MLStock

My 2005 Acura RSX, Base, Automatic has been pulling all of the place for a year now. it will pull to the left when cold and as it warms up will pull to the right, it will then stay that way and get worse. There are no audible noises while I drive, the steering wheel does not shake, vibrate or feel heavy.

The car is 100% stock, here are the parts I have already replaced. The car is in excellent condition otherwise from the pull.

New Front OEM Showa Shocks
New Front tie rod ends
New brakes, 4 corners, rotors & pads
New Front lower ball joints
New Front Lower control arm bushings
New set of 4 tires

I have had 3 alignments from different shops, nothing has helped. Even the top experts in my area say its tires when I have even gotten news ones and swapped them all around. It is not the crown in the road, it is not the tires. I have tested the roads I drive on with four other cars. My RSX has a problem, please with anyone's experience. What component can I troubleshoot next?

thisguyaves

Your steering rack. It's hydraulic, sounds like a valve in the rack has gone bad. If you take the hoses off the pump and drain fluid or get a shorter belt and don't use the pump, I bet your issue goes away completely- albeit with no power steering.

The pump is easier to replace than the rack, start there. Of course, make sure you have enough PS fluid.

MLStock

Interesting, I will check it out. The power steering fluid is good I refreshed it about 6 months ago by sucking it out and putting new Honda fluid in. It seems like the power steering rack, how would the pump exactly make it pull? Thank you very much for your input.

thisguyaves

There are valves in the rack that sense which direction you are attempting to turn and then send fluid to the appropriate cylinder to assist in that turn. If one of those valves are damaged or somehow broken/stuck, PS fluid may be forced into one cylinder until the fluid is warmed by the pump and then suddenly the valve acts differently for whatever reason. I would guess 90% it's the rack, but like I said, the pump will be easier and cheaper. Maybe it's pushing too much/not enough pressure and causing the rack to act up? hard to say. Try running with no PS pump for a day and see if it still happens. if it doesn't, at least you've narrowed it down to the PS system.

MLStock

[QUOTE=thisguyaves;51722838]There are valves in the rack that sense which direction you are attempting to turn and then send fluid to the appropriate cylinder to assist in that turn. If one of those valves are damaged or somehow broken/stuck, PS fluid may be forced into one cylinder until the fluid is warmed by the pump and then suddenly the valve acts differently for whatever reason. I would guess 90% it's the rack, but like I said, the pump will be easier and cheaper. Maybe it's pushing too much/not enough pressure and causing the rack to act up? hard to say. Try running with no PS pump for a day and see if it still happens. if it doesn't, at least you've narrowed it down to the PS system.[/QUOooks li

Had my mechanic look at it and drive it. It looks like it is the steering rack. Thank you for the explanation, I didn't know how the steering rack worked. I bought a refurb and new inner tie rod ends. I am hoping it will all work out after I get it on.

thisguyaves

[QUOTE=MLStock;51745877]Good luck to you! Glad I could help