1999 Buick Park Avenue Power steering gone?

1999 BUICK PARK AVENUE
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DLEST2001
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Steering problem
1999 Buick Park Avenue Front Wheel Drive Automatic 128000 miles

well when I drive, the wheel locks up, and I can only brake. When I push the gas after the wheel locks, the engine is unresponsive. so I need to turn the car off, and turn it back on to unlock the wheel and actually go. it has happened before, but yesterday it happened like 4 times in a row when I was driving on the interstate. i think its the power steering going out. am i right?
Jan 23, 2009 at 3:06 PM
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Just to clarify...You can not physically turn the steering wheel?

OR it is very stiff but could turn it?

IF you can not turn it, what feeling in the steering wheel is felt when trying to turn it?

-does it feel like there is a physical metal stop it hits or is it more of solid rubber stop kind of feel?

With a capable hand held diagnostic computer, the performance and Body codes need to be checked.

I think the steering is a symptom of a different problem, only because the engine becomes unresponsive. By shutting off the engine and restarting it, whatever memory of the conditions when the problem was happening are cleared.

Being intermittant, it may be an electrical issue and the cause may be related to the transmission or transmission control system...Possible transmission code may be stored. You can check the wiring harness that goes to transmission. could be rubbing against a bracket or ac line close to transmission. Perhaps there is slippage in the transmission that is causing a converter engagement. Although I would think there would be a racing idle as it happens.

I would first start with getting the codes read.

Being intermittant
Jan 24, 2009 at 8:05 AM