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HOMESERVICE MANUALSSUBARU2010FORESTER X PREMIUM, STANDARDREPAIR AND DIAGNOSISSTEERINGPOWER STEERINGPOWER STEERING SYSTEMGENERAL DIAGNOSTIC TABLEINSPECTIONNOTES
2010 Subaru Forester X Premium, Standard

General Diagnostic Table: Inspection: Notes

2010 Subaru Forester X Premium, StandardSECTION Notes
GENERAL DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE

Trouble Possible cause Corrective action
  • Steering effort is heavy in all ranges.
  • Steering effort is heavy at stand still.
  • Steering wheel vibrates when turning.
 1. Pulley belt
  • Unequal length of pulley belts
  • Contact with oil or grease
  • Looseness or damage of the pulley belt
  • Poor uniformity of the pulley belt cross section
  • Pulley belt touches to pulley bottom
  • Poor revolution of pulleys (except oil pump pulley)
  • Poor revolution of oil pump pulley
 Adjust or replace.
2. Tire and wheel
  • Improper tire out of specifications(1)
  • Improper wheel out of specifications(1)
  • Tires not properly inflated
 Replace or reinflate.
3. Fluid
  • Low fluid level
  • Air entry in fluid
  • Dust entry in fluid
  • Fluid deterioration
  • Inadequate warm-up of fluid (2)
 Refill, bleed air, replace or instruct customer.
4. Idle speed
  • Lower idle speed
  • Excessive drop of idle speed at start or when turning the steering wheel (3)
 Adjust or instruct customer.
5. Measure the hydraulic pressure. Refer to INSPECTION , Oil Pump. Replace the problem parts.
6. Measure the steering wheel effort. Refer to MEASUREMENT OF STEERING EFFORT , INSPECTION, General Diagnostic Table. Adjust or replace.
  • Vehicle leads to one side or the other.
  • Returning force of steering wheel to center is poor.
  • Steering wheel vibrates when turning.
  1. Fluid line

  • Folded hose
  • Flattened pipe
 Correct or replace.
2. Tire and wheel
  • Flat tire
  • Mixed use of different tires
  • Mixed use of different wheels
  • Abnormal wear of tire
  • Unequal tread remaining
  • Unequal pressure of tire
 Adjust, fix or replace.
3. Front alignment
  • Improper or unequal caster
  • Improper or unequal toe-in
  • Loose suspension connections
 Adjust or retighten.
4. Others
  • Damaged joint assembly
  • Unbalanced height
  • Unbalanced weight
 Replace, adjust or instruct customer.
5. Measure the steering wheel effort. Refer to MEASUREMENT OF STEERING EFFORT , INSPECTION, General Diagnostic Table. Adjust or replace.
(1) If the tires or wheels are wider than standard, the load to power steering system is increased. Accordingly, in a condition, for example before fluid warms-up, relief valve may work before reaching maximum turning angle. In this case, steering effort may be heavy. When the measured hydraulic pressure is normal, there is no abnormal thing.
(2) In cold weather, steering effort may be heavy due to increased flow resistance of cold fluid. After warming-up engine, turn the steering wheel from stop to stop several times to warm-up fluid. If steering effort reduces normally, function is normal.
(3) In cold weather or with insufficient warm-up of the engine, steering effort may be heavy due to excessive drop of idling when turning the steering wheel. In this case, start the vehicle with increasing engine speed than usual. If steering effort reduces normally, function is normal.
RENDER: 1.0x

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