Power Steering Fluid leaking

[rickylake]

-25 Degrees here in Minneapolis, Wife calls me from the grocery store parking lot..... Honey, the windstar steering wheel wont turn...Ummm Wont turn, what do you mean?? Wont turn at all....I'll be right over.

Upon arrival I am seeing quite a pool under the front of the van. I was able to nurse it home about a mile away. It has now warmed up to about + 25 and will be able to look it over. Any ides on where to start?

I did read a previous post about burnt fluid?? my was not looking the best??

Thanks for any suggestions

[Irv]

Where's the pool of fluid situated?

My 99 Windstar LX had a leak on the driver side, about a foot back and in from from the left front wheel. Power steering fluid was leaking out of an adjustment nut(?) on the power steering rack itself. This was happening because the dust boots for the tie-rod ends were filled with fluid, and the pressure was forcing it out at the seal on that nut....not good.

My mechanic explained that the fluid was leaking from the cylinders in the rack and filling the boots at fairly high pressure.

He then replaced the rack for $640.00 (Canadian).

I hope yours is something else!

[harumman]

Last summer I had a bad PS Fluid leak problem in my 99 Windstar. The rack had to be changed. Looks like another defect from Ford . Just curious if there are any TSB's related to this recurring problem

[12Ounce]

My '99 also had the problem. A production run of seal defects. Don't know if there was a TSB, but the dealer fixed it even though warranty period was exceeded. (65k miles.) ...so there must have been a TSB.

[rickylake]

Originally Posted by Irv

Where's the pool of fluid situated?

My 99 Windstar LX had a leak on the driver side, about a foot back and in from from the left front wheel. Power steering fluid was leaking out of an adjustment nut(?) on the power steering rack itself. This was happening because the dust boots for the tie-rod ends were filled with fluid, and the pressure was forcing it out at the seal on that nut....not good.

My mechanic explained that the fluid was leaking from the cylinders in the rack and filling the boots at fairly high pressure.

He then replaced the rack for $640.00 (Canadian).

I hope yours is something else!

The Fluid is pooled directly under the power steering pump. IT does not look like it is coming from the pump? by the time I got there most of the fluid had drained out on the ground, so I could not see if it was coming out one of the hoses.

I will take a look at the power steering rack like you listed above and see if I can tell if there is any leakage coming from there?

Thanks for your suggestions Lake Man

[dandi]

Don't know if you ever found out where the leak is from - but mine started leaking yesterday (also a '99) from the pipe that is in front of the passenger's side front tire. It looks like it cracked where it contacts the underbody. Going to have it looked at tomorrow. Assuming it doesn't cost a lot to replace, we'll be fixing it and getting rid of this POS shortly....

I had the rack replaced a few years ago (Ford didn't give me any help at all).....

Dan D