So I was on my way back from a long trip (over 400miles) and when I pulled off the highway into a gas station all of sudden I heard this loud sort of whirring noise (sounded almost like a higher pitched tugboat) coming from under the hood. It would make the noise for like maybe 1.5sec at most and then go away. It would come in and out like that intermittently but not very often. I initially though it was a bearing because it sounded very similar to when my blower motor (in the heater) was going on my last jeep. I turned the heater off (it was raining) however and noise still came back.

So I popped open the hood so I could hear where it was coming from and it was definitely coming from the power steering box where you put the pw steering fluid in. (I'm assuming this is where the pw steering pump is?) So I checked the fluid and its just slightly low down to the C line -should have been up to the H line (hot) since i've been driving on the freeway for a while right? I couldn't really see any leaks and nothing dripping underneath the Jeep. I did notice a little wetness around the some of the metal lines that connect to the box but couldn't tell where it was leaking from.

[I]Note the noise is not constant and comes in and out randomly only at low speeds (below 5mph and when in park. Steering hard left or right does not trigger the noise and I feel no difference in the steering than before I heard the noise.[/I]

Guys any ideas what is going on with it? Is the power steering pump going bad?

Please help!! Thanks

 

Oh and I forgot to mention there are no codes coming up and it is a 2000 cherokee sport 4.0, auto trans, 4X4. 151,000 miles.

thanks

 

bump....

 

Last week mine made the same noise, changed fluid in pump. Driving next day, and booom power steering fluid all over engine bay, bearing shot on pump. Change it now, no fun driving on the freeway when you loose your steering. 2000 Cherokee.

 

Hi French thanks for the reply.

So basically your saying it is definitely the power steering pump and it is about to go any moment? Funny thing is I drove it today for just a little bit and it didn't make the noise at all?? Could that be because it was raining and humid today? Would that affect the bearing?

 

Just make sure its your steering pump, not the tention adjustment bearing.. Im just saying what happened to me. Good Luck.

 

Ok thanks- would the tensioner bearing make the same sound as the pw steering pump? And is it located right right near the power steering pump?

 

The tensioner is directly below the steering pump. Keeps the belt tight, Google it and there are videos.

 

Yesterday when I was driving it I went to make a right turn and my pw steering went completely out but then came right back in and didn't lose it again. It was pouring rain all day and night before though so I was thinking maybe it was all the moisture that made the belt slip for a sec? I haven't heard that bearing whirring sound since the day before.

 

Turns out its the elec fan in front of the pw steering pump that was making the noise. That is one loud *** annoying noise and it got worse! Funny thing is I also have a very slow leak of pw steering fluid but it is a totally different problem which is why I thought it was the pump.

 

Cool. You found the problem.