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GT Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
18:32:11
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 Subject: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Hey all,
I found this site thru a Dakota owner on our Grand Prix board. Very nice site, I might add.
Anyhoo,
My dad has a 2000 Dakota SLT with the 4.7, and lately during this massive cold snap here in WI, he's been complaining about the steering being extremely stiff when it's been sitting in the cold all day at work. I tried a trick that worked on my '97 Grand Prix...I flushed all the fluid out and replaced it with Valvoline SynPower semi-synthetic power steering fluid. It helped a little, but it's still stiff until it's steered back and forth a few times which seems to free it up a little, and then it's fine.
I stopped by the local Dodge dealer today and they basically told me that it's normal. I find this hard to believe, especially when I took the service director out with me to a brand new Dak sitting on the lot, started it up, and it steered fine. My dad's has 34K on it, and it's still under warranty, but the problem I think he's gonna have is convincing the dealer that it does indeed have a problem. They're going to keep telling him it's normal till it's out of warranty, and then I'm worried that it might get worse and he's going to have a big bill to replace either the rack, the pump or both. I could do the work for him, which would save labor, but if it's a defective rack or pump, someone should be responsible...not the owner of the truck.
Have any of you guys/gals had a similar problem with a stiff rack & pinion in the cold? If so, was there something you did to correct the problem, or if it had to be taken in to get repaired, was it the rack, or the pump that was determined to be defective?
Thank you very much for any help you can give me.
Regards,
Mike Watkins
"GT Mike" www.clubgp.com
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
18:49:18
| RE: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Message:
Dodge wants you to change the fluid over to ATF+4 instead of their older regular power steering fluid. They have a TSB out on this. The ATF+4 works better in hot and cold weather. I use Amsoil Universal ATF instead.
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alt_snowman
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
19:58:28
|  RE: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Message:
All mechanical devices get stiff in sub-zero
weather. That's why you plug your vehicle in at
night, so that it will crank over next morning
without having to carry 2 Cat batteries hooked
up in parallel.
It's also why a transport driving up to Alaska
in winter won't have it's engine shut off for
weeks at an end. You'd never get it started
again.
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GT Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
20:22:03
| RE: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Message:
sandman,
Do you have a link or more information on this TSB?
I've fixed GM racks with horrible "morning sickness" with Amsoil ATF. I just didn't wanna put anything in there that the dealer might try to say caused the failure in the first place.
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Dr. D
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
20:29:47
| RE: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Message:
The AMSOIL ATF will cure the stiff steering and it will NOT have any affect on the factory warranty !
Dr. D
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/24/2003
22:33:17
| RE: Stiff steering in subzero temps? '00 Dak
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Message:
I have posted the TSB contents on this site on two different boards on more then one occasion but do not have a link to the site. I have access to all TSB's as part of my work. I gave the TSB number on this site so if you find it then you can go to your dealership and read the exact TSB for free. Rest assured that it clearly stated that at the first opertunity for service or complaint that all power steering fluids were to be flushed and refilled with ATF+4. If you want to completely flush the system then remove the low pressure hose from resorvoir and place it in a large container. with 4-5 quarts of ATF+4 or Amsoil Universal have partner start the truck. as dirty fluid pumps out pour clean fluid into the resorvoir until nice clean fluid comes out. Signal them to shut off the truck once clean fluid starts comeing out. Reinstall the line and top off. If you are lazy like me or do not have a partner like me just suction the resorvoir with suction gun fill it with ATF drive it a week and do it again next weekend. Do this 4-6 times and it should be good. P.S. As a good little German boy I was always taught that power steering and brake fluids should be flushed once a year as general rule and anytime contamination was suspected!!
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