I hope this is the right area to post this question. I've done a search, but haven't found an answer to my problem.
I have a 2003 supercrew. When I'm driving slowly - like backing in or out of my driveway is when I really hear the sound. It is a whirring sound (is that a word) sounds kind of like kind of like zing. I have checked the power steering fluid it was down just a hair and I added new fluid. A mechanic told me (didn't listen to my truck) that sometimes there can be an air bubble in the line or the pump might be going. I've got about 300 miles left on my warranty and am wondering if I should try to get it checked out. The steering works fine - I'm just worried about a future problem. I haven't had it checked yet, just because it's a real problem for me to get it to the dealer. Dealership I bought it at is about 70 miles away and the closer dealers have refused to work on it for other problems.

 

Nobody else had this problem?

 

I have the same noise on my truck. The stealer told me it was in the range of normal and won't fix under warrenty. I have been driving ford products for 30+ years and have never had one make this noise. it doesn't seem to affect the drivability but is a nusence. My buddy tells me to turn up the radio and not worry about it. he may be right. Scotty.

 

Mine had the whirring sound also. I thought it was the power steering pump. Fluids were fine. I turned the wheel side to side. That didn't change the sound at all. When I've had power steering problems in the past the sound would change when I turned the wheel from side to side. Then I thought it might have been the water pump since my antifreeze was looking pretty bad. I flushed the system, put in fresh antifreeze and the "whir" is gone. Many many years ago I thought I had read that antifreeze was needed to lubricate the water pump bushing/bearing. That's what made me think of it.

 

Thanks for the help! My antifreeze looks pretty good. I guess i'll turn up the radio too It doesn't seem to effect the steering, but I've owned Ford trucks since 1976 and never had this sound in any of my others.

 

I had a power steering noise on my 2003 from the day I bought it. I finally got it repaired and Ford issued a TSB reference the isssue. I don't remember all the particulars about it, but it only affected a small amount of '03's that were built within a certain date early in the model year (from around 09/02 - 10/02).

If your truck was built early, you may want to check for this TSB.

 

Just checked mine was built in 09/02. Where do you check for the TSB ?

 

U did check the TSB on top of this forum - but what can I do with that?

 

The TSB is listed if you search from the link above, (Recalls & TSB's). At that place it is dated 7/25/03 and it is bulletin #031703, "whine noise from power steering pump most noticeable while turning at slow speeds". I checked at alldata.com and it is listed as TSB #03-5-1, dated 3/03, so I do not know which is the correct number for Ford to use.

Neither place lists the proceedure of the TSB, (or at least I could not see it), but my truck had this TSB performed on it, and it did away with the noise that I was experiencing.

 

Thanks - I did find it at the TSB link, but I'm not sure how to handle it from there.

 

You said that your dealer is kind of far away, so if it were me I would probably give their service dept. a call and tell them the problem and that you found a TSB that sounds like it might be the cure. Ask them to look it up and see if your truck does indeed fall within the time frame listed.

Tell them that you purchased the truck from them, and that you are 70 miles away so you do not want to waste a trip without making sure of the TSB.

From past experience, the TSB number listed from alldata sounds more like the format that Ford uses (03-5-1).

I would look at the receipt from when my truck was done to confirm the number, but the TSB actually came out after it was performed on mine. If you ask me my truck intiated the TSB as my dealer had been working with Ford since 12/02 on the problem, and the TSB came out about a month or so after the fix was done to my truck, (my truck was also built 9/02).

Let me know how it works out for you.

 

Personally I would bring it back to the dealership prior to your warranty expiring. This way, should it go after your warranty is up, you have it documented that you had a problem while you had your warranty and they could not hear or locate the problem. It should be covered then under the warranty if something goes. At least that is what my dealership told me. Most importantly, get everything documented and in writing. This way, they can't say we have no record of it.

 

Thanks everyone! - I'm going to drop it off Saturday My milage ought to be about 35,950 at that point. Hope they don't give me a hassle about it - don't see how they can though.

 

Just wanted to give an update.
I got my truck in to the dealership with 35,946 miles on it. They sprayed some lubricant and ordered a new type of cover for the power steering fluid resevoir. It was supposed to keep more pressure in and eliminate noise. Doesn't seem to have helped at all
On the plus side - I had them do that $36 oil change and inspection special that they were advertising and they found a bad idler arm and replaced it under warranty - unfortunately they didn't do an alignment when they finished. I had one done a couple days later when I bought a set of Bridgestone REVOs, so I am awful happy that they found the bad arm before I put new tires on it anyway. I had an alignment done last May and the mechanic said the front end was in good shape then - oh well.
Anyway I love the REVOS !

 

Sorry to hear that they were unable to fix your steering pump. Did you ever confirm if your truck fell within the dates for the TSB?

I checked through my records and found the receipt from when they fixed mine, it says that they did this: "remove power steering pump and reclock power steering pump backing plate". I'm almost sure I remember the service manager told me that this will allow for a higher flow of fluid through the pump.