[jhoffman_02]

I have a 2011 Honda Odyssey that I bought last year from a dealership. It has 165,000 miles on it and has recently started making a new noise when it is hot. The sound appears to be coming from the power steering pump pulley bearing, however I was curious if anyone else has ran into this same sound before. I attempted to add a link to the forum but due to the security from spam, it would not allow me. The best way I know to describe the sound is a whirring sound. I will attempt to post the link again.
Note: the sound occurs only when the motor is hot. The A/C can be on or off, it doesn't change the sound. Turning the steering wheel doesn't change the sound either.
Any help would be appreciated on this!

 

[jhoffman_02]

I have a 2011 Honda Odyssey that I bought last year from a dealership. It has 165,000 miles on it and has recently started making a new noise when it is hot. The sound appears to be coming from the power steering pump pulley bearing, however I was curious if anyone else has ran into this same sound before. I attempted to add a link to the forum but due to the security from spam, it would not allow me. The best way I know to describe the sound is a whirring sound. I will attempt to post the link again.
Note: the sound occurs only when the motor is hot. The A/C can be on or off, it doesn't change the sound. Turning the steering wheel doesn't change the sound either.
Any help would be appreciated on this!

This is the Video. It is about 100 MB due to taking it in 1080p.

 

[oldskewel]

Holy crap that's a noise. I felt like I needed safety glasses just to watch the video.

It's a real problem. Are you 100% sure it's coming from the PS pump? A mechanic's stethoscope can help isolate noises.

How is your PS fluid reservoir level? Showing bubbles in there? How is PS performance?

Any chance someone put non-Honda PSF in there? If not sure, what color is the fluid?

 

[John Clark]

First thing I'd do is remove the belt altogether and start the vehicle to see if the noise stays or goes away. If it goes away then it's obviously something on the belt circuit. If it stays it's something in the timing belt. I would follow oldskewel's suggestions above. If you don't have a stethoscope you can use a long screwdriver and put your ear to the handle.

 

[191145]

How many times do you think the power steering fluid has been changed? That's a joke, of course. Most people don't even know it has fluid for the steering and the ones that do think you shouldn't ever change it.

 

[John Clark]

Unless it's out of fluid and the pump is wasted, it doesn't sound like a PS noise. I'd put a screwdriver on it and listen to see if the noise is coming from the pump or something else.

 

[egads]

This thing ever get a timing belt service? Could be the tensioner or water pump. Actually if either was not actual Honda or Aisin parts it could still be the issue even if you did get the timing belt done.

 

[jhoffman_02]

Holy crap that's a noise. I felt like I needed safety glasses just to watch the video.

It's a real problem. Are you 100% sure it's coming from the PS pump? A mechanic's stethoscope can help isolate noises.

How is your PS fluid reservoir level? Showing bubbles in there? How is PS performance?

Any chance someone put non-Honda PSF in there? If not sure, what color is the fluid?

Thanks for your reply!
Definitely not 100% it is coming from the PS pump. It is just where it appeared, but sound can be very deceiving! I believe I need to change the PS pump any way due to the issue on a cold start up that it is not getting fluid properly. That is an aside. From what I can see, there are no bubbles and the fluid is red(ish). PS performance is just fine. To me it sounds like a bad bearing in something.
I don't have any records of the previous owner, so I am assuming not much has been done with this vehicle. I was planning on getting the water pump, timing belt, and tensioner changed (or at least looked at) this fall by a local Honda dealer.

 

[jhoffman_02]

First thing I'd do is remove the belt altogether and start the vehicle to see if the noise stays or goes away. If it goes away then it's obviously something on the belt circuit. If it stays it's something in the timing belt. I would follow oldskewel's suggestions above. If you don't have a stethoscope you can use a long screwdriver and put your ear to the handle.

Thanks for your reply!
I have not had the chance to check this sound with a screw driver because it comes and goes. Since I posted this, it hasn't made the noise, but I have also not driven it much. It typically starts when the engine has been running for more than 30 minutes and the noise is only at idle. As soon as the RPM's are above idle, it goes away. The timing belt makes sense, due to no record of the vehicle being serviced. Would what I just described as the idle noise be consistent with a timing belt (or tensioner) issue?

 

[jhoffman_02]

How many times do you think the power steering fluid has been changed? That's a joke, of course. Most people don't even know it has fluid for the steering and the ones that do think you shouldn't ever change it.

Thanks for the reply!
I prefer to never buy a used vehicle for this reason... If it were my own, I would know! In the year that I have owned it, it has not been changed.

 

[jhoffman_02]

Unless it's out of fluid and the pump is wasted, it doesn't sound like a PS noise. I'd put a screwdriver on it and listen to see if the noise is coming from the pump or something else.

Thanks for the reply!
That is a very valid point. My first thought was that it was the bearing on the pulley of the PS pump. It seems that may be less likely.

 

[jhoffman_02]

This thing ever get a timing belt service? Could be the tensioner or water pump. Actually if either was not actual Honda or Aisin parts it could still be the issue even if you did get the timing belt done.

Thanks for your reply!
Unfortunately, due to buying it used and not showing any record that it has, I would say that it hasn't. As mentioned in a previous comment, I was planning on getting these serviced this fall. I also described that the noise only happens when it is hot, and on idle. If I put the RPM's above idle, the noise goes away. Does this sound consistent with an issue with the timing belt, tensioner, or water pump?

 

[oldskewel]

The additional info in the preceding posts is important

intermittent problem - rules out a few things

not there at start up, appears after 30 minutes - this is opposite of what the timing belt tensioner would do. The TB tensioner typically is worst at cold startup and then gets better as it warms up.

PS fluid is red - that's a definite problem. Wrong stuff in there. It should be drained completely and replaced with Honda PSF. Many cars, especially Japanese cars other than Honda, use ATF (e.g., DEXRON III or VI) in the power steering systems. It sounds like someone made the mistake of thinking the Honda would take that stuff, which is wrong.

So I would fully drain / purge the existing PSF (ATF unfortunately) from your system. Then refill with Genuine Honda PSF (probably about $5 / 12 oz bottle from your Honda dealer; need about 3 bottles). Make sure it's full. And see what happens.

Regarding replacing the PS pump, they are generally very reliable on the Odysseys. There is no specified PSF change interval, but I change the fluid with the Genuine Honda stuff every 30k miles or so. My '99 and '11 are still on their original PS pumps at ~237k and 114k miles, with no end in sight.

 

[johnatkinson]

Another PS pump question: For my 2011 ody EXL(125k miles), I'm having a indy shop do my timing belt package, alternator & spool valve. There's a minor leak somewhere in the ps system and the mechanic said I don't 100% need a new PS pump but that I should probably replace it since he'll already be taking off the current pump to do this work(no add'l labor charge, I just have to buy the part).

I was floored when I saw the Honda dealer wants $550 for a remanufactured pump. I'm hoping to find a solid aftermarket pump for less than $200 but don't know if that's possible. Rock Auto has a CARDONE 96665 for $285 but I have no clue if it's any good. (Link is below)

**Does anyone have suggestions on good, reasonably prices pumps? Or, should I just keep the current pump and replace the O rings, gaskets, etc? (maybe get a pump seal kit). What would you do?

2011 HONDA ODYSSEY 3.5L V6 Power Steering Pump | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

 

[jhoffman_02]

Another PS pump question: For my 2011 ody EXL(125k miles), I'm having a indy shop do my timing belt package, alternator & spool valve. There's a minor leak somewhere in the ps system and the mechanic said I don't 100% need a new PS pump but that I should probably replace it since he'll already be taking off the current pump to do this work(no add'l labor charge, I just have to buy the part).

I was floored when I saw the Honda dealer wants $550 for a remanufactured pump. I'm hoping to find a solid aftermarket pump for less than $200 but don't know if that's possible. Rock Auto has a CARDONE 96665 for $285 but I have no clue if it's any good. (Link is below)

**Does anyone have suggestions on good, reasonably prices pumps? Or, should I just keep the current pump and replace the O rings, gaskets, etc? (maybe get a pump seal kit). What would you do?

2011 HONDA ODYSSEY 3.5L V6 Power Steering Pump | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

I payed $283 at O'Reilly for a remanufactured pump. Lifetime warranty. BUT BUY THE OEM O-RINGS, the ones that came with it were totally wrong.

 

[jhoffman_02]

I have a 2011 Honda Odyssey that I bought last year from a dealership. It has 165,000 miles on it and has recently started making a new noise when it is hot. The sound appears to be coming from the power steering pump pulley bearing, however I was curious if anyone else has ran into this same sound before. I attempted to add a link to the forum but due to the security from spam, it would not allow me. The best way I know to describe the sound is a whirring sound. I will attempt to post the link again.
Note: the sound occurs only when the motor is hot. The A/C can be on or off, it doesn't change the sound. Turning the steering wheel doesn't change the sound either.
Any help would be appreciated on this!

I just saw this post and thought I would reply with the SOLUTION.
We changed the ps pump, while it was not the issue of the noise, the bearing was bad and was making more noise than normal.
The noise was coming from both the idler and pulley tensioner. Both bearings were shot. They both had play in them when rocking them with my hand. After these were replaced, the motor has been so much quieter and the noise 100% gone.