Hello everyone, here’s my issue.
I own a 2018 Seat Leon FR petrol model with the 1.4 TSI engine, currently at 110,000 km. Since summer 2024, I’ve noticed that the power steering doesn’t work at 100% most of the time. The steering feels vague, and the wheel is harder to turn—especially during low-speed maneuvers when stationary. At first, I thought my tires might be under-inflated, but even after inflating them properly, there was no change. Same with Eco mode—I now always drive in Normal mode, but it makes no difference. In June, I replaced my tires with Pilot Sport 5, but again, no improvement with the power steering.
Sometimes, the power steering works perfectly for an entire day with no apparent reason—which feels great—but then the issue returns, and the power steering only functions at about 60%, making the steering stiff and imprecise again.
I replaced the battery in April 2025 with a Varta EGM 60Ah, but the problem persists. I ran some tests with a multimeter:
I brushed the terminals with a metal wire brush but saw no improvement. I’ve run multiple OBD scans with no errors related to the battery or electronics.
So, should I change the alternator? Or maybe the IBS sensor on the negative terminal? Is there a way to make sure the power steering always functions at 100% even at 13.1V?
P.S. The car has been running on E85 for the last 60,000 km without problems, and even when switching back to regular petrol, the issue remains.
I’m going crazy and honestly disappointed by the experience, especially since the car only has 110,000 km and will soon be 7 years old… Thanks for your time.
I own a 2018 Seat Leon FR petrol model with the 1.4 TSI engine, currently at 110,000 km. Since summer 2024, I’ve noticed that the power steering doesn’t work at 100% most of the time. The steering feels vague, and the wheel is harder to turn—especially during low-speed maneuvers when stationary. At first, I thought my tires might be under-inflated, but even after inflating them properly, there was no change. Same with Eco mode—I now always drive in Normal mode, but it makes no difference. In June, I replaced my tires with Pilot Sport 5, but again, no improvement with the power steering.
Sometimes, the power steering works perfectly for an entire day with no apparent reason—which feels great—but then the issue returns, and the power steering only functions at about 60%, making the steering stiff and imprecise again.
I replaced the battery in April 2025 with a Varta EGM 60Ah, but the problem persists. I ran some tests with a multimeter:
- With the engine off, the voltage is between 12.3V and 12.7V depending on the charge, which seems normal.
- However, with the engine running, it only reaches a maximum of 13.1V.
- Using OBDEleven and changing the battery settings to 55Ah and AGM type, I can temporarily push it up to 13.9V when running, and the power steering works perfectly for a few days—sometimes up to two weeks. But then the problem returns and I have to repeat the procedure.
I brushed the terminals with a metal wire brush but saw no improvement. I’ve run multiple OBD scans with no errors related to the battery or electronics.
So, should I change the alternator? Or maybe the IBS sensor on the negative terminal? Is there a way to make sure the power steering always functions at 100% even at 13.1V?
P.S. The car has been running on E85 for the last 60,000 km without problems, and even when switching back to regular petrol, the issue remains.
I’m going crazy and honestly disappointed by the experience, especially since the car only has 110,000 km and will soon be 7 years old… Thanks for your time.
