Power Steer Momentary Freeze

GA for the water slippage.

If you want proof that water is the cause. You can run the engine with the hood open (transmission in park with parking brake on) and with a garden hose, trickle water onto the belt. Have someone operating the steering to report on any changes in operation as they are turning it from lock to lock with a wet belt.

{I had a water related problem with a Plymouth Grand Voyager mini-van. If it was driven through a puddle in a turn, water would splash up onto the serpentine belt and it would slip off. A big annoyance, I would not let my wife and daughters drive it when it rained for years. After trying four new belts (2 from dealer & 2 different belt brands) and replacing the tensioner, I found an after market kit that had a belt with grooves on both sides and idlers that had matching groves. 2 yrs later still no problem.}

The belt should not be slipping, it is probably loose and worn and needs to be replaced, or there could be a problem with the tensioner....

Most likely a belt issue. Check for looseness of the belt. Also look for problems in other pulleys. I had a similar issue that turned out to be the water pump bearing going bad. The water pump shaft was leaning to one side so the belt was running loose. The tensioner made it harder to catch. At low rpms, and even once when I splashed through a puddle, the power steering would cut out. It didn't take long after that the water pump seal started leaking.

Remove the belt and make sure all pulleys that it runs on turn freely and have no radial play. While you're at it, make sure the belt isn't worn.

This sounds like the belt is worn and needs replaced or there could be a problem with the tensioner or you could be low on fluid in the pump.

Check the belt is tight enough.

Check the fluid level in the steering pump.

If you can move the tensioner arm very easily by hand, with no tools, the tensioner spring is broken.

There should be 2 marks on the stationary body of the tensioner mechanism and one mark on the movable arm. The mark on the movable arm should be between the two marks on the body. If it is outside these marks it means the belt is worn and slippage can occur, especially when wet.

I agree completely with most of the ideas above as most probably being the problem, a dangerous one.....I go for the slipping belt too....

You should also look in the handbook and check that the car really has hydraulic steering, which all the previous posts address.

Some cars have electric steering.....so if yours is one, you need to check for an electrical problem.....its most unlikely, but we should cover all the bases as some people use CR4 to find and correct problems on THEIR car!!!