Q: Stiff power steering after being hit in the front tire.

asked by on October 21, 2016

Power steering, a motor cycle bang on my right front tire immediately my steering become stiff after half a mile run with a whining noise turning right the steering became softer, I will like to know if my pump is affected, but no more whining noise, no bubble to tell me the pump is working

My car has 199000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Hello there, many faults will cause the power steering on your 1999 BMW 323i to become stiff after getting hit on the front tire. The most likely would be damage to the power steering rack from the impact to the wheel. If the rack is leaking or damaged it will cause the steering to become stiff, and in the case of a leak cause a whining noise from the pump as air enters the system.

A qualified technician such as one from YourMechanic will be able to diagnose your power steering system and make any repairs required to resolve the issue.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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