Hi i have a 2012 ford focus with the hydraulic power steering rather than the electric. It has around 80k miles.

Early this year i had the power steering pump replaced after driving with the previous noisy pump for around 4 months since purchase, the previous pump worked fine but was just whining all the time (and giving me ear ache) at every RPM until you got on the motorway at over 3K and then it wasn't too bad.

 

So with the new pump fitted i still think the pump seems noisy (not so much a whine) pump at around 1300-1350RPM, usually loudest when off the throttle rolling in traffic at 5-10MPH. Sometimes at idle is quite loud too. At least i still think it is the pump.

 

Has been flushed multiple times since fitting as well as filters changed twice and the reservoir housing changed since i was told this has a filter you can't change easily.

 

Are these pumps generally loud like this? Is this normal ? - The new fitted pump was done at a reputable garage and is a genuine Bosch pump and yes it is using the correct ford spec green fluid for this model year.

Can't tell if it's just my sensitive ears or there is genuinely a problem. I did take it back to the garage that originally fitted it last week, they say there is nothing wrong with it.

 

Appreciate all feedback and comments,

 

Kind Regards,

Luke.

I can't hear any pump noise.  Just engine noise. 

If you're used to an electric PAS system then hydro will be noisier as it's running constantly.  EPAS only kicks in when you turn the wheel.

Yes I can hear the whine of the pump which to be honest is quite typical of refurbished power steering pumps. Given the general racket the rest of the engine is making I'd not worry too much about the pump unless it starts to leak or fail. If it is not a brand new genuine  Ford pump, then it will most probably have either a 3 or 6 month warranty. Check with the garage that supplied and fitted it.

18 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I can't hear any pump noise.  Just engine noise. 

If you're used to an electric PAS system then hydro will be noisier as it's running constantly.  EPAS only kicks in when you turn the wheel.

That's understandable, previous car was an Audi which i'm pretty sure was still hydro and can't say i ever noticed a sound like this on that car.

15 hours ago, unofix said:

Yes I can hear the whine of the pump which to be honest is quite typical of refurbished power steering pumps. Given the general racket the rest of the engine is making I'd not worry too much about the pump unless it starts to leak or fail. If it is not a brand new genuine  Ford pump, then it will most probably have either a 3 or 6 month warranty. Check with the garage that supplied and fitted it.

 

 The pump should have been a brand new Bosch pump, and i believe it is, based on the price i was charged too. 🙂

 

While i agree the rest of the engine makes more noise it's more noticeable from the cabin as a lot of the engine noise dies out but the higher pitch whining type noise is far more noticeable from within the cabin. If overall these pumps are just quiet noisy, then i can live with it, drown it out with a bit of radio/music. I can check and ask about the warranty but i think the garage is unlikely to just want to replace it/or be able to get it replaced if there is nothing really wrong with it other than a small noise at a certain RPM which it just sounds like i'm complaining about 😄 

9 minutes ago, ldyte1 said:

That's understandable, previous car was an Audi which i'm pretty sure was still hydro and can't say i ever noticed a sound like this on that car.

Depends on the model but Audi have used electric PAS for many years.  I had a 2004 A3 with EPAS.

45 minutes ago, ldyte1 said:

i think the garage is unlikely to just want to replace it/or be able to get it replaced if there is nothing really wrong with it other than a small noise

I had to replace a steering pump 3 times in as many weeks on a 2008 Fiesta ST before I finally got one that was just as quiet as the original had been. New, doesn't always been it's working as it should. In the case of the pumps I replaced the first two were from the exact same batch and the third from a batch made 6 months earlier.