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Hi guys!

I am from Hungary I am an owner of a 7th gen Civic Coupe (made in 2001) what i like most! But unfortunately I have a problem with the steering for a time. The symptom is the following: it is slightly hard to turn the steering wheel and parallel make a squel noise from the power steering. Thats why I thought that the power steering pump can be the defective, but it is not sure...

Here in Hungary no any Coupe was distributed so I am in a diffcult situation to know the source of the fault. (Only the Coupe has OIL power steering, the other 7th gens - 3,4,6 doors - have electrical), Even int the offical honda trade nobody can tell the sollution...
For this reason (as last chance) I applied to you for ask wheter anybody has same problem with own car and has the soulution?

Thank you very much for any answer in advance!

best regards,
Zsolt

 
Rep Power: 308

Has anyone tried to tighten the drive belt ??

 
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Firstly we checked the belt on the PS pump, it is quite tight, so it is OK surely!!

 
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Also I cheked the PS oil reservior, the level is OK, the oil isn't 'frothy. Also during steering movements there is oil circulating in the reserviour, so it can be supposed that the the PS pump is 'alive'...

 
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I've just looked for something on the net concerning my steering issue. The result of searching was verty suprising: there was a recall of 2001' civics due to steering problems:

"Steering problems: The steering wheel may be hard to turn or make noise due to a faulty power-steering pump. (2001)"
Honda Civic Full Review

So I think that there are other 2001's 7gen coupe owners who had same problem! I ask them, please comment on this topic! It would be very important!
Thank you!

 
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Good find and some good information as well. I also found service bulletin similar ---> http://www.geocities.com/pfeifferper...ffSteering.pdf

These TSB's are provided by a member here.

Good luck

 
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A lot of thanks for your help again!

The symptom by me is totally same to the descripted in the attached service bulletin. The only thing which is not correct totally that is the VIN. The bulletin says as one of affected vehicle is:
"KB, KE, KG: From VIN 1HGEM....1L600001 thru 1HGEM....1L600683"
but my VIN number is out of the range i.e.:
"HGEM....1L6033xx "
What is your opinion about this mismatch of VIN?

Still today I will forward this service bulletin to my car mechanic...

and thanks one more!

 
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Have you made contact with Honda ?? The VIN #s are very close.

 
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Today afternoon I posted the TSB to my car mechanic who works in the local Honda... by tomorrow something will be appeared, I hope

 
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Well, according to the local Honda, there is very high possibility to have same problem with my car as described in

the TSB, even if the VIN is little higher than the specified range.
But before I buy a new PS pump finally, which can be ordered for very high cost (~700$ !!!) here in Hungary , I

would like to be sure that the PS pump is the defective indeed, and not any other parts of the steering mechanism.

Unfortunatelly here in Honda nobody knows procedure to check the good working of the PS pump in itself, they said

that it should be replaced to a good one, and if it will solve the problem, we can say that the pump was the

defective, uhhh.... So I would like to ask wheter you may know any well-tired manner to check the pump, e.g. BAR

measuring on the pipes, or I don't know..


Another thing what makes the situation more difficult regarding the material resources, that no any Civic Coupe was

distributed here in Hungary, so I cannot get used pump, which can be more cheper than the factory-made.
Could you tell me any contact (web adress?) all over the word, from where can I order a used one?

Thank you!

 
Rep Power: 260

I too have had problems with my power steering. I am no mechanic but that is what I think it is. There is a whinning/grinding noise around that area and is becoming more and more annoying. All of my belts are secure and nothing is loose and my fluid levels are okay as well. At times, when I am driving, it will tug a little bit, nothing drastic but it lets me know it is there, lol.

Does anyone think I could have a faulty steering pump as well?

Thanks!!

 
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if there is a whining, squeeling sorta sound its your power steering fluid....has air in it

 
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Sound could be from your alternator, several people have complained about noises from the alterator which is directly below the PS pump.

 
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i checked my power steering fluid and topped it off...there were no bubbles. the noise is so loud and so ambiguous i cannot tell if it is coming from the alternator or the PS. when i am idle at a stop light, it almost sounds like an old fashioned locomotive. this weekend, i will take off the PS pump and see if the noise stops. all of my belts are relatively new, <15K miles. thanks for the insight and suggestions! oh and sorry if i am hijacking this thread, i am not meaning too.

 
Rep Power: 268

All you need to do is take off the PS belt. It will still be driveable, but tough to steer. This should at least narrow it down to PS or alt.