adam21

something in my engine compartment is making a whiny noise. it seems to fluctuate when i turn the steering wheel. it's kind of a high pitched whiny noise that doesn't seem to go away with higher rpm's. the car doesn't seem to drive any differently since the noise started a day or two ago. this is a '96 A4.
any ideas?

thanks!

Dead

Check the Power Steering fluid level.

spikeital

Check the Fluid lvl for your power steering. It is probaly low.

adam21

yep, that's it and yes i feel dumb. thanks!

Lewis

if the fluid is low, it's going somewhere; you might want to check the power steering hose clamps; mine (and others i've read about here) leaked slightly from the beginning; dealer tightened at 25k checkup; leak returned around 50k; replaced oem hose clamp with a screw-tightened clamp; holding now.
The spash guard below the engine caught most of my drips so, the only sign of it was the power steering dip stick levels; I kept a pint of fluid in the trunk and topped off the levels periodically; still have about half of the fluid.

But, depending on the volume of your leak, you might try to track down where it's going; if it's a simple hose/clamp problem, easy enough, and if it's more serious, you want to know.