Did I cook my power steering?

I was noticing the slightest squeak whenever I turned my wheel last week but thought it was just something in the steering column getting old (it sounded like inside the cab). I have various other suspension noises that are minor (bushings) so I shrugged it off. I even checked my fluid levels then and all was well. I don't know if it's related to this: I just found out I have a rusted line which puked all my power steering fluid right as i got home, and only at that moment did I start hearing the pump whine as i pulled in. I shut it off right away. There are a LOT of sharp turns in my neighborhood so I didn't hear anything unusual prior to my driveway. I'm wondering if the pump is ruined after having JUST lost all the fluid and hearing the whine as I got home, or if it's ok to just replace the bad line for now? 126k miles on a 2014

 

Probably replacing the line is fine but you also said it was squeaking and fluid was full.

Line is a lot cheaper than replacing the PS.

 

I would like to add for anyone else commenting, at any other time we would definitely replace the pump (and bushings) considering the mileage but, umm, life has been happening to us a lot lately with a baby coming and my husband has been rennovating our house! if we can get away with slapping a band-aid on a problem then that's unfortunately our way of solving things right now. Sigh

 

If you dumped all your fluid you’re most likely going to need a new rack

 

Even if it squeaks a little but PS works drive it.

Its not like no PS would make it impossible to drive. Just hard obviously.

 

I would fix the line, top it off, send it and see how it goes.

Did something similar to a Sienna and it lasted a couple more years and several plus thousand more miles (it wasn’t driven much but it did cross the country a couple times) until something else rusted out.

Edit: Teensy grammar, context edit

 

Oof, it was still gushing out the rusted line as I parked it. Fresh out of fluid when we checked the resovoir

 

I don’t think it’s much risk to change the line, refill the system, and see what happens. Worst that could happen is you find out you really do need a new power steering system, and you lose the few bucks in PS fluid.

If it works, then great! It might be a wounded system, but it might get you through to sometime in the future , when you can deal with it at your leisure. Hopefully that’s the case. Best wishes on the baby (and the renovation).

 

The whine will typically disappear once you refill the fluid.

Squeak turning your steering wheel is probably a failing U-joint in the steering column intermediate shaft.

At 10 years old, you'll want to inspect other rust-prone areas, like a broken fuel tank support strap, or fuel pump controller swollen with pus.

 

A what now? Do I want to know? Lol

 

I too would try to spend as little as possible to keep your 4runner on road:
Get a premium AAA membership with the 100 mile free towing benefit.
Replace the rusted line and the plastic reservoir. These have a fine mesh filter inside.
Use a fluid designed for high mileage vehicles.
Purge system by fill then drain a few times.
Plumb into the return line an original genuine Magnafine in line filter. (I would avoid the cheap imitation in line filters the copy the original).

 

There are hundreds of posts about "best power steering fluid" on this (and the other runner forum).
The consensus seems to be a name brand synthetic ATF fluid.
I used Valvoline Max Life for my first several "turkey baster" reservoir empty/refill and it cleaned it up from the factory original fluid dark color.

 

It's the module mounted to the left of the spare tire. If you have been covering it in Fluid Film, then it's probably OK. FF displaces water and acts like a thin dielectric grease, good for electrical parts.

 

Thank you all for your input. He replaced the line and I requested Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Everything sounds and feels as it were and holding fluid! When we have time and the risk of getting frozen solid is low, we will inspect the things suggested, including other hoses that may be rusty. He's a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy, especially right now, but if I'm gonna be driving our daughter around in the 4Runner teachin' her young, I would rather make preventative measures to NOT get stranded... ok rant over haha. I hope you guys had a very Merry Christmas!!