Power steering whine?

[Richoscos]

I've had a whine coming from my FL MK2 Cupra for a while. It sounds mechanical and rises and falls with revs. You can hear it and low speed and it starts at about 2k revs. The whine certainly isn't there when in neutral and revving the motor.

I was worried about it being turbo related - maybe a boost leak (some of the vids I've watched of boost leaks have sounded similar to this sound), it certainly isn't a siren noise, too high for that.

Anyway, took it into a VAG specialist today and they've said that it's the power steering and is quite normal for a sporty car like the Cupra.

Now, I am no mechanic and that's why I'm posting. Has anyone with a FL MK2 heard of anything like this? Does the power steering pump sit in the auxiliary drive belt system? Is that why the whine is related to revs? But why wouldn't it be there when stopped?

I'm a bit stumped at this!

 

[nilz]

Have you checked the fluid and made sure its not low??

Im hoping the mechanic you took it to would have checked that as a bare minimum.

If it is the fluid, go get some from the dealers, its not expensive and you know you have the right fluid for the car too, top it up and see if that makes a difference.

 

[James_R]

They don't use fluid on this steering setup. its electromechanical.

 

[nilz]

Sorry mate, my mistake I wasn't aware that it was electro mechanical

 

[Richoscos]

Cheers lads. Yeah, it's electro-mechanical so no fluid (I wish it was mechanical, there'd be more feel!).

Does it not sound weird that the motor whine should rise and fall with the revs? I didn't think anything to do with the steering on this setup would be driven by the engine.

 

[Muttley]

I doubt if it is the steering. Engine-driven ancillaries on this car are alternator, a/c compressor and water pump.

Alternator is just possible, if the load when runnning is more than stationary, but you'd need to be moving the steering around to provoke that. A/c - well, only if you have the a/c off when you are looking for the problem when stationary. Water pump is most unlikely, you'd see other symptoms first (engine overheating on the road.

 

[Richoscos]

That's what I thought mate. I'm really not convinced, and this is coming from a renowed VAG specialist.

The only way I can think to try and pinpoint it myself is on a rolling road. I'll do that and post back with findings. Cheers guys.