In a hydraulic power steering system, we have the steering rack and the steering pump. These two components are like Batman and Robin, Thor and Mjolnir, peanut butter and jelly – basically inseparable. They work together to give us the ability to steer our car, and at the same time, making it easy to do so.

In formal terminology, power steering pump is a centrifugal vane type hydraulic pump that pressurizes steering fluid through high speed rotations in order to create a pressure differential that translates into “power assist” for your car’s steering system.

That’s way too geeky for my liking.

Here’s my take.

It’s essentially just a water pump, except with steering fluid. It spins like crazy, pressurizes steering fluid like crazy and then send them to the rest of the steering system so that we can steer like crazy.

Generally speaking, steering rack gives us the actual trajectory changes on our car tyres, meaning the ability to steer our car. On the other hand, steering pump is the one responsible for making the steering wheel feel “light” and easy to turn when we steer.

The steering pump has the size of about a coconut, and you can usually find it attached next to your car’s engine. If you want to have a look, just follow along the engine belt and you will eventually see it.