Every once in a while my power steering on my 1989 XT6 just stops working.  It happens after I have stopped for awhile, turned the engine off,  and then start up again.  Most the time after I drive it some it goes back to normal.  Sometime if I stop and shut off the engine and start again it is okay?  Fluid checks good when hot or cold.

What could be wrong?

Thanks,

Bill

The XT6 has an electric power steering pump. There was a recall involving a single blue or yellow wire run under the hood and attached with zip ties, you might verify that is it done. Secondly the electric motor that drives the fluid pump might just need new brushes. Some more troubleshooting is required. These systems are supposed to use a special "Cybrid" fluid from the Subaru Dealer, although I don't know how critical this actually is.

double post...

Edited June 12, 201510 yr by Crazyeights

Thanks Crazyeights!!  Has the mod done. I will do some more checking.

 

Bill

the electric brushes get warn and will intermittently stick for awhile.  eventually it just stops working all together.

 

replace the brushes and clean up the insides well - 20 years old warn brush material reside inside the housing and on the commutator/stator.  they're $20 or $30 from Subaru and not hard to replace.

1.  mark or take a photo of all the wire placements on the back of the motor

2.  gentle pulling off the rear cap - it is aluminum and they can crack sometimes

3.  clean up everything and install new brushes

 

are you a member of subaruxt.com?  there's a write up over there with pictures I believe.

 

you can even sometimes just clean them up without replacing anything too - but for the effort might as well install new brushes - they're probably a quarter century old originals.

 

the power controller can also sometimes be problematic - it's the triangular shaped doodad in the engine bay - follow wires from power steering pump to it.

grossgary Thanks!!  I will also check subaruxt.com

Bill