Power steering fluid leak in new truck

My wife got a new job out of state so we bought a new Tacoma so she wouldn’t have any issues with our older vehicles.

At 1001 miles the power steering started making noise. She brought it to a dealer who said they could look at it in about four days.

After some begging they looked and found it had no power steering fluid.

They filled it, checked for leaks and couldn’t find any, they said it must have shipped to dry or virtually dry.

Don’t know how it worked for 1000 miles.

 

Nice

 

Mmmmmmm
Either they missed it on build,PDI, or there’s something going on.
A thousand miles and it worked fine and then suddenly making a noise
Puts up a flag. Not saying it can’t happen. Keep your eye on it.
Notice the level when cold first thing in the morning before startup.

 

I'm pretty sure that if it was a leak that you lost that much in 1000 miles that it would be pretty evident. I once had a return line fail and it looked like I coated my engine compartment with Soul Glo.

 

If you had no power steering from day 1, you would realize something was up. Even if it was a new vehicle that you're not used to.

Also if there was no fluid at all, the pump would tell you much before 1000 miles. You'd be hearing the PS noises from the get go

My bet is on leak. Service people either didn't look hard enough or just told you it came with no fluid to satisfy you without having to do any real work to diagnose and fix. If they're backed up 4 days, this is the quickest way for them to get you out of their hair for a bit. Stick your head under there and poke around with a flashlight. Both under the hood and on the ground

 

As mentioned, keep an eye on it. It may have shipped low, but it DIDN'T ship dry.
The pump would have been crying out in a loud voice, and you wife wouldn't have been able to steer the truck.

 

Which dealer was this? I can understand if they were waiting on parts, but keeping a vehicle for four days without a diagnosis?

 

It was Servco in Hawaii. They have a monopoly.

They initially told her it would be four days before they could even look at it. But she convinced them to look at it the same day. And they found the reservoir empty.

she wasn’t going to keep driving and do more damage, and couldn’t go without transportation

 

Soul glo

 

So it leaked down about half way again in 250 miles. Made an appointment and it has been diagnosed as a leaking PS rack. Hopefully the parts are available and she will get it back today.

 

Part will probably be available since every vehicle in hawaii is a tacoma from what I've read

 

I can’t imagine that a reservoir and half leaking out and there’s nothing on the ground or all over the truck underside.

 

Could be stuck in the boots.

 

True. Just figured some might have come out.

 

I would have pulled the boots off if I had a truck with that complaint. What a joke.

 

If you want to find the problem.
I’d squeeze the boots at the inner tie-rod.

Or, let the dealership find it under warranty.

 

Its visibly leaking now. She says everything underneath is "oily" and dripping in parking spot.

 

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...j-bwAhW_HDQIHcv-DPsQxiB6BAgBED8&iact=c&ictx=1

 

There are quit a few there, plus if the warehouse in on Oahu it can't be more than about 40 miles away.

 

This would probably be a good time to change the thread title to accurately reflect the problem at hand..