Hummer H2. Manual - part 34

Excessive pressure in hoses 

Restricted hoses, see POWER STEERING 

GEAR article 

Scored pressure plates 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Scored thrust plates or rotor 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Extreme wear of cam ring 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Rattle in Steering Pump 

Vanes not installed 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Vanes sticking in rotor 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Swish noise in Pump 

Defective flow control valve 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Groan in Steering Pump 

Air in fluid 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Poor pressure hose connection 

Tighten and check, replace if necessary 

Squawk When Turning 

Damper "O" ring on valve spool cut 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Moan or Whine in Pump 

Pump shaft bearing scored 

Replace bearing and fluid 

Air in fluid or fluid level low 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Hose or column grounded 

Check and replace if necessary 

Cover "O" ring missing or damaged 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Valve cover baffle missing or damaged 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Interference of components in pump 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Loose or poor bracket alignment 

Correct or replace if necessary 

Hissing When Parking 

Internal leakage in steering gear 

Check valved assembly first 

Chirp in Steering Pump 

Loose or worn power steering belt 

Adjust or replace if necessary 

Buzzing When Not Steering 

Noisy pump 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Free play in steering shaft bearing 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Bearing loose on shaft serrations 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Clicking Noise in Pump 

Pump slippers too long 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Broken slipper springs 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Excessive wear or nicked rotors 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Damaged cam contour 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Poor Return of Wheel 

Wheel rubbing against turn signal 

See STEERING COLUMN SWITCHES 

article 

 

1998 Chevrolet Pickup C1500 

GENERAL INFORMATION Trouble Shooting - Basic Procedures

  

Flange rubbing steering gear adjuster 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Tight or frozen steering shaft bearing 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Steering gear out of adjustment 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Sticking or plugged spool valve 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Improper front end alignment 

See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article 

Wheel bearings worn or loose 

See FRONT SUSPENSION article 

Ties rods or ball joints binding 

Check and replace if necessary 

Intermediate shaft joints binding 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Kinked pressure hoses 

Correct or replace if necessary 

Loose housing head spanner nut 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Damaged valve lever 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Sector shaft adjusted too tight 

See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER 

STEERING GEAR article 

Worm thrust bearing adjusted too tight 

See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER 

STEERING GEAR article 

Reaction ring sticking in cylinder 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Reaction ring sticking in housing head 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Steering pump internal leakage 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Steering gear-to-column misalignment 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Lack of lubrication in linkage 

Service front suspension 

Lack of lubrication in ball joints 

Service front suspension 

Increased Effort When Turning Wheel Fast Foaming, Milky Power Steering Fluid, Low 
Fluid Level or Low Pressure 

High internal pump leakage 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Power steering pump belt slipping 

Adjust or replace if necessary 

Low fluid level 

Check and fill to proper level 

Engine idle speed to low 

Adjust to correct setting 

Air in pump fluid system 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Pump output low 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Steering gear malfunctioning 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Wheel Surges or Jerks 

Low fluid level 

Check and fill to proper level 

Loose fan belt 

Adjust or replace if necessary 

Insufficient pump pressure 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Sticky flow control valve 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Linkage hitting oil pan at full turn 

Replace bent components 

Kick Back or Free Play 

Air in pump fluid system 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Worn poppet valve in steering gear 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

 

1998 Chevrolet Pickup C1500 

GENERAL INFORMATION Trouble Shooting - Basic Procedures

  

Excessive over center lash 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Thrust bearing out of adjustment 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Free play in pot coupling 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Steering gear coupling loose on shaft 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Steering disc mounting bolts loose 

Tighten or replace if necessary 

Coupling loose on worm shaft 

Tighten or replace if necessary 

Improper sector shaft adjustment 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Excessive worm piston side play 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Damaged valve lever 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Universal joint loose 

Tighten or replace if necessary 

Defective rotary valve 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

No Power When Parking 

Sticking flow control valve 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Insufficient pump pressure output 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Excessive internal pump leakage 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Excessive internal gear leakage 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Flange rubs against gear adjust plug 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Loose pump belt 

Adjust or replace if necessary 

Low fluid level 

Check and add proper amount of fluid 

Engine idle too low 

Adjust to correct setting 

Steering gear-to-column misaligned 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

No Power, Left Turn 

Left turn reaction seal "O" ring worn 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Left turn reaction seal damaged/missing 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Cylinder head "O" ring damaged 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

No Power, Right Turns 

Column pot coupling bottomed 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Right turn reaction seal "O" ring worn 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Right turn reaction seal damaged 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Internal leakage through piston end 
plug 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Internal leakage through side plugs 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Lack of Effort in Turning 

Left and/or right reaction seal sticking 
in cylinder head 

Replace, see POWER STEERING GEAR 

article 

Wanders to One Side 

Front end alignment incorrect 

See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article 

Unbalanced steering gear valve 

See POWER STEERING GEAR article 

Low Pressure Due to Steering Pump 

 

1998 Chevrolet Pickup C1500 

GENERAL INFORMATION Trouble Shooting - Basic Procedures

  

STEERING COLUMN TROUBLE SHOOTING 

BASIC STEERING COLUMN TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART 

Flow control valve stuck or inoperative 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Pressure plate not flat against cam ring 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Extreme wear of cam ring 

Replace and check adjustments 

Scored plate, thrust plate or rotor 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Vanes not installed properly 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Vanes sticking in rotor slots 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

Cracked/broken thrust or pressure plate 

See POWER STEERING PUMP article 

NOTE:

This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended to be specific to any 
unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Trouble 
Shooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem 
symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting, refer to SUBJECT, 
DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing. 

CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE 

CORRECTION 

Noise in Steering 

Coupling pulled apart 

See STEERING COLUMNS article 

Column not correctly aligned 

See STEERING COLUMNS article 

Broken lower joint 

Replace joint 

Horn contact ring not 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Bearing not lubricated 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Shaft snap ring not properly seated 

Reseat or replace snap ring 

Plastic spherical joint not lubricated 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Shroud or housing loose 

Tighten holding screws 

Lock plate retaining ring not seated 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Loose sight shield 

Tighten holding screws 

High Steering Shaft Effort 

Column assembly misaligned 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Improperly installed dust shield 

Adjust or replace 

Tight steering universal joint 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

High Shift Effort 

Column is out of alignment 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

Improperly installed dust shield 

Adjust or replace 

Seals or bearings not lubricated 

See STEERING COLUMNS article 

Mounting bracket screws too long 

Replace with new shorter screws 

Burrs on shift tube 

Remove burrs or replace tube 

Lower bowl bearing assembled wrong 

See STEERING COLUMN article 

 

1998 Chevrolet Pickup C1500 

GENERAL INFORMATION Trouble Shooting - Basic Procedures