Austin Healey Sprite Power steering reservoir replacement

Does the power steering reservoir need to be replaced on your Austin Healey Sprite?

We can take the power steering in the car for granted at times. It's possible to drive without power steering, but it takes significantly more effort to manoeuvre a Austin Healey Sprite, especially at low speed and you run the risk of not being able to react quickly enough to avoid an accident.

Power steering assists the driver through the use of either hydraulic, electrohydraulic or an electric system that works to reduce the effort required to steer a Austin Healey Sprite. With the advancements in such steering systems, it is almost effortless to steer a modern vehicle. That is until something goes wrong.

Power steering can fail due to a worn power steering pump, blocked system, air in the system or loss of fluid. Loss of power steering fluid is the most common problem associated with faulty power steering units.

If the power steering fluid in your Austin Healey Sprite becomes low, you may notice a loss of steering assist and a whining noise when you're trying to steer. The hydraulic fluid can leak from the power steering pump, rack, hoses or even the reservoir.

The power steering reservoir (also known as a power steering tank or power steering pump reservoir) stores hydraulic fluid. A pump cycles hydraulic fluid around the power steering system and draws hydraulic fluid from the reservoir when required.

The reservoir, which will be either plastic or metal, will typically have a return line entering near the top of the unit and a bottom line exiting the bottom, with a filler cap on top. The reservoir is usually located near the sidewall of the engine bay and will have a minimum and maximum fill line marker or dipstick to help identify if the fluid level is low.

Power steering reservoirs can wear out over time and leak.

When the power steering reservoir fails you may notice:

• Heavy steering that is worse at low speed
• Squealing or whining noise when turning
• Noticeable red, oily leak under the vehicle

When replacing the power steering reservoir, it’s worth checking and replacing the hoses (if required) at the same time.

It's also important to use the correct power steering fluid for your Austin Healey Sprite.

Problems with power steering have been linked to road accidents. When a car doesn’t react normally, or as expected, it can be troublesome when a snap decision is required.

If you don’t replace a damaged reservoir and continue to drive with low power steering fluid, the entire power steering system can be damaged which can lead to an expensive repair.

Apart from the safety and monetary aspects, when the power steering is faulty you will need to tolerate a hefty arm workout whenever you need to park your Austin Healey Sprite or turn in tight areas. This alone will have you looking to book an AutoGuru expert to fix the problem!