Power Steering or Transfer Case

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Sep 19, 2010 | 01:09 PM

Jag Cruzer

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Power Steering or Transfer Case

I have a 2007 Jaguar X TYPE 3.O with approximately 22,000 miles. The only people that have ever been under the hood is Jaguar Dealership. It has developed a sound under tight steering conditions where it whines. Normally I would think that it is low on power steering fluid. But I've been reading the posts on this forum and am thinking it possibly could be the transfer case. How can you tell when the transfer case is going?

Sep 19, 2010 | 07:10 PM

Thermo

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Joined: May 2008

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From: Great Mills, MD

Cruzer, this is simple, with the car stopped and in NEUTRAL (apply E-brake), turn the wheel. Is the noise generated? If yes, power steering. If no, then the transfer case is a possibility (though very unlikely). I say this because when the car is moving, the differentials in the car will make up for any difference in speed between the tires. So, unless you have a problem in a differential, the transfer case will not make any noise. Besides, when the transfer case tends to go, it makes more of a metallic crunching/grinding sound. Once you hear it, you will remember it.