Seat Ibiza MK5 2009 - Power steering fluid change?

[everson38]

Hey guys,

I have a seat ibiza 1.4 SC SE 2009. I have recently only come to learn that buy the screen wash reservoir is our power stering fluid reservoir.

I just wanted to know if anyone has "maintenance" this? Are we meant to regularly check level and if so how? Do we need to replace the fluid after a certain time and if so how?

ANy tips on this would be great as all my other cars are eletric steering.

 

[dm222]

I would not change it.

It's not necessary, just check the level once per year or so.


If it needs to to up use G004000M2 oil only!!

 

[everson38]

I would not change it.

It's not necessary, just check the level once per year or so.


If it needs to to up use G004000M2 oil only!!

Ok and is that oil only availbe at seat i suspect. also to check level its screw of the cap, now im using alot of force to turn mine, is this correct or sahud i leave well alone, as i dont want to keep going and then break it.

 

[dm222]

Ok and is that oil only availbe at seat i suspect. also to check level its screw of the cap, now im using alot of force to turn mine, is this correct or sahud i leave well alone, as i dont want to keep going and then break it.

or ebay.

I only checked mine for the first time when my power steering failed, and it took some force to open indeed. Anyway the oil level was ok.

I recomend using a cloth around the cap to unscrew.

If you don't have problems don't worry to much, but remember if the steering is stiff or gets stiff it's the first thing to check along with the tyres.

 

[everson38]

or ebay.

I only checked mine for the first time when my power steering failed, and it took some force to open indeed. Anyway the oil level was ok.

I recomend using a cloth around the cap to unscrew.

If you don't have problems don't worry to much, but remember if the steering is stiff or gets stiff it's the first thing to check along with the tyres.

thanks alot mann! you have been a legend today for me!

 

[RUM4MO]

First time that I checked a steering fluid level on one of these types of cars - when the 2002 VW Polo was new, I could not get the lid off, a mixture of it being too tight and limited access as that lid is in a corner, I found that I had an old top radiator hose, ie an engine coolant hose, which was roughly the correct size and I forced it down over the lid of the reservoir, that worked well, never tightened it up too much after that.

 

[dm222]

First time that I checked a steering fluid level on one of these types of cars - when the 2002 VW Polo was new, I could not get the lid off, a mixture of it being too tight and limited access as that lid is in a corner, I found that I had an old top radiator hose, ie an engine coolant hose, which was roughly the correct size and I forced it down over the lid of the reservoir, that worked well, never tightened it up too much after that.

I also dont screw to tight but left without checking for 5 months, checked today and it was hard to remove already.

Good to know the level isnt dropping as I did some big interventions in the power steering like replacing the two hoses and all the electrical wiring 1.5 years ago.

The first time I opened when the 1st steering pump failed it took me hours to archieve that and had my hands in blood.

Today when I opened it made a decompression noise like when you open a coca cola, I found that strange because the cap has a breathe valve.

 

[RUM4MO]

I also dont screw to tight but left without checking for 5 months, checked today and it was hard to remove already.

Good to know the level isnt dropping as I did some big interventions in the power steering like replacing the two hoses and all the electrical wiring 1.5 years ago.

The first time I opened when the 1st steering pump failed it took me hours to archieve that and had my hands in blood.

Today when I opened it made a decompression noise like when you open a coca cola, I found that strange because the cap has a breathe valve.

I don't think that it has a breather, if it did, it might end up getting water into it as it is located so low down, so that is a good reason for it making a noise when you removed it, though I'd suspect that it would only make that noise if you opened it while the fluid was still warm/hot - I have never done that as I've always tried to check it at cold.

Edit:- though, "normal" (engine driven hydraulic pump) power steering system fluid reservoirs that get mounted high up in the engine compartment do tend to have a breather in the cap. It has been a long time since I checked the fluid level on the late 2009 Ibiza that I look after, I'll check that today and post as to if I think that it has a breather in the cap.

 

[dm222]

I don't think that it has a breather, if it did, it might end up getting water into it as it is located so low down, so that is a good reason for it making a noise when you removed it, though I'd suspect that it would only make that noise if you opened it while the fluid was still warm/hot - I have never done that as I've always tried to check it at cold.

Edit:- though, "normal" (engine driven hydraulic pump) power steering system fluid reservoirs that get mounted high up in the engine compartment do tend to have a breather in the cap. It has been a long time since I checked the fluid level on the late 2009 Ibiza that I look after, I'll check that today and post as to if I think that it has a breather in the cap.

It has a white thing I always thought it was to breathe.

Also the pump has a tendency to get "oily" at the top, I thought it was related.

 

[everson38]

It has a white thing I always thought it was to breathe.

Also the pump has a tendency to get "oily" at the top, I thought it was related.

Lol I finally got forum on my phone. And I finally got cap off. The level is currently just above where the fatter shafts on the cap begins. Is that OK? My car is jacked up at front whilst taking this pic. Also pic of my actual oil on tissue is that coorect colour etc ?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[everson38]

Hey guys not sure if related. But I just took moms car for a spin and I belive.it has.already done this. Bit with engine running when u turn wheel left and right it. It makes a whirring sound in conjunction with the movement of the steering wheel? Anything I should look out for or worry about

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[dm222]

B-> Maximum
A-> Minimum

it should be a dark green.


Yes noise it's normal, sometimes on the parking lot I hear noises and I know it's an Ibiza before even looking lol

 

[everson38]

B-> Maximum
A-> Minimum

it should be a dark green.


Yes noise it's normal, sometimes on the parking lot I hear noises and I know it's an Ibiza before even looking lol

Thanks again DM u da man! Lol

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[RUM4MO]

It has a white thing I always thought it was to breathe.

Also the pump has a tendency to get "oily" at the top, I thought it was related.

That is a very good point and now that you have mentioned it I do remember that these caps seem to have that white thing - maybe it is just a safety valve, ie it stays sealed until something bad/wrong happens then it gets blown out to allow the excess pressure to vent.

One other comment to support that it is not a normal breather, when you drive in rain and/or wash the car, that area - the metalwork that the fluid reservoir "appears" out of, always seems to end up covered in water, so not really the best place to have a breather, at least an "open" breather as a higher mounted power steering fluid reservoir would have?

 

[dm222]

I think it's not the best place to put the pump in the first place.

Could not choose a wrost location because it gets a lot of water and over time water ingress is a problem, also there is not much blocking the noises, so you can hear an Ibiza steering pump miles away lol


1 year ago I bought two pumps on ebay to replace mine and both had problems so I gave up and kept mine and my steering is not yet normal, it's a little better though.

I don't know I ever shown you this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfHvAYRw2QU


The pump came "sealed" with the connectors still in place and some wiring, so this was not an after removing problem, I believe the water got in while still mounted in the car

 

[RUM4MO]

Hum, that does not look too good, I don't know if you know, but back in the early days of Skoda Fabia production, they did not use TRW steering systems, it was Simo Koyo or some thing like that, their pumps were a lot quieter - but only because they fitted them with a sound insulating blanket. The only problem was, that water and other road spray got inside that sound insulating blanket/cover and that rotted the wiring in a big way - then VW launched the Polo 9N and it looks like VAG dropped that original power steering supplier and moved across to TRW, and so all Ibiza also were fitted with TRW, Skoda did also change to TRW but I don't think that any single part of either system could be retro fitted to a car with the other, meaning that the early cars with Simo Koyo would need to replace everything connected with the power steering to escape from that issue!