Our Cherokee, is rather hard to steer, at low speed, like when trying to park, in a crowded parking lot. I believe the steering wheel pulses lightly, while turning. At highway speed, steering feels fine. Might this be indicative of my steering pump slowly dying? Fluid is a dark color, may be a combo of ATF/steering fluid, not sure.

 

bump

 

That pulsing might be frozen front u-joints. "hard to steer", is the wheel physically hard to turn at low speed? That could be a failing pump, or a kinked/blocked PS line. Any noises from the pump?

 

The steering wheel is physically harder to turn at low speed. Pump seems quiet. Hoses are not kinked. Wife and I took it on a 1500 mile road trip, and steering seems to work fine, except at low speed it is more difficult to turn.

 

Replace to pump. I just did mine. For $80 and 1.5 hrs of your time, it's worth it to get power back to your steering.