Pontiac Repair: power steering, input shaft, pontiac grand am

Question
Hi,  My daughters car has an issue with the power steering in her 2001 pontiac grand am gt.  it has no leaks and is making no noise but the power steering will not work.  not sure what else it could be.

Answer
Hi Dawn.

I'll assume this is a V6 engine in this car and if that is the case those had issues where the power steering pump input shaft would break off in the pump. the part the pulley is on. when that happens the pump quits working and you have no sssist. a quick check to this is with the engine running take the cap off the p/s pump and look at the fluid. you should see it churning around in there if then the pump is bad. If this runs for a while the p/s assist doesn't come back? if that were the case then I would think it's in the p/s rack having an internal leak and as the fluid warms up the seal then expand and sel off the leak.

Good luck :-)