power steering

[pedro-tdi]

Hey can anybody please tell me if the power steering on my 2004 130 tdi sport is electriic or hydraulic.
The pump makes a whining noise when im stationary and the headlights dim rather alot but carnt find any were to top the fluid up.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DEAN0]

Hey can anybody please tell me if the power steering on my 2004 130 tdi sport is electriic or hydraulic.
The pump makes a whining noise when im stationary and the headlights dim rather alot but carnt find any were to top the fluid up.
Any help would be appreciated.

It's both - it has an electro-hydraulic system.

Those wonderful guys at seat put the fluid reservoir under the battery !!!!!!!!!

 

[pedro-tdi]

thanks for the reply bud will have a look when i get time.

 

[techie]

They put the reservoir under the battery, but tbh unless you have a problem the level should never drop as the oil doesn't get used.

 

[attila_tdi]

The pump makes a whining noise when im stationary and the headlights dim rather alot but carnt find any were to top the fluid up.

Don't worry mine does the same and I panicked when i first got it. Loads of people say its normal, though can't imagine it came out of showroom doing that noise.

I have done 10k and been in a seat service since then. They also told me its nothing.

 

[RUM4MO]

I'd reckon that as you have a TDI and its 5 years old, then maybe you should get the battery checked in case its capacity has dropped a lot. Also being a TDI have you had a look at the load signal wiring to the alternator - at or near the plug/socket below the engine<>gearbox join? One other thing, these elctrohydraulic steering systems, they will use quite a lot of current when you request a steering input, so if you have just started the engine, put the lights on and the engine is still cold and the temperature outside is low, then the battery will not be in a good state to handle these "power grabs" - so your lights will dim a bit, if this still happens after a longish run, then you have something to sort out - battery or wiring to alternator mainly will be the source of this problem. But, ights dimming is a vague term as this system will always cause the lights to dim "a bit" at tick over - if that is all that is happening then there is not much that you can do to stop this.

 

[SteveC123]

They put the reservoir under the battery, but tbh unless you have a problem the level should never drop as the oil doesn't get used.

No leaks on mine... but I topped it up recently as it was on the 'lower' mark.

Net result is the occasional lack of PAS first thing of a morning when I've got to reverse off the drive, doesn't happen any more... so it is worth checking the level and topping it up if low.

Mine's done 164k so that might explain why, assuming it's never been topped up in the past, (which wouldn't surprise me given where the fluid reservoir is), the level had dropped slightly.