I will be doing a few repairs to my daughters 2001 S Type 3.0. I drove it around the block and it made a significant blat, blat, blat constant sound except when I turned left. When I turned, it was silent. Even though it was not a whine or similar power steering sound, I assumed that it was probably due to the fluid level and drove back to the house. Fluid level is fine. I have never had a power steering sound that went away under pressure-turning, or had a power steering problem that sounded more like a very small tail pipe leak when driving straight forward. Anyone have a similar experience and did you solve it?

 

My random thoughts are:

Stale fluid

Multi rib belt is cracking up, very common, and the "load" factor can shut them up, sometimes.

Both ours had stale fluid, and several syringe out and refills have now got them both silent.

 

The solution to the steering noise was a new wheel hub. I was surprised because the noise disappeared immediately with any small turn to the left. It was hard for me to imagine that having so much affect on the hub. Further testing identified the hub as the problem and the noise is absolutely gone with a new one installed. Maybe it was the ABS gear or something. In any event, the repair was easy once I decided what to do.

You do have to remove the wheel well shield to get at the connector, and you need to hang the calipers out of the way, but on our car, the old hub nearly fell out once the bolts were removed. Youtube videos of the job show people bashing and prying. Thank goodness for California weather I guess.