Hey guys, I've got a 99 Tacoma Prerunner and just recently I noticed a knocking noise that as far as I can tell is coming from the Power Steering pump. I haven't had any problem with my power steering, no jerking, no squeeling..... nothing, just this clacking noise that will stop if I turn the wheel either right or left. It seems to speed up a little bit when I hit the gas.

Local garage says I need a new power steering pump but its only got 45,000 miles on it, and my power steering seems fine so I'm a little skeptical. Any other ideas? Could it be the pulley bearings?

Thanks in advance.

 

Now the noise is gone. Drove it to the Stealership and not a freakin peep. It's been clanging for the past 5 days and I've done everything I can think of to find out what the problem. It was definitely metal on metal banging around but if the power steering pump was crapping out wouldn't I notice some other problems like....leaking fluid, hard steering, squeeling when I turn the wheel, etc, etc....? No problem what so ever except as soon as the truck was fired up the knocking would begin.

 

My 99 4WD Taco did the same thing about 48000 miles. Went down to autozone
and got one of their lifetime guarantee pumps for about 100 bucks. When I was
removing the pump...I noticed the nut that secures the pulley had come loose.
Removed it...added some lock-tite and retightened it. Took the pump back to
autozone. Now have 54000 miles on it with no problems.

Hope this helps

George