Hydraulic power steering fluid is escaping, or the level is below minimum. A weep with the level still fine is normally Minor; a steady leak, an empty reservoir or steering that isn't being assisted properly is Major. Electric power steering cars fail differently — that shows as a warning light or heavy steering, not a leak.
Wording as it commonly appears on an MOT certificate: “Power steering fluid leaking or reservoir below minimum”.
What does it mean?
Hydraulic power steering fluid is escaping, or the level is below minimum. A weep with the level still fine is normally Minor; a steady leak, an empty reservoir or steering that isn't being assisted properly is Major. Electric power steering cars fail differently — that shows as a warning light or heavy steering, not a leak.
How serious is it?
Usually recorded as: Minor, Major. The tester assesses the actual vehicle on the day, so your certificate is what counts.
What normally causes it?
- A leaking high-pressure hose or its crimped union
- A weeping rack seal, which drips at one end of the rack
- A worn pump shaft seal, often with a whine to match
- A cracked plastic reservoir or perished return hose
What a mechanic would check
I clean everything down, run the engine and turn lock to lock a few times, then look again with a torch. Fluid tracks along the rack and drips off the lowest point, so the drip location rarely tells you the source. A whine that rises with steering effort usually means the pump is running short of fluid.
What might need replacing
- A pressure or return hose
- Rack seals or a reconditioned rack
- A power steering pump
- Fresh fluid and a bleed
Can you still drive it?
Losing assistance makes low-speed manoeuvring very heavy but the car still steers. Running a pump dry destroys it quickly, so top up and get it looked at rather than ignoring the level.
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This is general guidance from a UK mechanic, not a substitute for a physical inspection. Only the tester who inspected your vehicle can confirm what was recorded and why.