Slight whinning when turning left or right while immobile : normal or not ?

[studio54]

Hi,

i am not really sure if i heared this before, but when i was parking late at night in a totally silent area, i noticed that my power steering has got a slight whinning/howl sound when turning left/right while stationnary or at parking speeds.

Is it normal or does it have to be totally silent ??

I check my PS fluid level and it's like one milimeter under max mark.

Thanks for your replies

[SamelCamel]

I'm pretty sure that's going to be normal with the hydraulic steering. Unless it's a brand-new system, I have always heard at least a little noise (hum) from it.

-Sam

[vinylengraver]

If it's totally silent, it's dead.

[NorthernDancer]

Probably mostly normal but it is very easy to change the fluid.

https://www.bavauto.com/diy_videos

[studio54]

hehe , i tried another car with a hydraulic steering (non-BMW) and it was silent, but maybe BMW ones are a bit noisy, for example i know that MINI PS are very noisy.

Yes, thanks NorthernDancer, i might try to just flush the fluid with the turkey baster method first, like 2 or 3 times, i have a CHF 11S bottle. I will see if it's better.

[xQx]

Very normal.

It takes a lot more force to steer the wheels when they're stationary because you're dragging the rubber on the road. If you've ever driven a car without power steering, you'll know the difference in force required.

If you can avoid it, don't ask that of your power steering. It's unlikely to damage anything, they're built to take it - but it'd be at least 3x the amount of force it's otherwise ever subjected to. It also drags your tires on the pavement which isn't great. You only need to be rolling very slowly for it to be far easier to turn the wheels.

What you can hear is either the engine or power steering pump laboring because of the extra power required to pump the hydraulic fluid, or the power steering pump impeller cavitating in the hydraulic fluid because you're asking too much/.

If you start hearing that noise during normal driving, it's because you've got some air in your power steering fluid and the impeller is cavitating, and it's time to get someone to check out all the hoses and connectors in your power steering system. It's a common problem in some cars because all you need is a pinhole sized crack in a hose to cause it.

[studio54]

xQx it makes sense, good to know, thanks.

I think i will however flush the PS liquid as precaution cause i have no idea if it has been done on my car since i bought it used. (The car has 60k miles)

[sandlion]

Originally Posted by studio54

xQx it makes sense, good to know, thanks.

I think i will however flush the PS liquid as precaution cause i have no idea if it has been done on my car since i bought it used. (The car has 60k miles)

mine was noisy until I flushed the fluid. now it's silent except at full stop.

[Mr Gasser]

change the fluid and the reservoir, it has a filter in it. $25-30+fluid

[NORAGRETS]

Very very normal