The wining noise is most likely the power steering pump. It's whining because the reservoir is low on fluid due to the fact that you probably have a leaking power steering rack and pinion. Check the fluid in the PS reservoir cold, then hot there are marks on the side for both. If the reservoir is low inspect the bellows boots underneath on the right and left sides of the rack for signs of leakage. You may have to pierce them with a small dental pick/nail to see if any fluid leaks out, there should be none in either, if so you need a new rack and pinion. The pump is o.k., it's whining because the fluid is aerated. This information is based on if you have a steering concern, you may have a transmission concern also. the stiff column may be a valve body issue, you may need to drop the trans pan and inspect for metal debris which would indicate an internal failure.

Before you spend a lot of money, you can check the Power Steering fluid reservoir, which sits on top of the engine. The reservoir has a fine mesh screen in the bottom. That screen can become clogged, which starves the pump for fluid and results in a whining sound. The easiest fix is to simply replace the reservoir, a part which dealers usually charge between $30 and $40 for. Videos are available on YouTube. Replacement should take between 30-60 minutes. One tricky area is the horizontal bolt under and behind the reservoir. The bolt screws in from back to front and is difficult to see. However, that bolt needs only to be loosened to allow the reservoir to be lifted up--after the other visible bolts have been removed. Obviously, you also will have to remove the two hoses from the old reservoir and put them onto the new one. The improvement should be instantaneous; no noise, no problem.