Fr tdi steering problem

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Hi all!
I've got an 05 ibiza Fr tdi with 56,000 on the clock and recently I've been having a few problems with it.
The car pulls to the left quite badly and I've only just had both front wheel bearing strut tops and other work done on it.
When I start the car sometimes the power steering doesn't work and I have to restart the car.
I've had it at the mechanics a LOT of time trying to resole the problem but nobody seems to have any clues!
I took it on Saturday to have the 4 wheel alignment done but its only slightly better. They told me that it was so far out that they struggled to get it right?!
If anyone has experienced anything like this I'd appreciate any advice!
Thanks everyone.
Ben

 

[mickyp1989]

Hi all!
I've got an 05 ibiza Fr tdi with 56,000 on the clock and recently I've been having a few problems with it.
The car pulls to the left quite badly and I've only just had both front wheel bearing strut tops and other work done on it.
When I start the car sometimes the power steering doesn't work and I have to restart the car.
I've had it at the mechanics a LOT of time trying to resole the problem but nobody seems to have any clues!
I took it on Saturday to have the 4 wheel alignment done but its only slightly better. They told me that it was so far out that they struggled to get it right?!
If anyone has experienced anything like this I'd appreciate any advice!
Thanks everyone.
Ben

Have you tried new wishbone bushes? Prone to failure. Could knock the suspension out. Or play on the track rod? Tyre pressures?

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Hi thanks for the quick response. Yes all of the bushes have been replaced and new track rod ends (according to the garage) I'm going to get it up on the axlestands tommorrow and try and have a look and see if I can see anything suspicious again.

 

[DEAN0]

1. Power steering fluid low - the clowns hid the reservoir cap UNDER the battery !!!!!
2. Battery on its way out - the power steering pump uses a lot of power.
3. Load signal wire - if it has gone the battery wont be charging properly.

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Thanks, will check the powersteering fluid level.
Do you think this may also have something to do with it pulling to the left? It seems to have got worse at the same time the powersteering working on startup has?
The battery has seemed ok when starting but gonna test it anyway.
Cheers

 

[DEAN0]

Thanks, will check the powersteering fluid level.
Do you think this may also have something to do with it pulling to the left? It seems to have got worse at the same time the powersteering working on startup has?
The battery has seemed ok when starting but gonna test it anyway.
Cheers

When you say the power steering doesn't work on startup - does the power steering light stay on in the dash ?

YES - then battery is on way out.

NO - probably the fluid level is low.

Any chance you have noticed that the steering doesn't work first time if the car is pointing downhill rather than uphill ?

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

I've never had the light come up on the dash.
It doesn't make a noise or anything just the steering is very stiff.
I then have to turn off the ignition and it may take a couple of attempts to get it to start and the steering to work.
I'd put it down to the cold but it's not freezing weather anymore.
I haven't noticed if its doing it when parked on an incline and it seems to pretty much do it everytime lately.

 

[DEAN0]

I've never had the light come up on the dash.
It doesn't make a noise or anything just the steering is very stiff.
I then have to turn off the ignition and it may take a couple of attempts to get it to start and the steering to work.
I'd put it down to the cold but it's not freezing weather anymore.
I haven't noticed if its doing it when parked on an incline and it seems to pretty much do it everytime lately.

Fluid is the fastest check and cheapest fix.

Next thing to look at would be the connector near the pump - they have been known to corrode ( means removing front bumper or wheel arch liner )

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Ok thankyou, I will check the fluid tommorrow and hopefully that will be all the problem is.
I will keep posted on my findings.
Cheers for the advice.

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

I've now checked fluid etc and can't find any reason why the power steering wasn't working on startup..... Strangely enough it hasn't done it since posting il about it?!
The car is still pulling to the left quite badly even after having 4 wheel alignment done again.
It's making clunking noises when steered in both directions occasionally too.
I have given it a thorough inspection today and the only thing I can find is one of the bushes doesn't seem to be fully fitted.

Do we think this could be the culprit of all my troubles?!

Cheers!

 

[uzi_cupra]

Make sure everything is tight, seems like something has been left loose especially if your hearing clunking noises. I recently fixed a clunking noise on a car which was making the noise under braking and was pulling seriously to the left under acceleration. The bottom ball joint connection onto the wishbone was not tight. Tightened up the 3 13mm bolts n everything was sorted.
Not sure about your power steering issue though.

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

I've now checked everything is tight and am quite happy that everything is as it should be.
It's just this one bush... The rod on the wishbone isn't quite through the bush as much as the other side, I'm going to replace both at the end of the month and see if that improves things!

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

I've now replaced both wishbone bushes with cupra solid replacements.
Then I took it to the garage and have had the 4 wheel alignment done for the 4th time.........

Still exactly the same

Pulling to the left still quite severely, also I wet into a large car park and just before full lock both ways the clunk is still there.

I'm thinking now that the steering rack may be the problem.

Looks like I've ran out of options really so we may now have to sell and get something else:/

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Found out from the guy I bought my fr off that he had a near side spring replaced when it snapped just before I bought it.
It's always pulled since owning it.......

So now I'm wondering ........

Did they put the correct spring in?? I know the fr tdi has different springs to the tdi sport.

Does anyone know HOW different the springs would be?

I also thought springs should be done in pairs? He told me it was only the one side replaced.

I do feel like my investigating is maybe getting me closer

 

[DEAN0]

Found out from the guy I bought my fr off that he had a near side spring replaced when it snapped just before I bought it.
It's always pulled since owning it.......

So now I'm wondering ........

Did they put the correct spring in?? I know the fr tdi has different springs to the tdi sport.

Does anyone know HOW different the springs would be?

I also thought springs should be done in pairs? He told me it was only the one side replaced.

I do feel like my investigating is maybe getting me closer

Sounds like you might have your answer.

Do a quick measurement from the wheel arch lip to the wheel rim on each side when the car is on level ground. ( dont measure from arch to the floor because that can change with tyre pressure and tread depth )

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

Will check tommorrow after work as I've abandoned the car at my parents, fingers crossed this is it
Cheers for the advice!

 

[darkhorse]

The springs will have coloured paint markings on them. Check they the same on each side

 

[DEAN0]

The springs will have coloured paint markings on them. Check they the same on each side

Even with the matching paint marks - a pair of springs that have had different amount of time on the car will have aged differently and have different amounts of sag.

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

So I've just checked for paint markings and height differences.
The height is roughly the same (within 3 mm)
Also the drivers side spring has 3 red blotches and 2 green blotches, which I believe is correct for the FR.
The passenger side spring has no markings which probably means it is an aftermarket one that's been put on?!
Really don't know now if this would have any affect, and make the car pull to the left.

 

[Benno_FR_ibiza]

I've got a standard genuine FR spring on order now.
Took a good look at the "pattern" spring that's on the drivers side and found its a KYB spring, part number kyb ra3751.
Looked the part number up and apparently it's a spring for a pd 100 ibiza?!
I've heard that the spring for the FR is 25% stiffer than the standard ibiza and it's also lower?
Heard that a broken spring can cause the car to pull so surely the wrong spring would also cause this to happen?
If this is true then hopefully the problem will be sorted this weekend