Q: Is a power steering leak evident if it's on a wet ground

asked by on January 12, 2017

I can hear the whining in the car, so I put power steering fluid in last week and the noise stopped. But the boost returned today. I noticed the ground has a white substance on the ground. It's been raining all day, so my question is, might that been the power steering fluid along with rain water? I wipe it with a napkin and it smells like oil, with a snotty consistency..

My car has 174000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

It is very likely that what you were seeing is a power steering fluid leak. Many universal power steering fluids are often clear in color. This could be why when it was mixed with rain water that it turned white. I would recommend having your power steering system inspected for leaks. If any leaks exist, they will likely be from the power steering pump, the rack and pinion, or power steering hoses. Consider YourMechanic as this inspection can be performed at your location.

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