DA8

I think I have the same problem. Tonight coming home from the coast, swerved hard doing about 75 on I5 north just north of Seattle. A tweaker was trying to cross the freeway in a rain storm on top of recent snows. He jumped right in front of me trying to cross 10 lanes of traffic. I swerved at that speed in the rain to miss him by inches. I don't even know he didn't get hit behind me. There was a lot of traffic going fast in the dark and rain.

Anyway, I had driven about 150 miles strait from the coast nonstop before that no problem, and right after that I start getting the whiring noise very loud. Pulled into drop of my GF and checked under the hood. Steering fluid around the top of the steering reservoir. I check it frequently before trips and it was not there a few days ago. I looked inside the reservoir and no fluid and bubbles. I drove home another 7 miles on the freeway, it started up quieter but the loud and grinding whir came back shortly. I will check it tomorrow, but I suspect this screen may have come loose finally during that high speed swerve and braking maneuver. Currently at 195K miles.

DA8

Well, looked into it more today. Sucked out the fluid from the reservoir and the screen looked right where it was supposed to be. Started it up again to get a better look and PS pump wobbling and spitting metal fragments. Then reservoir foams over. Horrible growling noise. Took off the belt and tried to spin it by hand and it is a hard jagged turn of varying resistances, doesn't turn smooth at all and binds up where you can barely turn it.

Looks like the PS pump is shot. I also found a few bering metal parts in the belly pan. I know that sight because about a year ago my idler pulley went and I had found the same bearing parts. Idler and other pulleys turn smooth, only the PS pump is harsh. Looking into how soon I can get parts and maybe pull off the front end to replace the PS pump this weekend. Foaming in the reservoir must be from something happening in the pump. The supply and high pressure hoses look good. There was oil all over the compressor, but it is coming from foaming over at the reservoir.