97 Camry Squeaking Steering Wheel

Hello! I would very much appreciate any advice. Just took my car in for big service for 60,000 miles and mentioned that there was a little squeak when I turned the steering wheel sometimes.

They told me that my car has a "power steering leak at pump and high pressure hose" and quoted me $1,000 to fix it. I was shocked. I declined the repair and feel I should seek a second opinion. I have "babied" this car and taken meticulous care of it. I suspect they want me to buy a new one, so I don't really trust them.

Do you feel this is a fair price to correct the problem, and more importantly, do you think it is unsafe for me to drive the car? Thank you, Jeanne

Reply to
Jeanne
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Where is the squeak if it is near the floor it could be just needing lube on the cupling. You should change the oil in the resivour, it takes transmission oil, A turkey baster will remove the oil easily .

1000 to fix a sqeak , wait till it doesnt work and get bids, it is to high
Reply to
m Ransley

Squeak could be caused by low power steering fluid in system. I would suspect high pressure hose is leaking and causing loss of fluid and not power steering pump. Have that hose replaced first, then check for other leaks. You need to check all fluid levels and check for any sign of leaks. Have them flush/change out the power steering fluid, was that ever done? How about the trans fluid, brake fluid, coolant, etc. They should be changed and check for proper levels. Sure sound premature for high press hose to start leaking. Just replaced the high press hose on '90 camry, due to leak. Cost $40 for part. If you can replace it yourself, I would expect approx. $40-90 for the hose, if you can buy from non toyota dealer, like autozone, kragen, etc. I would expect labor charges of approx 1.5 to 2 hrs. to replace the hose, depend on your car, plus cost of fluids. If power steering pump or Rack & Pinon is bad, that will add many $$$$$ to job. Refill power steering fluid and see if you can detect the source of the leak and get another opinion.

Reply to
jjjsan

"m Ransley" wrote

Unfortunately, the squeak sounds like it is coming from the steering wheel base. Thanks.

Reply to
Jeanne

"jjjsan" wrote

The distributor said the power steering fluid was low and was causing the squeak. Said fluid was low because of leak at pump and high pressure hose.

I'm hoping you are right on this.

.> Have them flush/change out the power steering fluid, was that ever done?

I've followed all recommended services, but I don't off hand remember if they ever flushed/changed out the power steering fluid. I'll check my records.

I don't know how to do it myself, but will take it to a car repair shop I trust next week. I should have taken it there in the first place. Many thanks for your help. Jeanne

Reply to
Jeanne

The power steering pump will make a mechanical whining or moaning sound, esp when the car is stopped and you turn the wheel. When you start the car in the AM, open the door, turn the wheel and listen. If the resivior is full it won't do it, only when the fluid runs down to or below the minimum mark.

You can get a used Power steering pump in a junkyard for $25-30 The high pressure hose can be had at AutoZone or CarQuest for about $70.

Bat your eyes at someone who can turn a wrench! (Sorry, got carried away...) If you can find a decent shade tree mechanic, it'll cost $25-90 to install both items. They are really easy. Hopefully, you have not damaged the rack and pinion. This is more difficult, and the rebuilt rack assy will cost $145-225 at above stores, plus about 2.5 hours to install.

Now, that's if the sound is a groan. If it is a squeak and is coming from the steering whell itself, then Toyotas are notorious for this. I drove an '80 like this for 2 years because I was too lazy to remove the wheel and grease it. Oh, and a '78, too. Oh, and a '72, too. Oh, and a...well, you get it. Course, back then there weren't air bags adding to the procedure...

Oh, and BTW, I replaced the rack & pinion in an '85 Celica, but not the HP hose, and have been adding PS fluid every two weeks for, oh, 30,000 miles now...

Reply to
HachiRoku

Interesting! As I said in my prior post, this has NOTHING to do with the rack and pinion, and will go away when the weather warms up! If you have a nechanic you trust, or know someone who does, have them look at it and advise you on the pump/hose. Replacing those now will be a LOT better than damaging the rack and pinion. BUT, if the squeak is INSIDE the car, all that needs to be done is remove the sterring wheel and greas the 'rings' inside it (the horn connections, etc, and the steering column itself). And grease that coupling to boot. When you open the hood, look back towards the firewall on the driver's side, and then look down. You'll see a rod coming out from the passenger's compartment, and then a fitting, and then another rod coming from the rack and pinion, and there will be a U-joint type doohickey. Grease or oil the U-joints.

Good luck. (BUt $1000 is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I live in the Amherst MA area and run a dealership. If you are around here let me know, I'll give you directions. I'll look myself and tell you what you need.

Reply to
HachiRoku

"HachiRoku" wrote

You know. The squeak JUST started, and the weather JUST turned cold here in Arizona. Hmmm,

Now this is an outcome that would bring a smile to my face!

I thought so. I'm through with the distributor.

I wish! Too far for an AZ girl to drive! I got a kick out of your "bat your eyes" comment. Hey...whatever works. :-) Thank you! Jeanne

Reply to
Jeanne

Um, how cold CAN it be in AZ????

Ah, well. I was afraid about ht the 'bat your eyes' comment (yeah, it's chauvanistic! LOL) But when a girl about my daughter's age comes in I help them out or steer them somewhere that can.

I'm surprised on a '97, because I haven't had the steering wheel squeal in about 25 years! (I have an '83 Tercel wagon that does it when it gets cold...ah reminds me of the good ol days!) but none of my others do it. It seems to have gone away in the late '80s. That's why I was surprised when I saw '97! I never bothered to fix it; it always went away in the spring!

Reply to
HachiRoku

12/04/2004 @ 21:00 Weather Channel reports 28 degrees F in Flagstaff.
--

  - Philip
Reply to
Philip

Sometimes, when the high pressure hose leaks, its leaks down on the power steering pump and/or rack & pinon assy, and it may appear the leak is coming from the pump or rack assy at first glance. A rebuilt ps pump can cost $150 - $250 or new pump maybe double from Toyota. I had similar experience, was told rack and power steer pump need replacing due to leak. Turned out, one of the high press hose was leaking and dripped fluid down on rack and ps pump. If pump is leaking, there some additives, like lucas oil, that claim to stop leak in ps pumps and racks. Might be worth a try.

Reply to
jjjsan

The most coomon cause for the little squeak when turning the steering wheel is the coupling you can see where the steering penetrates the firewall. You can spray lubricant there yourself for a few dollars. ~~~~~~~~~ Then it is also a good idea to change the power steering fluid if it's never been done, simply as preventative maintenance. Brake fluid changes are another often overlooked preventative maintenance item. Next most overlooked would probably be transmission fluid changes. Apply some light greae, or oil, or silicone spray to the u-joint at the steering shaft first - see if that doesn't fix the squeak brought on by cooler weather.

Reply to
Daniel M. Dreifus

"jjjsan" wrote

Thank you! With all these replies I must admit I am feeling more optimistic about getting the repair done at a reasonable price. Jeanne

Reply to
Jeanne

"Daniel M. Dreifus" wrote

This would be great if it works. It would certainly fit better into my Christmas present budget than a $1000 repair right now. Thank you, Jeanne

Reply to
Jeanne

The Squeak you speak of is from a single horn contact brush..........in the older cars.

Nowadays almost every manufacturer uses what is called a clock spring. The clock spring is not truely a spring at all, but a coil of a ribbon type pice having as many conductors in it as necessary to make all connections need for the typical collum/steering wheel mounted items, such as Cruise control, horn, airbag, audio controls, whatever the items are.

Basically it looks like a clock spring coiled up, but is made of plastic coated flattened wires.............metal strips I'd say.

In the '97 I had, I experienced a squeak in the steering , inside the car similar to the early cars.( I don't do noises I don't understand.....can't ;eave them alone) I took the steering wheel off and found that some time in the previous life my car had, someone had disassembled it before and some of the plastic cowling around the steering column was not put back together correctly. when the weather got cooler, the plastic would shrink up and make contact with the back of the actual steering wheel. This created a squeak also.

I didn;t pull the thing apart enough to see if Toyota is using the "Clock spring" assemblies either so My above statement may not apply.

Good luck folks

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Reply to
MUADIB®

Holy Crap!!! It's 38F in Springfield MA!!

Reply to
HachiRoku

My 1997 Camry LE developed a soft squeak or medium-to-high pitched (alto) moan when I turned the steering wheel quickly or close to the end. I discovered that the power steering fluid was low, even below the cold-temperature low. I added the recommended Dextron-III automatic transmission fluid to the high-temperature high level. I think this was in the spring or summer of 2004, and I lived in upstate New York.

In early December of 2004, the squeak came back, and the fluid level was low again. I added more fluid, from the same bottle as before.

The squeak came back again, and the power steering fluid tank level was again at the cold-temperature low, and I added more of the same fluid last Monday (January 3), to the high-temperature high. I suspect a leak, and the leak is faster now than before. I'll check the high-pressure hose as has been suggested.

What is the benefit of flushing the power steering fluid? I bought the car in 2003 and suspect that it has never been done. How often should it be done? Now the car has 127,000 miles.

Reply to
rcy3cornelledu

The benefit of the flush is just like any other fluid change, you take out broken down fluid and replace it with fresh ones so that the system will work more effectively. It also gets rid of buildup that accummulates after a while. I do mine every 60,000 miles.

I suggest you do that same with you brake fluid, clutch fluid (which you probably don't have), and differential fluid. Given of course that your'e already aware of the transmission fluid and coolant.

Reply to
Viperkiller

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