Power Steering Line/Hose: Service and Repair
OVERVIEWNOTE: On this vehicle the power steering fluid pressure and return hoses are connected together by their mounting brackets. For this reason both hoses need to be removed together if either of the hoses should fail. Use the procedure below for the replacement of either power steering fluid hose.
REMOVE
On this vehicle the steering gear needs to be removed from the crossmember to remove the power steering hoses from the vehicle.
1. Remove the battery ground cable from the ground stud on the shock tower and isolate the ground cable by installing the cable isolator on the ground stud.
2. Position the front tires of the vehicle so that they are facing straight ahead.
3. Raise the vehicle on a frame contact type hoist until the front tires of the vehicle are just off the floor. Refer to Vehicle Lifting.
4. Remove caps from both wiper arms at the attachment to the pivots to expose the wiper arm attaching nuts. Remove the nut attaching each wiper arm to its pivot.
5. Remove the wiper arms from the pivots. Wiper arms are removed from the pivots by rocking them back and force on the pivots until they can be pulled off the pivots.
6. Remove the wiper module cover and cowl cover.
7. Remove the 8 bolts, attaching the reinforcement to the strut towers and the 1 bolt attaching the wiper module to the reinforcement. Remove the reinforcement from the vehicle.
8. Remove the in-line resonator and inlet hose from the throttle body and air let hose coming from the lid of the air cleaner housing.
NOTE: When locking the steering wheel, the front tires of the vehicle are to be facing straight ahead.
9. Using a steering wheel clamp, lock the steering wheel from rotating.
CAUTION: Before removing the steering column coupler from the intermediated steering shaft be sure the steering wheel is locked from rotating. If the steering wheel is allowed to rotate freely after it is disconnected from the intermediated shaft, the clockspring will be damaged and will need to be replaced.
10. Remove the retaining pin and the coupler bolt from the steering column coupler. Separate the intermediate steering shaft from the steering column coupler.
11. Bend back the retaining tabs on the mounting plate for the tie rod to steering gear mounting bolts.
12. Remove the bolts, mounting plate and washers attaching the tie rods to the steering gear. Lay the tie rods on top of the transaxle bell housing.
NOTE: The following step should be done to prevent excessive spilling of power steering fluid when the power steering fluid lines are removed from the steering gear.
13. Using a siphon pump, remove as much power steering fluid as possible from the power steering fluid reservoir.
14. Remove the 2 nuts mounting the master cylinder to the vacuum booster.
15. Remove the master cylinder with the brake tubes connected, from the vacuum booster. Carefully position the master cylinder in an upright position on the left side valve cover of the engine.
16. Remove the vacuum supply hose to the vacuum booster at the check valve in the vacuum booster. Position the vacuum hose out of the way.
17. Remove the power steering fluid pressure hose and return hose from the steering gear.
18. Remove the 2 bolts attaching the left side of the steering gear to the crossmember.
19. Remove the 2 bolts attaching the steering gears right side mounting bracket to the crossmember.
20. Move the steering gear to clear the pressure and return lines.
21. Remove the bolts mounting the power steering hoses to the left frame rail.
22. Raise vehicle.
23. 300M only - The front fascia will require removal to access the power steering cooler.
24. Remove the power steering fluid return hose from the power steering fluid cooler. Let the remaining power steering fluid drain out of the return hose and the power steering fluid cooler.
25. Lower the vehicle.
26. Remove the power steering fluid hoses from the vehicle. The power steering fluid hoses are removable from the back of the engine compartment.
INSTALL
1. Install the power steering hoses into the vehicle using the reverse of the removal procedure.
2. Raise the vehicle.
3. Install the power steering fluid return hose on the power steering fluid cooler. Be sure the hose clamp is installed past the upset bead on the power steering fluid cooler.
4. 300M only - Reinstall front fascia.
5. Lower the vehicle until the tires are just clear of the floor.
6. Install the power steering hoses onto the left frame rail by installing the routing clip bolts. Tighten the bolts to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
7. Slide steering gear and intermediate shaft back into dash panel sealing boot. Align the steering gear mounting holes with its mounting holes in crossmember.
8. Loosely install the bolts mounting the left side of the steering gear to the crossmember.
CAUTION: Tightening the steering gear to crossmember mounting bolts to the proper torque is very important.
9. Install the bolts mounting the right side mounting bracket for the steering gear to the crossmember. Tighten the mounting bolts to a torque of 58 Nm (43 ft. lbs.).
10. Tighten the bolts mounting the left side of the steering gear to the crossmember to a torque of 58 Nm (43 ft. lbs.).
11. Attach power steering fluid, pressure and return lines into proper ports of the steering gear. Tighten both power steering hose tube nuts to a torque of 47 Nm (35 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: Before installing tie rods on steering gear be sure the tie rod spacer block inside the steering gear bellows is correctly aligned with the bolt holes in the rack of the steering gear and the steering gear bellows.
12. Align center take off on steering gear with the tie rod assemblies. Install tie rod attaching bolts and washers into steering gear. Be sure washers are installed between tie rods and steering gear. Tighten the tie rod to a torque of 82 Nm (60 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: After tie rod attaching bolts are torqued, bend attaching bolt retaining tabs against heads of attaching bolts.
13. Install the vacuum hose for the vacuum booster on intake manifold vacuum port. Install hose clamp on vacuum hose.
14. Install the master cylinder on the vacuum booster. Install the 2 nuts attaching the master cylinder to the vacuum booster. Tighten the master cylinder mounting nuts to a torque of 28 Nm (250 inch lbs.).
15. Remove the clamp from the steering wheel.
16. Install the intermediate shaft onto the steering column shaft. Install steering column coupler pinch bolt and tighten to a torque of 28 Nm (21 ft. lbs.). Install the pinch bolt nut retaining pin in pinch bolt.
17. Install the reinforcement on the vehicle. Install the 8 bolts, attaching the reinforcement to the strut towers. Install the bolt attaching the wiper module to the reinforcement.
18. Install the in-line resonator and inlet hose on the throttle body and air let hose coming from the lid of the air cleaner housing.
19. Install the covers over the wiper module and the cowl. Install and securely tighten the attaching screws.
20. Install the wiper arms on the pivots. Install and securely tighten the wiper arm to pivot attaching nuts. Install the caps on the wiper arms covering the pivot nuts.
21. Install the battery ground cable onto the ground stud on the shock tower.
CAUTION: Do not use automatic transmission fluid. Use only the proper Mopar Power Steering Fluid or equivalent when filling the power steering fluid reservoir.
22. Perform Power Steering Pump Initial Operation procedure which can be found in Power Steering Pump to properly refill and bleed power steering system.
23. Lower vehicle.
24. Adjust front toe if necessary. Refer to Wheels, Tires and Alignment, for the required procedure.