Power steering pump trouble?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hope on May 28, 2018 at 7:00pm

No problems for me so far at 72K miles. What symptoms did you get? Thanks, Steve.

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Permalink Reply by Steve S on May 30, 2018 at 3:43pm

I looked on some of the other FJ forums and it seems like a common problem that the steering pump groans and it takes a bit more muscle to steer...but it still works.

None of them said how it happened. Well here's what happened to me.

I was out getting the FJ dirty when I got temporarily stuck in some mud. I was also across the ruts, not in line with them, so to get out, I engaged the rear differential locker and I had to have the steering wheel all the way over to one of the stops while I revved up in reverse 4 low. It got me out all right, but half a mile later when I got on pavement again, the steering was groaning and hard to turn.

Apparently the FJ power steering pump can be over-pressurized in this condition. It blew out a little fluid at the time of the incident, but otherwise didn't leak.

I've got the 2014 Ultimate Edition that I bought new and I like to keep it in good shape, so even though it's drive-able with the pump groaning, I'm not the kind of guy who can live with it that way.

I got the new one from Toyota of Dallas, $300 delivered.

The change-out was easier than I expected. I could have had it done in one afternoon, but I figured I would get a new serpentine belt as long as I was in there anyway, and it took until the next day to come in, so I finished it the next morning. It works great now.

I'm just keeping it in mind not to over stress it again.

Just letting my fellow FJers know about it.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hope on June 3, 2018 at 3:24pm

Hey Steve, that is good info. Last weekend I was on Piliken Road (10N46) with my son driving and he drove into a rut on the passenger side. I couldn't  get out to take a pick but we had to do the same thing, ie backup to get out. The rut swallowed the front right tire to the limit!!! Backing up got us out. This was dry though, not wet mud as you experienced. Good to know not to over pressurize.

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