Chevy Impala 2010 Power Steering Leak

Comments

• iluvimpalas Member Posts: 1

  January 2021

  so my power steering started leaking so I emptied it out(well it actually leaked all out) then I filled it back up with Lucas Oil Power Steering Stop Leak and it worked very well it slowed the leak wayyyy down so I never had to get it replaced. Usually, the squeaking sound is when it is getting low so then I just fill it back up with the Lucas. So in my opinion mechanics try to rip you off a lot and to be honest you should try it and see how much it slows the leak down. I obviously don't know how bad the leak is but I suggest trying it before you blow that much money.

  0
• thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,745

  January 2021

  I had to tow a car in because someone did exactly this a number of years back. Interestingly enough it was late January and the temperature was in the single digits. When the owner tried to start the car the fluid was so thick that the belt would slip. After letting it run for a few minutes the owner was apparently able to drive the car. That lasted about a week or two. Eventually it broke the serpentine belt and he ran it till the battery died. When I picked the car up the first thing I noticed was the steering was locked up, the car couldn't be driven at all. I went to replace the belt and discovered the power steering pump wouldn't turn. After talking to the owner and finding out what he had done I had to get the car warm enough in the garage that I could get that fluid out and install the correct fluid. While that started to let the system run, that of course meant the leak came back. To fix that the power steering pump had to be replaced. While this restored the ability to steer the car at that moment, having the wrong fluid like this left the car with a concern that potential damage to some of the remaining system could result in a failure to be able to steer the car some time in the future. The steering rack spool valve was easily stressed and who knows what that may had done to the hoses. While it was working right then how could it be trusted to continue to work properly with no future loss of assist or steering?

  0
• tiredCarShopper Member Posts: 13

  January 2021

  iluvimpalas said:

  so my power steering started leaking so I emptied it out(well it actually leaked all out) then I filled it back up with Lucas Oil Power Steering Stop Leak and it worked very well it slowed the leak wayyyy down so I never had to get it replaced. Usually, the squeaking sound is when it is getting low so then I just fill it back up with the Lucas. So in my opinion mechanics try to rip you off a lot and to be honest you should try it and see how much it slows the leak down. I obviously don't know how bad the leak is but I suggest trying it before you blow that much money.

  Thanks iluvimpalas. I added Penzoil Stop Leak and it didn't seem to work at first but 2 weeks later I noticed I didn't hear the load screeching sound. I'll keep monitoring it.

  0
• tiredCarShopper Member Posts: 13

  January 2021 edited January 2021

  Thanks for your input @thecardoc3.
  
  So I think you're saying that the Stop Leak may not work with other components seamlessly. I don't have Stop Leak only, I still had the regular Fluid in the tank, so I was only able to add 2 oz if that. What I will do if it gets low is add fluid and not the Stop Leak.

  0