How do you tell if they are dead? I was doing a three point turn to get into my garage and when I was finally pulling in straight heard this god awful grinding/rubbing sound. Sounded like one of the pullies fell off and was rubbing against the frame. Shut the car off right away check the engine oil seemed ok. Started the car back up still making the sound pulled it forward abit and it went away....

Reason I suspect power steering was the timing belt was done maybe 5k ago and when they started it up forgot to refill the fluid, made a grinding type sound as well. Now there is plenty of fluid in there...

Are power steering pump on the way out intermittently noisy? Or should I be looking elsewhere?

If it happens again i'll rev to see if it gets worse with engine speed.

 

I never (knock on wood) lost a power steering pump on any car. However, as I remember, other stories of pumps failing I've read here usually started out with the pump being run dry.

 

Do they make crazy intermittent grinding sounds as they are on the way out? I am about to drive 6 hrs to english racing and am hoping nothing else would make that grinding sound...

 

Normally when the power steering pump is going out it will start with a low whining noise and gradually get louder, they usually will make funky noises when turned full lock either way as well though.