Suburban Steering Problem

[scottiemac]

Hi. Haven't posted here for a while (truck has been too reliable!) but had a problem yesterday that has me a bit baffled. My son called to say the steering on my 2000 Suburban was really stiff. My first thought was that the belt had failed so I asked him if there were any lights on in the dash and had him check the water temp. All was OK. I told him to park the truck at school and not drive it 'til I got there. I thought maybe a hose had failed so when I arrived I checked the PS pump and the level was good and no evidence of leaks. The belt is good and the pump is spinning when the engine runs. I drove the truck around the parking lot and it was as if there was no boost. He drove it home later and said it was getting progressively stiffer as he drove it.

I haven't had a chance to put the truck up on stands to see if I can figure it out (too dark and cold - I live in the Great White North). It's almost as if the steering box has failed.

Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated.

Scott

[txab]

Sounds like you've lost the PS pump.

 

Another person with similar problem:

 

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...=126849&hl=

[scottiemac]

Sounds like you've lost the PS pump.

 

Another person with similar problem:

 

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...=126849&hl=

 

Thanks for the response.

I put it up on jack stands when I got it home today and there doesn't seem to be any other issues.

The force required to turn the steering wheel is the same with the engine off and running. I guess the pump has failed. There are no leaks and the pump pulley still turns.

Very strange.

[Patrick H]

Sounds like you've lost the PS pump.

 

Another person with similar problem:

 

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...=126849&hl=

 

Thanks for the response.

I put it up on jack stands when I got it home today and there doesn't seem to be any other issues.

The force required to turn the steering wheel is the same with the engine off and running. I guess the pump has failed. There are no leaks and the pump pulley still turns.

Very strange.

 

 

 

When the shaft in my pump broke, there were no leaks or noises from the pump. The shaft turned nice and true with no wobble.

[LCPullman]

Similar thing happened to me back in December on my 2000 Suburban. Suddenly no power steering or brakes. No external signs of anything wrong. Had to drive 80 miles home w/o either through a number of windy twisty grades.

I suspect it was something similar because when I removed the pump, the shaft would slide right out of the pump housing, there was nothing to hold it in.