When you want a vehicle to go, you step on the throttle. When you want it to stop, you step on the brake. And when you want it to change direction, you turn the steering wheel. The powertrain, the braking system and the steering system are all critical components, and all of them need proper maintenance.

As with any critical component, the steering system maintenance procedures are contained in the appropriate maintenance manual. Either the vehicle manufacturer or the steering components manufacturer publishes instructions on what to check or maintain, what tools to use, and how often to do it. If you don’t have the maintenance manual, contact your vehicle dealer or go directly to the component manufacturer’s Web site.

Unless the manual offers specific instructions to the contrary, here is a general guide to basic steering maintenance that applies to any vehicle:

Inspection. Visually check the draglink, tie rod, steering arm and pitman arm for damage and to ensure that the retaining cotter pins are present, opened and not corroded. Periodically check the torque of all fasteners and re-torque them to the manufacturer’s specifications as required. Install new cotter pins at that time. Inspect the power steering hoses for signs of leaks, kinks, worn spots, cuts or corrosion. Replace as required. Inspect the steering column U-joints inside and outside the cab. Check the steering gear on the frame rail for damage, cracks or loose mounting fasteners. Check the axles stops to make sure they limit wheel cut before the steering gear reaches its limits.

Fluids and filters. Check the fluid level in the power steering reservoir daily or weekly and fill with the proper fluid as required. Frequent loss of fluid indicates a leak in the system and needs to be fixed. When filling the reservoir, have someone start the engine and turn the steering wheel left and right as you fill the reservoir to remove trapped air. Once a year, or as often as recommended by the manufacturer, replace the fluid and change the filter according the maintenance instructions. Be careful to remove any built-up dirt and grease from the reservoir cover before you open it to avoid contaminating the system and potentially causing problems.

Lubrication. Various steering components need lubrication — usually at different intervals. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and always use the proper lubricant — whatever grease you happen to have in the gun may not be the right stuff.

Troubleshooting. Problems in the steering system need to be checked and corrected as soon as they are detected. Hoping that the problems will go away will only make them worse and may result in component failures and accidents. Vehicle operators and mechanics should learn to detect such common problems as hard steering, directional pull, road wander, shimmy and unusual noises. Some manufacturers offer step-by-step troubleshooting guides to help isolate the causes of these and other problems. Some problems are the result of misadjusted or improperly operating components within the system. Other problems are the result of conditions in components outside the system — for example, road wander may be caused by over-inflated front tires.

Whatever they are, all steering maintenance procedures should be included in your department’s apparatus preventive maintenance program. Some maintenance needs to be performed every day or week, some every month or year. Lumping it all into an annual visit to the shop does not meet the manufacturer’s recommendations and could place your department and shop in a position of potential liability. And ignoring any problems once they are detected will definitely make you liable.

To start, get the steering system maintenance manuals, familiarize yourselves with the components involved and the required procedures, then decide who should do each step and how often. Also list the conditions that are sufficiently serious to take a vehicle out of service until the problems are corrected. Write it all down and incorporate it into your department’s standard operating procedure for apparatus maintenance. Having a written preventive maintenance program for steering systems, like any other component or system on a vehicle, will help make sure everything works properly when you really need it.