Fiesta 2005 broken power steering, safe to drive 30 miles?

[Blackbolt]

Ok so first of all I'm an idiot and I'm annoyed with what I've done but it's done now so I'm just after some advice. My steering in my 05 plate fiesta has been a little weird the past few days so I thought I'd check it out. Upon inspection of the tank there was less than minimum in the tank and I noticed the bottom hose and surrounding area where glistening with what I assume was the fluid.

I wanted to see if the hose was on properly for the bottom section of the tank as it looked quite far down the nozzle. As I wiggled the end of the hose, the nozzle at the bottom of the tank broke off completly and the remaining fluid leaked out everywhere.

I live about 30 miles from work and we have a garage next door who are awesome and do all the work on all our cars for years and I trust harm. I'm a pretty strong guy who drove a corsa with no power steering for years, but I want to know if it's safe to drive this fiesta 30 miles to this garage? Is there anything I need to know if I can drive it?

Feeling pretty stupid at moment, any help or advice would be awesome. Thank you.

[t400ble]

You'd damage the pump running with no fluid

Swapping the tank over is an easy DIY job

[Blackbolt]

t400ble said:

You'd damage the pump running with no fluid

Swapping the tank over is an easy DIY job

Thanks for the reply. Can I disable the pump through a fuse just until I get it to the garage? I don't really have the luxury of time to wait for a part to be delivered to replace. Thanks again.

[imagineifyeswill]

The pump is mechanical driven off the auxilliary belt so cant be disabled.

[Blackbolt]

imagineifyeswill said:

The pump is mechanical driven off the auxilliary belt so cant be disabled.

Thanks for the help guys. Much appreciated.

[DrDeAtH]

Top it up and drive to work. Stop on way if need be and top up again.

[moribund]

Errr... Isn't power steering fluid massively flammable or is that just brake fluid?

Might not be great to drive if leaking in the engine bay.

[Blackbolt]

DrDeAtH said:

Top it up and drive to work. Stop on way if need be and top up again.

The bottom valve was completely broken off! Whatever I poured into the tank would have just emptied out within a few seconds.

Just a quick update, I couldn't be without my car for long and as I am not really knowledgable with stuff and don't have the tools to try repair myself, I had the garage near my work collect and sort the problem today. Anyone out there able to voice their opinion on the costs involved with the repair, I know I got a good deal on the collection by the looks of it, but it just seems like so much money for something so small.

Bill:

Collection on back of truck: 28 Miles away from Garage £40
Parts (Power Steering Bottle) £62.50
1 Litre of Power Steering Fluid £4.80
Labour £65

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Total: £172.60

And thanks again guys for your input and help.

[Cliftonite]

When the pipework let go on Mrs Cliftonite's Prelude and it lost all power steering fluid, I just cut the drive belt and she was able to drive it to her preferred repairer.

(She is slightly built but was driving her dad's old tractors from an early age)!

This belt drove only the p/s pump, though!

[PositronicRay]

Blackbolt said:

I know I got a good deal on the collection by the looks of it, but it just seems like so much money for something so small.

Bill:

Collection on back of truck: 28 Miles away from Garage £40
Parts (Power Steering Bottle) £62.50
1 Litre of Power Steering Fluid £4.80
Labour £65

---

Total: £172.60

And thanks again guys for your input and help.

Looks like bits + an hour's labour, the collection's cheap so what's to worry about.