2002 Chevy Cavalier strange noise.

STONE24711

MEMBER
2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
125,000 MILES

2002 Chevrolet cavalier, My problem started with my car making a weird sound when I start it and it only happens when its cold and goes away as the car warms up then it would run fine and would not make any noise when starting en less the car had cooled down for a few hours. The sound was like it was low on power steering fluid but the fluid level was OK.
I took the car to a shop and they replaced the power steering pump, and the problem only got worse. Now the car has the original problem with the noise, and the new pump makes a winding sound whenever I give it gas. I took it back to the shop and they put some cleanser in the power steering fluid. The cleanser didnt help much Ive put 300 miles on the car and the problems are still there. What do you think could be causing this?

1 Reply

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

There may be a restriction in the line, air in the system making it cavitate. It may also be internal in the rack. The pump may be defective that they installed.

I would call the shop and ask them to rectify it. At the very least the should replace the pump at no charge, unless they can prove otherwise.

There are fluid pressures in the system that can be measured to see if a restriction is present. The pump may be a secondary problem that was caused by another.