Steering Issue with 1989 Camry

Greease it? And not with WD-40, but with some real oil.

Hard to really be much help from your brief descriptions but it could be your power steering pump is getting gummed up with garbage after all these years. Have you backflushed it and then changed the fluid in the resevoir within the last few years ? This was the cure for a "sticky" steering wheel for me.

Doug

The power steering unit takes ATF not power steering fluid, suck it out , pour in new, it may help

Those little uni-joints can get very tight with age, and no amount of lubricating can clean out the rust and dried out grease which causes small bearings to sieze. I'd also be having your power steering pump and the actual rack and pinion steering unit checked right out, as the force it takes to move the front wheels (when the car is stationary for example) is much greater than turning a tight U-joint.

There are seals and valves within steering rack which can leak or stick giving wierd symptoms.

Jason

Power steering units are not filled with garden variety Dexron from the factory. ATF is only acceptably compatable and is available everywhere. Always use power steering fluids unless all you can get is ATF.

Thanks for the suggestion. Changing all fluids and belts is something I routinely do when buying a used car, so I'll start with that. Just hope this problem doesn't work its way up to the steering rack . . .

H2Only

Sorry Philly Power Steering fluid is Not compatible or do you recommend ATF in the motor as well if you run out of Oil , You are a Hack..............

Actually, hydraulic fluid is pretty much hydraulic fluid. I have heard of some cars using ATF in the PS pump, but not often...

And I certainly wouldn't use PSF as AFT!!!

Many Canrys are OEM ATF in Trans , differential and power steering . To recommend switching is a HACKs idea, A real hack.

Let's see if you comprehend this the second time around.

I've been to the NUMMI, Corvette, and Ford Taurus plants in past years. ATF is not factory fill in steering hydraulic systems. ATF simply meets the minum compatibility with OEM hydraulic fluid and is by far the most available ... therefore its recommendation.

Very true. In steering fluid, there is no consideration for friction coefficients required by wet clutches and bands. In fact, power steering fluid benefits by being as slippery as possible at low surface speeds. Were you to fill an automatic transmission with this PS formulated fluid, all the gear range engagements would soften/slide noticeably.

Your ignorance is by choice.

Easiest way to remove fluid from the power steering reservoir is with an inexpensive battery bulb - the rubber ball kind with a plastic tube. Would bet that Lucas power steering fix would also allieviate the sticking off center. Contains no solvents or particles. Add clean fluid first, though - several times would be best.

Phill, your ignorance is by your stupidity. Follow the manuel.

That's beyond humorous coming from a rookie who can't spell the word (it's manuAl) and who just gave another reader in another thread regarding diviating from the recommended motor oil weight the advice: "At 230000 go to a heavier weight."

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It's OK, Phillip. Idiots *don't know* they are idiots. Ramsey is the smartest guy he knows...

Toyota MDT in MO