Keeping a car as trustworthy and reliable as a Mini up to date requires prompt servicing and maintenance whenever necessary. Even the safest of cars can have issues that arise with the numerous parts that work together under the hood, but there are a few key issues that need to be addressed immediately. This is due to the fact that they can cause detrimental byproducts which can damage additional components of the vehicle.
With that in mind, if you happen to notice any issue with your power steering pump, it’s best to take your Mini into the shop that same day. There are few components on your car as important as power steering, and issues with this can compound into issues with the rest of the vehicle.
Always allow a professional to handle repairs and never try to fix something as serious as power steering issues without experience.
What does the power steering pump do?
In short, your vehicle makes it extremely easy for you to turn the wheel of your car. This enables you to steer a thousand-pound vehicle with barely any movement of the steering wheel. Power steering is the mechanism that allows this to happen.
The power steering of your vehicle converts your small movements of the wheel into large movements of the axles on your car. Through this, it allows the front wheels to respond to the movements you command via the wheel. However, a key source for that hydraulic power is the power steering pump.
This piece pressurizes the hydraulic fluid that helps a driver to turn the steering wheel. Without a working power steering pump, any driver would have an extremely difficult time trying to move their vehicle. Besides just pressurizing the hydraulic fluid, the pump also circulates the fluid so that it can move efficiently throughout the entire system.
Without the power steering pump, the gears used to engage the wheel would likely not engage at all, and turning your car to even change lanes would be a difficult task. If you happen to notice any of the common signs of a power steering pump failure in your Mini, don’t hesitate to take your vehicle in right away. Driving without power steering is dangerous for you, any passengers in your vehicle, and the people on the road around you.
Signs of Power Steering Pump Failure
Now that the importance of this component has been covered, it’s time to look at some of the common signs that show when the power steering pump has failed. Fortunately, most of these signs are quite obvious considering how influential the pump is to the actual movement of your vehicle. As discussed, don’t hesitate to bring your car in if you see any of these signs:
- Moving the Wheel Becomes Far More Difficult: As discussed extensively, without an operating power steering pump, your vehicle will be far more difficult to move. If it suddenly feels as if you are trying to steer a thousand pounds with just the strength of your arms, it’s extremely likely that your power steering has failed and so has the pump. If this happens, try to direct your car to the side of the road in a safe manner.
- Groaning Noises When Moving the Wheel: If you hear groaning or squeaking noises every time you try and move the steering wheel, it is also extremely likely that something is wrong with the pump. Moving the wheel should be effortless and the pump should be circulating the fluid in a way that makes it so that your steering wheel and you don’t need to struggle when moving.
- Slow to Respond Steering Wheel: Take notice if you try to turn your vehicle and there is a couple of second delay before anything occurs, or if you have to overturn your wheel for even simple lane changes. Both these are signs that something may be wrong with the power steering pump and should be a cause to take your car on the same day you notice the issues.
Escondido German Auto For Your Mini Needs
At Escondido German Auto, we get how badly 
you want to restore the reliability you have come to love in your Mini. We’re here to tell you that we can help in this regard and that getting your vehicle fixed could be as easy as paying us a visit.
Our certified technicians have experience with a wide array of vehicles such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Porsche, Sprinter, and Volkswagen, which means they’ve likely seen your issue before. If you’re in the areas of Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, and Valley Center, CA, then come in and see for yourself how we can help you. Call us today.