i own a 1989 accord and i got into a small accident, but i really cant afford to take it in to any shop. everything about the car is pretty much fine, the engine runs fine but the steering wheel is very difficult to turn. my friends said it might be a problem with the power steering or something but im not exactly sure. im hoping there is an easy way to fix this so i dont have to pay the expenses of taking it into a shop. any one have any ideas what might be wrong?

 

What happened? Where was the damage to your car?

 

the damage is all on the front left bumper..the hoods a little smashed and thats about it

 

You will have to inspect the system at several parts to figure out what is damaged. If you are looking for cheap parts, I would suggest going to a junkyard.

1. Is the P.S. pump belt ok?
2. Look at the P.S. reservoir (#6) and see if it has fluid or if it has foam with the engine running (air entering system).
3. Look for any P.S. fluid leaking on the floor and try to find the source of the leak.
4. See if the metal cooling pipe (#32) is pinched anywhere.
5. Look to see hoses #18, 19, and 20 are pinched, torn, etc.

 

Is the body hitting the tire? Is the steering the same with the engine off as running? Is there PS fluid in the reservoir?