'98 Steering groan

[Gonzo]

I have a '98 Explorer Sport with a steering noise coming from the left side. I don't think there is anything rubbing, since everything is stock. It makes kind of a rubbing/groaning sound only when I turn the wheel to the left. No noise when I turn right. Has anyone else had/heard of this problem?
e-mail: andayajb@hotmail.com

 

[alphasylum]

I have a weird groaning noise when I made tight slow turns (parking) ...but I though it was normal

 

[01EB5.0]

Might be air in the rack. I got air in mine and it groaned ever since...you can have it flushed out at the dealer, but it's expensive as is everything else

 

[alphasylum]

Is that considered maintenance?
I have a warranty that covers everything except general wear and tear and maintenance.

 

[01EB5.0]

Well, i think it would be considered ht esame as having your tranny flushed, so yeah it's maitnance I think

 

[Robert]

It should only be considered maintenance if your Service Guide lists it as a maintenance item. I don't recall ever seeing power steering flush in mine. Ford has a TSB out for moaning noise when turning. The repair is to change the high pressure power steering hose and install a bracket. When I picked my '97 up from a repair shop after it had been there all week, mine made a groan when turning into my driveway. For the next few weeks whenever I made slow speed, sharp turns it groaned like crazy. Eventually the noise went away and hasn't been back. The service it was in for was to replace a tie-rod end. The noise was definately coming from the pump though.

 

[Jim F]

Left handed groan

I had this problem a 4000 miles and Ford replaced either a part on the rack or replaced the whole rack and pinion assy. Since then it's been fine.

Check out this post for more details:

http://208.38.138.31/forums/showthread.php?threadid=18410

 

[diveron]

I heard a groaning on fast wide left turns Gonzo. The higher the speed the louder the grown. I located the problem and corrected it. It was not the power steering. It can only happen on 4 wheel drives too. The fluid in the front axle was milky white. The problem was completely cured after changing the fluid in the front axle. Good luck Gonzo if your problem is the same thing.

 

[Garth]

Steering noise are there to let you know that you ball joints are going bad.

 

[diveron]

Garth, you could be right so thank you. The noise has come back, it seemed to me that maybe the oversize Bear brand tires were the cause. Since I only drive this vehicle on weekends, attention to this has not been a priority. My Explorer gets only light work, since my weekday car shares my transportation needs. The grown noise occurs depending on the road, and wind conditions. When there is no wind resistance, it is quiet on nice smooth roads. There is no grown at speeds below 25 miles an hour. I did not want to do anything until I changed the tires, to see if that had something to do with it. With the wear the tires are getting from the only weekend use, that could be a long time. I did drive to to mile marker 104, Key Largo from Ft. Lauderdale. The grown was in there just the way it was described above. I will start checking into it about the ball joints anyway. Thanks again Garth for the information.