Anyon Else Have this problem?

KJ4ME · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:06 pm

for the past couple of mornings its been very frigid, like in the negatives some mornings. so ive noticed that when i go to start the engine when its cold, theres this terrible horrible whining noise for a breif moment, no longer than 2 seconds. imagine having no power steering fluid and turning the steering wheel to full lock... now take that sound and make it 1million times louder. i want to know if others have had this before i take the jeep in. i also have a busted rear window washer that leaks under hard acceleration and when making hard right turns, figured i could kill 2 birds with 1 stone!

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

mine does that for a brief moment even when it's between 20-30 and been sitting. I've read others have replaced the fluid with synthetic atf+4 and others that have replaced the whole pump and it was cured...my guess is it's something in the PS system, but it still works fine, just a weird noise.

detroit_doc · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:27 pm

Mine also does that when it gets cold (under 20 degrees F). It's been doing it for the last 5 years, so I'm just living with it.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:28 pm

i had the same issue, thought it was my ac compressor going out.
come to find out it was the little plastic idler pulley ( next to the tensioner pulley, on the same bracket ) that was going out. it eventually froze up, and threw the serpentine belt.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:51 pm

mine always whines when its cold for quite a while. i think the fluid has to warm up or something. def. coming from the ps pump though. been doing for 2 yrs, the ps still works and its silent when its over 35deg outside. for what its worth my ac compressor doesnt work right now, but the ps started making noise long before that happened.

USPLibby · **Joined:** Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:29 am **Posts:** 377

Yeah, mine has been making that sound for the past couple years but the steering still works. Since I don't have many sub 40's mornings to wake up to, I only hear it when I travel north or up to the mountains.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:07 pm

i've been wanting to figure this out actually, and there have been plenty of threads about it, but lets try to figure it out right now.

could this have something to do with the fluid viscosity? could the fluid be too thick when its below freezing and therefore not doing its job? would switching to a different type of fluid help? sorry, i dont know too much about power steering.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:25 pm

Mine does that. Must be a Starter/solenoid thing for all KJ's.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:27 pm

What kind of mileage is everyone having when it starts doing the "howl" ?

Also has anyone tried changing the fluid right away to see if that helps?

Just trying to get a feel for when, where and how...I noticed mine one time when it had to sit outside for 3 days down in Columbus, but it was like for maybe 15/ 20 seconds, but then its been colder lately and never done it again.

I have heard Jons and it does make some serious noise.

Tom

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:29 pm

mine also does that for a brief second right after the engine fires up. i also think its the power stearing and mine also works just fine. it doesnt get to cold here maybe low 20s some teens but for the most part its prety mild. i never thought much of it though. i always figured it was a jeep thing and forgot about it. i would like to know how to fix it and/or if it hurts anything. ill keep a watch on this thread as well.

KJ4ME · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:30 pm

i have 9500 miles on mine, built in may 2007, not even a year old

Jeepman56 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:47 pm

I have heard this whine only once and it was one morning when the temp. was -10F windchill. Fired right up, did the whine, I let it warm up for about 10 mins then off we went no problem. I just likened it to the KJ being mad at me for leaving it out in the cold that long. Ha Ha.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:47 pm

libbygreen · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:01 pm

Have a 2007 with 17,000 miles. Mine does the same thing when it's near zero or below. It sits outside all night. Was -20 last night and I heard all kinds of squeeking, groaning noises this morning driving to work.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:10 pm

Mine is noticeably louder this winter than in the past.

On really cold mornings my kj sounds like a squealing vacuum for about 30 seconds... It is then quiet the rest of the day.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:43 pm

Mine use to do it but its not done it this winter. I changed the PS fluid over to Valvoline SYN PS fluid. That stuff was so clear it was hard to see it pouring in.

Started it up when it was 8F the other morning and it didnt make a noise.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:45 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Mine use to do it but its not done it this winter. I changed the PS fluid over to Valvoline SYN PS fluid. That stuff was so clear it was hard to see it pouring in.

Started it up when it was 8F the other morning and it didnt make a noise.

sounds like synthetic is the answer

SoDakJeep · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:02 pm

i get the same noise and then the power steering is a little hard to turn right away. its been around -40 windchill to about 0 and mine does it right as i start it and then quits.

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

seems to be not related to mileage...probably just design....I wouldn't worry. I went up to Colorado last T-giving and heard it when it was cold and thought WTF? Read up that others had it, forgot about it.

KY Liberty · **Joined:** Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:46 pm **Posts:** 1195

Mine has just under 70k miles on it and has done it since the '01-'02 winter, but only for a couple seconds. This winter it does it for up to 30 seconds. I'm going to go get synthetic fluid put in it and see if that takes care of it. If it's the pump, what would be a good upgrade considering I'm running a little heavier tires and rims?

Anyon Else Have this problem?

Who is online