Another steering issue....

[mrtibbs]

Hi all

Our lad has a Fabia 1 1.9TDi estate, 2001 model. It has had an intermittent steering wheel light fault for a while. He tells us that the other day the light came on and the steering assistance stopped, leaving the steering very heavy. He seems to think that he went down a pot hole just before this happened, but I am unsure.

I have driven the car for several miles and noted that the dash alarm came on after about 10 minutes of regular driving. This happened yesterday and again today. Today I went to a VAG specialist in Kettering so they could read any codes (my mate tried to read it but couldn't get any codes up.....) and I left it running so they could read it with the alarm up. They found 2 codes

1. 01288 - Terminal 30; Steering assist 06 - 10 Signal to high - Intermittent

2. 00816- Power Steering Sensor (G250) 30-00 - Open or short to plus

 

Therefore my question is, can any of you techy guys diagnose what this might be? If so can you describe how I go about tracing the fault please?

Many thanks in advance

 

Keith

[sepulchrave]

Steering angle sensor.

[mrtibbs]

Thanks for the reply sepulchrave

When the garage read the codes, they could not determine the fault, although they thought it may be either the wiring or the sensor. It is going in on Monday so they can check to find out where the fault is and rectify it. Does anyone think it is possibly a bad wire or connector? I am guessing that it will be the sensor, and they quoted me £123 + Fitting + VAT :( Worryingly they didn't seem to know how long this sensor takes to fit.....

As VW / Skoda specialists, I would have thought that they would have carried out this job more than once, but what do I know :(

Any ideas guys please?

[sepulchrave]

With a lift it takes about ten minutes to change the sensor and wiring. Which is why they said they didn't know! However the part price is fair so just get it done.

[mrtibbs]

OK so we have just had a call from the garage and the fault is that there is no +12 Volts permanent feed from the steering pump to the steering angle sensor, and they are talling me that the steering pump need to be replaced as the feed comes from the ECU which apparently is an integral part of the pump.....

I am now on the hunt for a replacement pump as they have ball parked a new one at £600+ plus fitting :(

 

Keith

Edited 8 September, 2014 by mrtibbs

[mrtibbs]

Am I right in thinking that a replacement pump will need to be programmed to the car?

 

Keith

[sepulchrave]

Am I right in thinking that a replacement pump will need to be programmed to the car?

 

Keith

 

No, it's plug and play.

[mrtibbs]

Thanks for the reply

 

Keith

[mrtibbs]

OK so I got a replacement pump, used.... and had it fitted today by a friend with a lift in his garage.

The steering wheel light has come back on when I picked it up and I am so frustrated now.

Anyone got any ideas that I can try, we are into this over £250 to date and no result..... I am thinking that the angle sensor is intermittently bad as the light came on after about 5 miles, I switched off and on and the light was out again for about another 4-5 miles then came on, switching off and on (ignition) resets it...... I left it running on the drive for about half an hour when the light suddenly popped on.

Please can someone point me towards a fix?

 

Keith

[sepulchrave]

Steering angle sensor.

 

I hate repeating myself, but...

[mrtibbs]

I hate repeating myself, but...

You may well be correct here....

However when it went to the garage for a diagnostic visit, they determined that the 12 volt feed from the pump ECU to the steering angle sensor was missing, so I am guessing that if we had replaced the steering angle sensor we would be in the same position as we are now?

I am wondering if there is a damaged wire somewhere? This fails so randomly, it is not connected to turning the steering wheel or even driving.....

 

Keith

[mrtibbs]

Just remembered that when I had the car sat ticking over on the drive, I noticed that the interior lamp was flickering. We have replaced the alternator and the battery recently so I believe they are fine. Any other clues here?

I have also seen a "SKODA FABIA , AIRBAG SQUIB, CONTACT REEL, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR" advertised on Ebay, not quite sure what this is or where it is located, again, any clues please?

 

Keith

[sepulchrave]

Just remembered that when I had the car sat ticking over on the drive, I noticed that the interior lamp was flickering. We have replaced the alternator and the battery recently so I believe they are fine. Any other clues here?

I have also seen a "SKODA FABIA , AIRBAG SQUIB, CONTACT REEL, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR" advertised on Ebay, not quite sure what this is or where it is located, again, any clues please?

 

Keith

 

That part is not relevant to your problem, the flickering light could be caused by the PAS pump running all the time and drawing a lot of current, check to see if it's running while the car is stationary.

[mrtibbs]

Thanks for the reply, I know this will sound daft, but can you tell me how I tell if the pump is running? Is there an electrical test that I can carry out? 

I have ordered a replacement new steering angle sensor, and it should be here on Tuesday. Is this an easy part to replace? Can someone tell me how to do it please?

TIA

 

Keith

[Dave89]

Do you have VCDS light? You can see what response from the angle sensor you're getting when you then the wheels?

I went through everything with my sisters 2001 model. New battery. New alternator. already had a new pump.

Steering angle sensor replaced and a problems solved. It's common for the early ones. The part was revised a few years later.

[mrtibbs]

I bought a copy of VCDS lite, ( I think that is what it was called) several months ago and when I connected it to the port in the dashboard it sat doing precious little for a long time. In the end my laptop battery went low (about 2 hours) and as we still had no connection I gave up.....

I will get the sensor fitted when it arrives and keep fingers crossed

Will let you all know the outcome when I have a result.

Thanks for all the help and advice

 

Keith

[mrtibbs]

Steering angle sensor arrived today, hope to get it fitted in the next couple of days....

Can someone tell me how simple or otherwise it is to install this device, can it be done with the car up on ramps or does it need to be on a lift?

TIA

 

Keith

[Dave89]

Can be done with car on ramps. Should be able to see a brown plug if you get under and follow the steering rack with a torch!

[sepulchrave]

You can get to the sensor through the OSF wheel arch but you'll need to get right under the car to correctly route the wiring round the subframe to the pump.

[mrtibbs]

Tried to fit the sensor yesterday but we had ordered the wrong one, the seller advertised it as fitting 2000 - 2013 but it doesn't fit our 2001 model. Have to order the type with a fixed cable not the plug in type. I am guessing that it will be quite a job removing and replacing the cable round top the pump.... Noting about this car has been straightforward :(

 

Keith

[dm222]

Did you solve the issue?

 

 

I have the same situation...

Could the sensor alone make the pump not to start?

 

Fist the sensor went off but the pump still started with steering a little more heavy.

 

Now the pump doesnt start and the steering is very very very heavy, almost can't drive the car...

Edited 24 June, 2015 by dm222

[FinnVrs]

Did you solve the issue?

 

 

I have the same situation...

Could the sensor alone make the pump not to start?

 

Fist the sensor went off but the pump still started with steering a little more heavy.

 

Now the pump doesnt start and the steering is very very very heavy, almost can't drive the car...

Well what you can try is...

Check fuses location is top on battery and have you got your battery voltages and condition ok.

Well if these things are ok then you can start to count how much you wanna spend when you replace new pump IF its TRW made or if its Koyos prepare  buy new pump and rack

OR you can ask for there how much and what it cost if they try to fix it OR you send your old one there and you get repaired one back.

http://www.bba-reman.com/index.aspx?ShowCountry=true&RedirectUrl=/

Or

http://www.ct-lenksysteme.de/

 

[dm222]

Well what you can try is...

Check fuses location is top on battery and have you got your battery voltages and condition ok.

Well if these things are ok then you can start to count how much you wanna spend when you replace new pump IF its TRW made or if its Koyos prepare  buy new pump and rack

OR you can ask for there how much and what it cost if they try to fix it OR you send your old one there and you get repaired one back.

http://www.bba-reman.com/index.aspx?ShowCountry=true&RedirectUrl=/

Or

http://www.ct-lenksysteme.de/

 

 

Replaced the battery today without results.

The fuses seem OK, looks like I need a new pump.

Replaced it 5 months ago.

I hope it has warranty... The pump seems to be loose if I shake it. Is it normal? Could this be the cause?

Edited 24 June, 2015 by dm222

[sepulchrave]

Replaced the battery today without results.

The fuses seem OK, looks like I need a new pump.

Replaced it 5 months ago.

I hope it has warranty... The pump seems to be loose if I shake it. Is it normal? Could this be the cause?

 

The pump is rubber mounted to the frame but should not be loose, check that the three electrical plugs are connected tightly and retained properly.

[dm222]

The pump is rubber mounted to the frame but should not be loose, check that the three electrical plugs are connected tightly and retained properly.

 

Mine doesnt have the rubber. It's the second pump. The support seems to be broken, could that be the cause of the failed pump?

 

Also this started to happen when I was testing the starter motor and started the car like 5 times in a row...