Noises

[lost-and-found]

Yesterday morning and today morning I started up my car, 1990 NIssan Stanza. The mornings are pretty cool here (55*F) I noticed that during the last 2 mornings my car makes noises when I turn the steering wheel, it's not even a grinding noise, it's more of a noise you make when you walk on a wooden floor in an old building. I also noticed that later during the day (yesterday) it stopped making those noises when turning the wheel. WHen it does make those noises it makes them when the car is parked, and when the car is in motion....any ideas?

I also noticed that it makes a louder noise when turning the wheel clockwise....thus making the car go to the right.

[Target]

I assume your car has power steering...

Check the fluid level in the power steering pump, and the belt that drives the pump. My guess is its one of those two things, or a combination of the two. Most likely fluid tho.

[lost-and-found]

fluid level is full, where's that drive belt?

[lost-and-found]

yeah, I just checked under the car, no leaks, all fluids/oils full (except the gas tank...which needs to be filled up when cash flow-in increases )

Now I fired up the engine and turned the steerign wheel a few times, no noise, but like I said I think it only does that noise when it's cold, and since I drove it in the morning it warmed up.

[sao95]

is it definately coming from under the hood, or the tires?

[lost-and-found]

I hear it through the dashboard, and it doesn't sound like the tires.

[electric]

it could be your struts


how does your car handle?
are tires wearing on one side?

[wju425]

Sound like the power steering pump is churning fluid with air. Though the fluid level is on the mark (is it?) it'll need a little more. My pump's like that (87 chevy). I filled it above the mark and it goes away. At that point is where you replace the pump but adding fluid keeps you going

\o/ Billy

[Atomic Rooster]

If it's a front wheel drive car, I would suspect that one of your CV joints is going bad. You should take it into a shop and have them checked out.

[RedFury]

could just be something in the steering column rubbing when it gets cold from expansion. My wifes car makes a weird noise from the steering column when it gets cold. Never figured out exactly what causes it, but once the car warms up it goes away. My thought is that there is a seal or something that gets a little too tight and as the steering wheel is turned, it rubs and makes the noise ( like a really big, deep voiced , pissed off cricket )