Driving without power steering fluid for short distance (windshield, sedan, engine)
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I took a hyundai genesis sedan into dealer to have loud noise under hood checked out. Based on online research i thought it was one of the belts but they said it was the ac compressor. So they replaced that and said it was good to go. It didn't feel quite right when I drove off but didn't feel completely bad either...thought I'd give it some time. The next day I heard loud squealing and louder than usual engine noise. Definitely sounded like a belt. I planned on taking the car in the following day but I had trouble moving the steering wheel. Managed to make it home...The next day I noticed a medium sized puddle under the car. I drove mostly in straight line to dealer the next day. I couldn't turn into dealer service reception in one shot off the main road. They said the power steering resoirvoir had somehow gotten loose and I lose fluid. They said they reattached it and it's good to go. I don't know what to believe. I asked for an explanation of how this could happen, asked to talk to the one that worked on it the first time. They just said it's fine now so come get the car.
Does anyone know if to get to the ac compressor one has to play with the power steering?
Does driving with no steering fluid for up to 20 miles cause damage to other parts of the vehicle? How likely is it for there to be permanent damage to any parts? I ask because they said they just reconnected...didn't say they replaced any parts.
I have one experience with driving with no power steering fluid, but it was many years ago.
My parents and I went down to Florida to pick up my Grandfather's Buick to bring home. I was the driver to drive it home back to MA. Somewhere in NC as I was getting off an exit to get gas, red fluid splattered all over the windshield and it was enough to come to a stop because I couldn't see. I ended up driving the car with no power steering back to MA. Other than it being really difficult to drive, using two hands to take a turn, it made it home. The car was fixed and it was fine with no collateral damage.
I took a hyundai genesis sedan into dealer to have loud noise under hood checked out. Based on online research i thought it was one of the belts but they said it was the ac compressor. So they replaced that and said it was good to go. It didn't feel quite right when I drove off but didn't feel completely bad either...thought I'd give it some time. The next day I heard loud squealing and louder than usual engine noise. Definitely sounded like a belt. I planned on taking the car in the following day but I had trouble moving the steering wheel. Managed to make it home...The next day I noticed a medium sized puddle under the car. I drove mostly in straight line to dealer the next day. I couldn't turn into dealer service reception in one shot off the main road. They said the power steering resoirvoir had somehow gotten loose and I lose fluid. They said they reattached it and it's good to go. I don't know what to believe. I asked for an explanation of how this could happen, asked to talk to the one that worked on it the first time. They just said it's fine now so come get the car.
Does anyone know if to get to the ac compressor one has to play with the power steering?
Does driving with no steering fluid for up to 20 miles cause damage to other parts of the vehicle? How likely is it for there to be permanent damage to any parts? I ask because they said they just reconnected...didn't say they replaced any parts.
If the car feels right - that is the power steering works now - I would take them at their word. I think they probably knocked the cap loose somehow while they were working on it. If there is no noise now, you are good to go. Power steering pumps are rugged and rarely fail. The only time I had one fail, it went gradually - over a period of 2 weeks getting worse and worse. I actually drove with almost no power steering for a little while.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Even if the pump fails they are not too expensive, maybe $150. It's the rack that is $450-$1,000. Fortunately it's the pump, not the rack that could be damaged by running dry. In your case it was hopefully not long enough to damage it. When the belt still drives the pulley and it runs dry too long and gets hot the bearings can seize and break the belt.
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