In late July, upon getting the 850 back from their mechanic (who was supposed to do a timing belt job, but literally broke the engine, and installed a rebuilt engine at my parents' cost) my parents immediately noticed that the steering was very hard-as if the power assist wasn't working, especially at 1-3 mph.

After resolving all the various issues which resulted from my parents' mechanic installing the engine improperly (and that is a very kind way of putting it), my friend (who is a BMW mechanic), yesterday, tackled the steering issue. After taking the 850 for a test drive, he admitted that the steering did seem hard. He looked at the fluid level, and it seemed fine. No noises (which if there were, one would imagine that the fluid was low or that the pump was failing) were to be heard. He looked at the rack, and the inner/outer tie-rods, and they were fine.

A little less than four years ago, the original steering rack was seeping fluid, so my parents had it replaced with a rebuilt rack at another mechanic's shop. The tie-rods are about two years old, and are TRW brand parts. I honestly don't believe that the steering pump, which if memory serves me correctly is attached to the reservoir, has ever been replaced. When I return to the States, at the end of October, I am going to put back on the stock Volvo wheels, which should make something of a difference seeing as the 215/45/17 tires should be causing a little extra drag-but, something of which my parents had never complained previously.

It is a little difficult for me, being almost 10,000 kilometers away from the car, to do too much, but I figured I could at least seek input so that when I am back in the States I can continue to address the problem.

Thanks, and I hope that everyone has a most splendid "Tag der Deutschen Einheit." :D