Stalled car and power steering stopped working

[melat0nin]

Hi all

I got a bit of a fright earlier this evening when out in the car -- I stalled it at some lights (noob), and when I restarted the yellow steering light came on and the power steering was gone.

I read someone that if the car detects a collision it disables the PAS. Could the stall (it was quite a sudden one) have been misinterpreted by a sensor as a collision?

Anyway it was working perfectly up til then, so I have no reason to believe there's a problem. I looked under the car after it sat for an hour and there's no evidence of a leak of any fluid, although I've not checked the level properly (I hear this is a faff).

Any help would be much appreciated!

The car's a 57 plate Sport 100 with 53k on the clock.

 

[DavieTDI]

It's nothing. Just don't try start the car so fast when u stall it. If it keeps doing it then make sure your battery is in good condition

 

[melat0nin]

It's nothing. Just don't try start the car so fast when u stall it. If it keeps doing it then make sure your battery is in good condition

So how do I fix it? The light is still on today, and there's still no power steering. I've checked the fuses (no problems) and disconnected the battery temporarily, but no joy.

 

[DavieTDI]

Take the battery off for a good bit to reset it and if it still does it then get it plugged in or get the battery tested. Make sure the battery connection is good.

 

[melat0nin]

Take the battery off for a good bit to reset it and if it still does it then get it plugged in or get the battery tested. Make sure the battery connection is good.

Thanks, how long is about right? I tried about a minute before, is that not enough?

 

[DavieTDI]

Not enough. Take it off for 15 mins

 

[melat0nin]

No joy, unfortunately. Left it disconnected for about 40 mins.

 

[R3k1355]

Get the fault codes read on VCDS.

I'm guessing the power steering still 'works' as it'd be a total mission driving without PAS, it's probably not adjusting the power in relation to wheel speed and angle.
(If you can still drive the car, but it's abit stiffer then the PAS is still working)

 

[melat0nin]

Get the fault codes read on VCDS.

I'm guessing the power steering still 'works' as it'd be a total mission driving without PAS, it's probably not adjusting the power in relation to wheel speed and angle.

I've got it booked in with a vehicle electrician on Monday, hopefully he'll do that. Wouldn't mind getting it sorted before then, but hey ho

It is pretty difficult to drive at the moment -- okay on the motorway (I had to drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh last night...) but a bugger for parking manoeuvres.

The fact that it coincided with a stall makes me think it's definitely something electrical.

 

[DavieTDI]

Turn the ignition on but don't start he car and if the light goes out after a few seconds then start the car. If it don't go out then am still thinking it's battery related. It needs a lot of power at start up for the power steering.

 

[melat0nin]

Turn the ignition on but don't start he car and if the light goes out after a few seconds then start the car. If it don't go out then am still thinking it's battery related. It needs a lot of power at start up for the power steering.

I think you might be right, when I stalled I did have to turn the ignition a couple of times before it started again, a bit like a cold start.

I have a charger but it looks like a lot of work to take the battery out

 

[R3k1355]

To be fair if just stalling it and starting it again has caused the problem I doubt charging it will fix it properly.
Chances are the battery is on it's last legs - I assume it's the original one from the Factory??

Old dying batterys cause all sorts of odd electrical issues.

 

[melat0nin]

To be fair if just stalling it and starting it again has caused the problem I doubt charging it will fix it properly.
Chances are the battery is on it's last legs - I assume it's the original one from the Factory??

Old dying batterys cause all sorts of odd electrical issues.

As far as I know it's original (I've only had the car a few months).

Hopefully not too expensive a fix (a quick Google suggests about the £40 mark, which is alright)

 

[DavieTDI]

If the car shook when it stalled it can loosen an earth lead or something. If it was a dying battery then run the car for a few mins then turn it off and restart and see if the light goes out. If it does not then am going with something has came loose.

 

[nealo]

This happened to my first mk4 when reversing off the drive. It was still under warranty so got fixed free. I was told they replaced the computer?!

 

[DavieTDI]

This happened to me and it was a cable that had broke causing the battery to drain and not give enough power for the initial startup for the power steering

 

[melat0nin]

Cool, in that case an auto electrician is the best person to diagnose. Fingers crossed!

 

[dm222]

Well this pumps don't really need a reason to fail, they just fail...

But... I have some experience in the matter, I had two pumps gone 3 months difference between them.

What I can tell is at least the second pump, it happen when starting the car like 5 or 6 consecutive times with the car warm after making 150km...

The first one I can't remember... but I had problems at the time starting my car so I was testing how well it started all the time to find a pattern....

Fingers crossed, but I stopped doing that stupid thing, I also damaged a starter doing it, 1.5 years latter and the 3rd pump is still OK for now. Meanwhile I solved the starting problem which was the N80 valve... I guess there is a relay or something inside the pump that is activated when starting that doesn't like to be overused...


OFF-TOPIC: But my steering is defnetely harder with the two replacement pumps than it with the original pump and they were both new, and from SEAT (OEM).
Remembering this, maybe the original pump damaged something, because when it failed at first it was intermitent for 2 weeks sometimes it wouldn't work at all, sometimes it would work normal and sometimes the steering would be extremely light, so light I couldn't drive the car. I really don't know I almost got crazy pursuing the reason for this and after being in hell and back couldn't find a logical explanation...

 

[melat0nin]

He says the power steering pump has failed. £350 for a new one, fitted

 

[dm222]

He says the power steering pump has failed. £350 for a new one, fitted

nice price.