Steers side to side and leak

I went to drive my girlfriends 01 ALH today and noticed that;

1 - power steering fluid was empty. I tipped it off and bled it.

2 - as I was driving I noticed that it pulls side to side. My first suspect is lower control arm bushing or ball joint.

Anything else I should look at that would cause that? Alignment? Could the steering rack cause that if it had been ran dry?

Thanks


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Subframe can cause steering back and fourth, one way braking the other way when accelerating. Happens when the rear subframe bushing shifts due to stretching and loosening of one of the mounting bolts.


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TLH_TDI said:

Subframe can cause steering back and fourth, one way braking the other way when accelerating. Happens when the rear subframe bushing shifts due to stretching and loosening of one of the mounting bolts.


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How would you diagnose to see if that’s the case? Loose bolt? Bushing moves in place?


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Don’t forget to check the dust boots for fluid, the power steering fluid is going somewhere. Just squeeze the boots with your hand if fluid comes out you’ll need to replace the steering rack.

sdominguez said:

How would you diagnose to see if that’s the case? Loose bolt? Bushing moves in place?


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When you know that you have replaced, fixed or checked everything else.


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Been there done that. [emoji35]


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TLH_TDI said:

When you know that you have replaced, fixed or checked everything else.


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Maybe try re-torquing the rear bolts, if they turn much at all when applying their initial torque, the mounts have probably been moving.


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Tdijarhead said:

Don’t forget to check the dust boots for fluid, the power steering fluid is going somewhere. Just squeeze the boots with your hand if fluid comes out you’ll need to replace the steering rack.

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The inner tie rod boots were put on with f-ing zip ties. I bet a bunch of water and grime got in there and ate the seals. Looks like a new steering rack. I actually have an old one laying around. What stretch bolts are associated with dropping the subframe and replacing the steering rack?

TLH_TDI said:

Maybe try re-torquing the rear bolts, if they turn much at all when applying their initial torque, the mounts have probably been moving.

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Did that and they seemed tight. I noticed that the anti sway bar bushings need to be replaced and the end links as well. The front bushing in the dogbone mount has some play as well. Other than that the rear subframe bushing and all control arm bushings and ball joints seems fine and pretty new.

Spoke to my girlfriend and the pump had been run dry several times I guess. Should I replace that too? I have one that I pulled off a car last summer laying around. When I topped it off, it seemed to work fine.