Power Steering fail & light on

[d33k0]

Hello folks,

I know there are various questions on this but none have helped (in the short term). Basically everything fine with my '11 plate 1.6 TDi Sportrider last night. This morning? No assistance in the steering, very heavy to manoeuvre and the orange steering wheel light stays on while engine's running.

I haven't tried a new battery or have a code reader because money and it's Christmas. In my case the steering wheel light doesn't come on with the ignition turned, only when the engine is started. I also notice a whirring and clicking noise from the back of the engine bay after turning the engine off when I had the bonnet up.

Sorry if this is too vague a description for proper advice but I'm A1 clueless to things under the bonnet.

 

[d33k0]

This morning update, had on charge overnight and it started with no light coming on ? then as soon as I turn the wheel it comes back on ?

Hopefully it's all pointing to a new battery so first port of call tomorrow is a battery ?

 

[RUM4MO]

Once it has started doing this, maybe try stopping the engine after a mile or so, then restarting, to see if the battery has recovered enough to keep up with the steering pump demand. Remember, while after charging it everything looked good, but when you went to move off, you probably turned the steering wheel quite a bit while the engine was idling, so that along with a dying battery could cause that.

If you can wait a day or so, Tayna batteries have an online store and sell cheap batteries and quality batteries quite cheaply, a lot cheaper than driving in and get a new battery fitted which will probably be a bit too small and of poor quality just to win your business.

 

[d33k0]

Once it has started doing this, maybe try stopping the engine after a mile or so, then restarting, to see if the battery has recovered enough to keep up with the steering pump demand. Remember, while after charging it everything looked good, but when you went to move off, you probably turned the steering wheel quite a bit while the engine was idling, so that along with a dying battery could cause that.

If you can wait a day or so, Tayna batteries have an online store and sell cheap batteries and quality batteries quite cheaply, a lot cheaper than driving in and get a new battery fitted which will probably be a bit too small and of poor quality just to win your business.

Thank you for the Tayna batteries suggestion, it would definitely be cheaper than those I've checked already.

Fingets crossed I can update in a couple of days that things are back to normal.

 

[d33k0]

The latest

Gave the battery a full charge overnight
Multimeter reading before starting is 12.4v
While turning it over it dropped to a low of 9.6v
Engine running with a full load I.e lights, radio, heater, back window demister on, was 13.95~14.05V

When I started the car up there was no power steering light on but it reappeared after 3 minutes.

With all this can someone confirm what I'm already thinking,that the battery is well and truly done in and 100% the reason for the power steering light coming on as it just can't deal with it?

 

[d33k0]

Conclusion: yep, it was the battery. New one fitted and nothing has lit up. I'll keep an eye on it for a couple of days but quietly confident it'll stay ok.

 

[RUM4MO]

One thing to remember, while cranking the engine over, the voltage across the battery terminals will drop to roughly 9V and that is okay.

Years ago, when cars had a single coil and contact breakers, many manufacturers spec'd the ignition coil as being a 9V one, and had a series dropper resistor or in some cases a resistive section of wiring so these coils had 2 supply sources, one was direct from the battery while the starter switch was in the start position, the other was via a voltage dropper for when the switch was in the run position.

Now, I know that you saw 9.6V while cranking, but was that with using a DVM which have normally a very slow respondse time or refresh time, if you had used an old school moving coil voltmeter, you would probably have noticed that the voltage across the battery was dropping well below that. The DVM would also be averaging what was going on as it would be unable to refresh quickly enough to get down to the lower reading before the car started. If you had seen that dipping below the expected minimum of 9V when using a moving coil meter, you would have known without doubt that your battery was not in good condition.

Hopefully you have sorted this out entirely by replacing that battery.

 

[d33k0]

Turns out the new battery just prolonged the inevitable. The light is back on with no let ups.

I had the battery, alternator and charging system checked out by a company that deals with that specifically and all that is showing as in fine working order. The guy there was good enough to plug in his computer and got an error code, 35 high load he said.

I'm left clueless by it all. Next stop is recommended going to Power Steering Glasgow to have it looked at. Anyone on here have experience as online reviews are mixed at best.

 

[d33k0]

Turns out the new battery just prolonged the inevitable. The light is back on with no let ups.

I had the battery, alternator and charging system checked out by a company that deals with that specifically and all that is showing as in fine working order. The guy there was good enough to plug in his computer and got an error code, 35 high load he said.

I'm left clueless by it all. Next stop is recommended going to Power Steering Glasgow to have it looked at. Anyone on here have experience as online reviews are mixed at best.

The full correct error reading was Terminal 30; Steering Assist: Signal too High

 

[dm222]

If alternator and battery are ok then it is the pump.

 

[AppleAssassin]

Turns out the new battery just prolonged the inevitable. The light is back on with no let ups.

I had the battery, alternator and charging system checked out by a company that deals with that specifically and all that is showing as in fine working order. The guy there was good enough to plug in his computer and got an error code, 35 high load he said.

I'm left clueless by it all. Next stop is recommended going to Power Steering Glasgow to have it looked at. Anyone on here have experience as online reviews are mixed at best.

I know this was a while ago but did you get it fixed? I'm having the exact same symptoms / issues. Replaced battery and it was fine for a day or two then it's came back on