How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Power Steering Pump in 2024?

Power steering pumps are vital for driving. While you technically don’t need power steering, it does make the steering wheel move much easier. In fact, some cars may be practically impossible to steer if you do not have a power steering pump!

A power steering pump sends fluid through the power steering system to help you turn the steering wheel easier. Therefore, these pumps are absolutely necessary if you want power steering.

Just like anything in a car, these pumps may break occasionally and it isn’t odd to need to get them replaced, though this can be expensive. For a complete cost guide, keep reading below.

The Importance of a Power Steering Pump

Most cars will turn on and drive without a power steering pump. However, you may have a hard time turning the steering wheel. In many cases, it is still possible to turn the steering wheel but there are some cars where this is simply not possible.

Furthermore, if the power steering pump is leaking, it can damage the power steering system. The rest of the system will still be trying to function. If there is not enough fluid, it can break other parts of the system. In these cases, you should have the car towed before driving it. Fixing a whole power steering pump is much more expensive than just replacing the pump.

Usually, you don’t have to replace these pumps all that often.

How Much Does Power Steering Pumps Cost?

Generally, you can purchase the pump itself for $100 to $200. This does not include any of the labor that is involved in putting the pump in, which we will discuss later. However, this cost is quite inexpensive when compared to other car repairs.

Luckily, the cost is about all the same for all different models of vehicles. Typically, all of these cars have the same power steering pump or a similar model and they do not cost more in more expensive cars (for the most part).

Of course, these prices can vary depending on the location but the cost is usually much lower than for replacing other parts.

Additional Costs to Anticipate

Usually, the labor for putting the power steering pump back on your car is just as much as the pump itself. You can expect to pay a couple of hundred dollars. When you purchase a power steering pump at a mechanic and have them put it on, you can expect to pay about $500.

Of course, this isn’t nearly as expensive as fixing a transmission or even changing your tires, but it can put a dent in your wallet.

You may end up paying even more if you don’t know exactly what is wrong with your cart when you take it in. The mechanic may need to run some tests, or it may take a bit of extra time for them to identify the problem. In these cases, you’ll also be paying for diagnostics.

Therefore, these situations may be a bit more expensive, but you should only expect an extra $50 or so, as most mechanics should be able to figure out this problem quickly. Question a bill that gets extremely expensive for no obvious reason.

Does Car Insurance Cover Replacing Power Steering Pumps?

Usually, car insurance does not cover replacing power steering pumps. This is a part of regular maintenance—not an accident, and it usually isn’t covered under car insurance plans.

With that said, if your power steering pump did break due to an accident, it would likely be covered. It all just depends on why you need to pump replaced. For regular maintenance and pumps that fail for no obvious reasons, you probably won’t get them covered under your insurance.

How Often Do Power Steering Pumps Need to be Replaced?

In most cars, power steering pumps last a very long time. Many people drive a car for years without needing to ever replace their pump. Therefore, you don’t typically need to worry about replacing the pump. It is not part of regular car maintenance like replacing your tires or brakes.

This is often completely avoidable if you keep up with your car’s maintenance schedule. Take care of your car and you typically won’t need to replace this part.

With that said, some pumps need to be replaced at some point after 100,000 miles. Therefore, you may find yourself needing to replace the pump if you drive your car for many miles—even if you take care of your car well.

Conclusion

Power steering pumps are important. Like everything on a car, they do wear down often. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to replace these pumps on every car. They usually hold up quite well, even in cars that are driven for a very long time. Therefore, this expense is not regular.

However, some car owners may find that they need to replace these parts sometimes. If you keep up with your car’s maintenance, you usually don’t need to worry about replacing this pump.

Luckily, even if you do need to replace it, they aren’t very expensive. It is only a few hundred dollars to purchase and replace your old pump with a new one and is one of the cheaper car repairs.

---

Featured Image Credit: Palitsyn Evgenii, Shutterstock