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Pontiac Grand Am Steering Questions

21 messages,  Last post on Mar 06, 2010 at 11:21 AM

You are in the Pontiac Grand Am Forum.

What is this discussion about? Pontiac Grand Am, Steering, Sedan

Messages Page 1 of 2

#1 of 21 power steering grand am by kdeezle

Aug 19, 2007 (1:23 pm)

i have a 99 grand am. i got in the car today and started it, and i cannot turn the wheels. it feels like i have no power steering. it almost feels like the steering is locked, but i can turn the wheel just a little bit. the resovoir has some fluid but i filled it with no change. can someone please help me with this problem

#2 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [kdeezle] by burdawg

Aug 20, 2007 (8:00 am)

Replying to: kdeezle (Aug 19, 2007 1:23 pm)
"it feels like i have no power steering. it almost feels like the steering is locked" Do you mean that you turn the steering wheel a little and it just stops hard and won't go anymore? Even if the the power steering is out you would be able to turn the wheel, but it would be much harder.
If that's the case, then I would think that the steering lock has failed to release when you turned the key, or, more remotely, something has broke or come loose in the steering linkage or rack/pinion and is binding it up.
If you can turn it but it's hard to turn then the power steering has gone out.

#3 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [burdawg] by kdeezle

Aug 20, 2007 (10:31 am)

Replying to: burdawg (Aug 20, 2007 8:00 am)
what i mean is that when the car picks up speed, then i can turn it but it takes all my strength. the wheels will turn though. i have to build a little momentum

#4 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [kdeezle] by burdawg

Aug 20, 2007 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: kdeezle (Aug 20, 2007 10:31 am)
Then in that case it sounds like the power assist to the steering has gone out.

#5 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [burdawg] by kdeezle

Aug 20, 2007 (1:39 pm)

Replying to: burdawg (Aug 20, 2007 12:13 pm)
where is it located and is it a hard job?

#6 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [kdeezle] by burdawg

Aug 20, 2007 (7:26 pm)

Replying to: kdeezle (Aug 20, 2007 1:39 pm)
When I said "power assist" I wasn't speaking about any specific part, but the power steering system itself. It could be lots of problems - failed pump, valve, seal, etc.

#7 of 21 Re: power steering grand am [burdawg] by kdeezle

Aug 24, 2007 (3:40 pm)

Replying to: burdawg (Aug 20, 2007 7:26 pm)
i found out the pump shaft is cracked. I am replacing the pump do you have any idea how much the fluid capacity is or how to flush the lines

#8 of 21 How to replace power steering hose? HELP!! by carguy49

Aug 28, 2007 (3:46 pm)

I have a 1995 grand am with a Quad 4 16 valve motor. i had a power steering hose go bad on me. i'm not sure how to describe the hose but its the one that meets up to the pump and has a screw in nut that coonects to the other end of the hose like a brake line has. then the other end goes down near the fire wall into the rack. well it took me a good 30mins to remove the old hose. got the new one and had no problems bolted up the first end,but i have spent hrs trying to get the nut on the other end to go into the power steering rack. they are the exact parts cause i looked at them at the store and looked over them both several times during the install. anyone have any tricks to get the other end of the line into the rack. i have small hands and its so tight that i'm having a hell of a time trying to bolt the nut up. HELP.... i hate grand am's

#9 of 21 Re: How to replace power steering hose? HELP!! [carguy49] by burdawg

Aug 28, 2007 (9:45 pm)

Replying to: carguy49 (Aug 28, 2007 3:46 pm)
I did that job on the same car. I removed the wiper motor to get better access. Also, I used a crows foot open end wrench to get the coupling nut most of the way on, then a fitting wrench to tighten it.

#10 of 21 Re: How to replace power steering hose? HELP!! [burdawg] by carguy49

Aug 29, 2007 (5:39 am)

Replying to: burdawg (Aug 28, 2007 9:45 pm)
well i'm using a open end box wrench which is the same tool. not sure what a fitting wrench is? okay i will remove the wiper motor. what a pain in the butt.
 
Thanks

Messages Page 1 of 2

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