Power Steering Fault

[YorkIbiza]

Hi, for a while I have had this fault on my car where my power steering light comes on, sometimes my car will be fine when this happens but other times I loose all power steering and it becomes real heavy.

Anyway, I finally decided to try and sort it out fearing the worst that it would require an electric pump. So I rang a local VAG specialist, as my local Seat dealer are useless, and they seem to think that it will be my steering angle sensor as they have done about 5 of these recently and it has cured the fault.

Was just wondering if any of you have had this fault and had it cured this way?

Cheers for any feedback.

 

[sydoggkdy]

yeh mines is getting a new angle sensor tommorow lol! but yeh its a big problem with polo/ibiza/fabia they all break, i read about it on that briskoda? site they've got loads on it.

does ur steering feel lumpy when its heavey or still smooth ?

simon

 

[andycupra]

i presume the obvious things like fluid have been checked.

 

[mixupz]

Best thing mate would be to get it ran up on the ol' Vag Com that might help...or try going to a power steering specialist...

 

[YorkIbiza]

yeh mines is getting a new angle sensor tommorow lol! but yeh its a big problem with polo/ibiza/fabia they all break, i read about it on that briskoda? site they've got loads on it.

does ur steering feel lumpy when its heavey or still smooth ?

simon

It still feels smooth, does yours do it randomly at anytime? Mine generally does it when i have put it in reverse and turning the steering wheel with very low revs.

 

[sydoggkdy]

mines just works randomly not noticed a patern! i have read something about it working at low revs on briskoda .net give that a quick browse.

but my car is actualy going away at 12 so i can tell you what the machanic says later on lol

simon

 

[Nath.]

dodgy connections for the pump, the rain gets in there and the connections get rusted/dirty

I think the pump is below the passenger side headlight area

 

[keefy]

I had this problem the first winter I had the car, and it would ALWAYS be fine if I turned the ignition off and started the car again.

Last winter, I probably had it 5 times for the whole winter as opposed to at least once a week the year before. It seemed to happen on cold mornings when the air was very damp.

Damp/water ingress to the pump has been mentioned before, making a dodgy connection. But, I don't understand why it is 100% OK on a 2nd start of the engine!?

 

[YorkIbiza]

Yeah I find myself having to turn the engine off whilst driving down a busy street as its near impossible to steer, then its fine again once the engine turns back on.

 

[Nath.]

The pump draws a lot of current from the battery (you can see this by the headlights dimming when you steer)

So the connections are not that good and any little bit of a resistance will make the pump not work or work too slow

As a rule if you have a rusted/dirty connection you can get sparks jumping across the contacts (especially if the device draws a lot of current) and the contacts can become burnt or melted, the sparks can cause the device to draw so much that a fuse can blow or an electronic over current device to kick in

The starting of the engine I reckon is more to do with resetting the electronics than re-making connections as the bad connection was probably only momentary anyway.



I reckon this is the case with some peoples intermittent power steering faults

 

[cheshire cat]

I had this problem the first winter I had the car, and it would ALWAYS be fine if I turned the ignition off and started the car again.

Last winter, I probably had it 5 times for the whole winter as opposed to at least once a week the year before. It seemed to happen on cold mornings when the air was very damp.

Damp/water ingress to the pump has been mentioned before, making a dodgy connection. But, I don't understand why it is 100% OK on a 2nd start of the engine!?

with your's I recon it's low voltage, next cold morning- wait for the light to go out give it a few secs' till you hear the relay click and watch the voltmeter climbe turn the key and it should be Ok

 

[YorkIbiza]

mines just works randomly not noticed a patern! i have read something about it working at low revs on briskoda .net give that a quick browse.

but my car is actualy going away at 12 so i can tell you what the machanic says later on lol

simon

How did you get on, did it cure the fault?

 

[sydoggkdy]

surprize lol it didnt get done. think i have the wait on the part! who knows when il get it dne lol hopefuly in the next week or somthing

simon

 

[CHR15B]

Just looking to see if there was any news on this?

About a month ago I started the car and my power steering light was on, I drove home not seeing any difference but sometimes when the light is on the steering is very very hard to move (As if the wheels were glued to the ground) but other times it is OK.

Then again, sometimes (Not often) I start the car and it works perfect.

Where is this angle sensor you speak of - I have Elsawin running but can't see anything obvious there?

 

[CHR15B]

Anyone? Still having this problem...

My fault code for steering was check instrument cluster!

 

[MTIbiza]

I have hopefully just cleared my power steering woes but topping up the power steering fluid.

I'd check that first.

Mike

 

[RUM4MO]

Just looking to see if there was any news on this?

About a month ago I started the car and my power steering light was on, I drove home not seeing any difference but sometimes when the light is on the steering is very very hard to move (As if the wheels were glued to the ground) but other times it is OK.

Then again, sometimes (Not often) I start the car and it works perfect.

Where is this angle sensor you speak of - I have Elsawin running but can't see anything obvious there?

Not had this problem YET, but I think the sensor is mounted on top of the rack where the column shaft is - I thought the early Fabias had different steering system to later Fabias, Polos and Ibiza, that was where this sensor failure first came from - then that part was upgraded to make it more durable - the TRW (I think that is the company name) system, as fitted to later Fabias and all Polos and Ibizas, had a better sensor from day one.

 

[CHR15B]

Hmm... I might need to look into buying one of these sensors.

I read that it can be down to a faulty battery also... the battery is over five years old now so might be worth replacing?

 

[Kimmsy]

hey i've also had this problem since i ad my ibiza in jan this year and im begining to lose all hope n let them ave it bk. i agree seat dealers dont no what they are talking about as mine is currently in their hands and has been for a week now and they still cant find the problem!!

is it really as simple as a sensor?? because i ave the hand brake n abs light flash for few seconds on dash n 3 beeps before i get the power steering failing. but it does seem to be low revs and reversing that set it off or sometimes a small bank when pulling off.

 

[SteveC123]

hey i've also had this problem since i ad my ibiza in jan this year and im begining to lose all hope n let them ave it bk. i agree seat dealers dont no what they are talking about as mine is currently in their hands and has been for a week now and they still cant find the problem!!

is it really as simple as a sensor?? because i ave the hand brake n abs light flash for few seconds on dash n 3 beeps before i get the power steering failing. but it does seem to be low revs and reversing that set it off or sometimes a small bank when pulling off.

If you're reversing... certain things in the engine bay will be flexing the opposite way to normal when you go to move off etc?

It might be if you've got a dodgy connection, said flexing might be causing more stress on said connection and breaking it.

Maybe... anyway.