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2005 5/AT. Noticed some drips the other day and that the rack bellow/boot on the driver's side was wet on the inner side closest to the steering column. This happened years ago, too, and I added some stop-leak which resolved it. So I added some AT-205 stop leak, gave it a test drive and then it sat for a day. Two nights ago I took it on a 50-60 mile drive and everything seemed fine. Last night my kid drove it to the gym and I noticed a pretty good puddle on the driveway after he left. 15 minutes later he called to say the "steering got very stiff at the end of my drive."
I wanted to get it home so I drove down, added some more PS fluid, but it was kinda dark and I accidentally over-filled the reservoir and didn't have a way to remove the excess.
A couple of miles into the drive home, I hear a cycling "whooshing" sound and then the steering periodically jerked as I was turning and as if the PS was intermittently going out/failing. A mile or two later, steering got extremely stiff. Also heard an intermittent "gurgling" or mild "hissing" sound (I think while I was turning, but not sure) and detected an odor.
When I got home, I pointed a flashlight at the footwell and the carpet looked damp. Took some paper towels and soaked up a slightly oily substance which I assume is PS fluid (see attached). So it's actually getting inside the passenger cabin.
Going to look at it in the daylight a little later, but any thoughts or guesses are welcome!
Quick update: I've only found a couple of posts on the web about PS fluid entering the cabin. Several replies to those posts were incredulous that this could happen. Based on my inspection today, it's completely plausible. I pulled the steering joint cover off to reveal where the steering column connects to the pinion shaft (see attached diagram). The whole area was soaked with PS fluid. My theory: either the valve housing where the pinion shaft comes out has a failing O-ring or some other seal in the valve housing.
Either way it explains how the PS fluid was coming in the cabin and why I was able to hear whooshing, gurgling "fluid" sounds when steering as air was being sucked in or fluid was being pushed out through the failing seal. I'm going to inspect the feed & return line flare nuts before doing anything else, but almost certain the PS fluid is spraying/leaking out of the valve housing and around the pinion shaft. You can see it in the other diagram of doing a "Steering Gearbox Overhaul" below.
PS fluid leaked/sprayed from here and soaked the carpet. That cover sits on top of the carpeting (or at least it did in mine).
