2009 tC. Whines when I turns or am in drive. What could be the problem?

 

Check the power steering fluid level in the plastic reservoir under the hood. There are two ranges on the reservoir bottle: COLD Min Max and HIGH Min Max. Regardless of whether you check it hot or cold, don't let it go below minimum or above maximum.

Your OEM power steering fluid is DEXRON III (which is actually automatic transmission fluid.) Don't let anybody talk you into substituting "power steering fluid". If your reservoir is low, you can top off with DEXRON III. You can also replace the old fluid with clean fluid. (If the fluid level is hard to read because the reservoir is too black, it's past time to completely change the fluid.) The black stuff coating the reservoir bottle is soot. It also coats the inside of the entire power steering system. The reservoir bottle has a filter but it can become clogged with soot.. A clogged filter might lead to expensive repairs down the road.

DEXRON III is mineral base. It boils at a low temperature. DEXRON VI is synthetic. It boils boils at a higher temp than DEXRON III. DEXRON VI is compatible with your car. It won't make soot like DEXRON III and it'll clean out the soot inside your power steering system. It will even clean the reservoir bottle so you can read it again.


Here's a youtube video on how to change your DEXRON fluid. Be careful, DEXRON will strip car paint. If you spill it, make sure to wipe it up fast and thoroughly dry.