A vehicle pulls to the right. Technician A says the power steering pump could be the cause. Technician B says the power steering gear could be the cause. Who is correct?

In this scenario, the correct answer is that only Technician B is correct. A vehicle that pulls to one side, in this case to the right, can be attributed to several factors related to the steering and suspension systems.

The power steering gear directly influences the vehicle's ability to steer properly and maintain directional stability. If the power steering gear is malfunctioning or not delivering appropriate pressure uniformly to the left and right sides, it can cause the vehicle to pull toward one side. Therefore, Technician B correctly identifies that an issue with the power steering gear could lead to the observed pulling behavior.

On the other hand, while a failing power steering pump could potentially cause steering difficulties, it typically does not result in a one-sided pull by itself. The pump provides the necessary hydraulic pressure for the steering system, but if a pump is solely failing, it generally leads to steering that is heavy or stiff, rather than pulling distinctly to one side. Thus, Technician A does not correctly identify the likely cause of the problem in this situation.

Understanding the mechanisms of how steering components interact is crucial for diagnosing such issues, which is why Technician B's statement about the power steering gear is the correct one.