at low speeds, my power steering has very little...power. I tried to miss a pot hole today, at about 4mph. I turned left, then triec to turn back quickly to the right, and the wheel basically locked.
what could cause this?

 

Wheel locked? Are all the belts in place? Hows the power steering fluid in there?

 

I had to add a little when I bought the car. the belts are tight. I'm wonering if it might need flushing...
it was like trying to turn the wheel with the car turned off

 

Look for any visible leaks. I don't get it when you say you were trying to turn it with the car turned off. If the car is off, power steering pump is not working so its not pumping any fluid into the the steering rack. Hence no power steering...

 

"it was like trying to turn the wheel with the car turned off"
LIKE.

The car was running, but the wheel was very hard to turn during a quick manuver. kinda scary

 

Almost efinitely a fluid change. Use genuine Honda stuff, too. and change the hoses while you're at it.

Worst case is that your tie-rods are going out.

~Cheers~

 

ok. that's what i'll do. thanks!

 

by reading...

 

;p
I got the fluid. 3 pints were 9.75. Tonight we flush! lol

 

Have fun changing the hoses. I don't think I've heard of anybody ever replacing them. and tie rods have nothing to do with it unless they're seized, which is impossible.

 

Hondas and Acuras have a PS reduction system that is governed by a hydraulic speed sensor. A pressure signal limits PS power to make the steering "stiffer" at speed and prevent oversteering due to excssive steering power. A fairly complex system.

I can send along PS section of electronic manual I have. PM your email address to me and I'll send it along. It will be compressed in a WinRAR file an requires decompressing to recover.

good luck

 

that must explain the PS hoses that run in/out of the VSS. I was just thinking about that today.