Steering porblem

No fluid in rack and pinion boot filled with fluid moved steering to lock several times still was hard to steer.

Had same problem, but no leak, on my 2004 Ford Freestar. I figured it was the universal joint on steering column at the rack since it was hard about every quarter turn. I could not see how the pump or rack would cause this. I sprayed the joint liberally with Releasall, wiped it down then worked the wheel side to side about ten times then sprayed it with WD40 and turned it side to side again. I could feel it freeing up as I did this. Then I let it sit for about ten minutes and finished off with a liberal coating of sprayed on white lithium grease. Presto, works like new again!
Since it is winter here and I do not have a garage, I did all this from under the hood, without removing anything, When spring arrives I will get under the van and clean it up again and pack some good axle grease in there. Cost virtually nothing and about thirty minutes of my time.

Hope this might help some other souls.

Same problem; it was the U joint on the steering shaft. Got a one inch paintbrush and duct taped it to a two foot long stick and painted PB Blaster all over it while my son ran the steering all the way left and right. Let her rest for an hour then repeated with 30 wt oil. Then repeated slathering the whole joint with grease. You can reach it shining a light through right to the upper right of the engine. Easy fix.

Sudden loss of power steering, parked my 04 4, 2l freestar friday, and monday morning powersteering was out.
Very hard to turn any speed any surface any direction. Trouble was the belt idler jumped over a locking tab (possibly there to ease installation keeping the spring compressed) and serpentine belt was very loose.I puled on the belt and pryed the tab, clik! Everything fell back in place.

Note, at startup this morning engine went a bit like back firing, this may have shocked the belt and pushed tensionner outward.