on the drive belt causing slippage. ---
**Author:** ![matthewdeanlarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@matthewdeanlarson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewdeanlarson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/3 "2017-10-04T00:41:29Z")
I took another look, and I think the fluid is coming from the coolant resevoir - it leaked very rapidly, too ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/4 "2017-10-04T00:41:59Z")
More than likely the power steering pump shaft seal is leaking, getting onto the serpentine belt, causing the alternator pulley to slip, causing the battery light to come on. Tester ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/5 "2017-10-04T00:44:40Z")
Does it appear to have “blown” out the reservoir cap? That’s serious. ---
**Author:** ![matthewdeanlarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@matthewdeanlarson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewdeanlarson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/6 "2017-10-04T00:45:54Z")
Slippage is right… I just looked at the belt, and it is both wet, and has completely come off - didn’t break. It’s like it just slipped right off. ---
**Author:** ![matthewdeanlarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@matthewdeanlarson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matthewdeanlarson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/7 "2017-10-04T00:47:57Z")
Cap is ok. There does appear to be a crack on the top of the resevoir with some moisture around it. Couldn’t be the location where all that fluid ran out, though ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/8 "2017-10-04T00:52:15Z")
You have a pressurized reservoir…replace it. ![Reservoir](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/f/f7acc3c7a8938f3511f1a1071c155b7a1925b5c6.png) ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/9 "2017-10-04T00:54:10Z")
Check the water pump, if the bearings fail the pump can leak coolant and the belt may come off. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/10 "2017-10-04T01:08:43Z")
Obviously, clean off the pulleys and get a new belt. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/11 "2017-10-04T01:12:08Z")
My guess car overheated and died. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suddenly-can-barely-steer/108333/12 "2017-10-04T02:15:56Z")
Check all the fluid levels as your first task. Engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and coolant.