low coolant and pwr steering problem, could they be related?

[flatlander757]

alright, today when i was coming home from a girl's house, the low coolant light came on. i figured no big deal, ill add some when i get home. i noticed that the power steering was acting funny, it does work, but stops working at the further portions of full left and full right, but sometimes it does work there. i added coolant when i got home so it was high enough to see like 3" into the coolant adding place(lol) and when i went to drive it again, after a few minutes the light came back on. now it is always on, even when i just start the car. i had to get to work so i ignored it and will need to wait til tomorrow to check if the coolant level actually went down or not. coolant temp was the same as usual. but the power steering still works sometimes and not other times, usually making me put on a constepated face when i gotta turn hard left or right

any ideas to these problems or think they could be related? also, i popped the hood on my break at work, right after i drove around for like 15min and checked to see if anything was leaking. this greenish stuff was coming down from somewhere in the middle-ish area where it's deeper in the accessory area of the engine. im guessing anti-freeze.

im going to see if my mechanic friend/neighbor can help me tomorrow. i just want to know if you guys can suggest where to look first or give me an idea of what it will cost...

[ct91rs]

antifreeze/coolant is the only fluid you car has that is "greenish". from where you say it is leaking, it could be a split hose, and it could also be coming out of the weep hole in the bottom of the water pump.

regarding the low coolant level light, did you add the coolant to the resevoir or the radiator? if you added to three inches below the top of the radiator, that may be the problem. as it should be full.

on the power steering, did you check the fluid level? low p/s fluid could be causing your problems. check the belt, make sure it isn't slipping/loose. if everything is fine, the pump is probably bad.

[flatlander757]

ill take a look and find out if i can find the source of the leak.

i think it was the reservoir, not the actual radiator. its the thing sticking up directly beside the battery.

ill check again, i believe it was just slipping. that would explain the subtle squeeling noise and why on my way home from work last night it didn't act up at all.

[flatlander757]

the light went off and the steering hasnt given me any issues. i think i may have gotten some coolant spilled on the belt one way or another causing the steering to go goofy...

[ajsnell]

Your A/C refrigerant can also be green. Especially if it contains the dye to show up under a black light. I wouldn't be surprised if what you see is refrigerant and the compressor is seizing up. Since they both run off of the belt, any bs from the ac compressor could have a negative impact on your steering.

[flatlander757]

thank you! would it still leak if i NEVER have my ac on though? oh well, hasn't been weird since that one day, im not gonna jinx it

[ct91rs]

if you have refrigerant running down the front of your engine, something is seriously wacked.

[flatlander757]

it works now, its all good. SHHHH!