Precursor explanation:
When I leave the house, I have about 300 meters of driveway/road to go through to get to the main road. I often roll out this entire distance with the engine off and the car in neutral because it’s all slightly downhill and it saves me wasting the gas where the engine would be idling the entire way out anyway. I’m used to knowing how heavy the power steering feels when doing this when the car isn’t running.
...lately, when doing this, it feels even heavier than usual. It COULD just be me, but I don’t THINK so? I’ve checked the tire pressure on both front tires and they were only down by 1 PSI or so from the 32PSI they are supposed to be at, and it felt the same after topping them back up to 32PSI as well. The power steering fluid hasn’t been flushed in awhile, but it’s properly filled and not low, so I don’t think that’s it..?
When the car is running and I am driving normally, everything feels fine, but I still feel like it seems a tad heavier/squishier than usual. Not scarily or uncontrollably so or anything of that sort, just in a ‘Huh, that doesn’t feel quite how I remember...?” type of way.
Anybody know any reason why it might seem a bit heavier than usual?