Power steering issues - new findings

[devonutopia]

Well, it seems my dodgy PAS issues are not just LSD related. Yesterday I decided to have a play with Brembos and deccelerated from about 50mph to 15mph in about 20 yards. However, whilst still slightly under braking I began the turn in but I could barely turn the wheel - It felt like it had just seized solid! :eek: This also happens when cornering hard under throttle (which is why it got me thinking the diff was to blame)

What can cause the power steering to lock up so badly? Even worse than I have experienced in a non PAS car!? Could it be a dodgy pump, or perhaps leaking fluid? Under "normal" conditions i.e taking junctions slower, parallel parking, etc - the PAS feels as normal as it has ever done. It just plays up when I want to have some fun - just the time when I need the steering to be 100% reliable.

PS: No steering warning lights have come on at all, but have not vagcom'd the car yet.

[fordfan]

First off check your power steering fluid (might be easier as you have your battery in the boot). If that is OK check with VAG Com for faults, if none are found go into measuring blocks. There is one block (can't remember its number) where the rate of turn of the steering wheel is shown. With the engine running turn the wheel and see if the reading correlates to the steering wheel input, if it doesn't then the sensor is suspect.

If the above checks out OK see if you can record some live data to determine what happens when it occurs (data may be steering wheel speed, road speed, steering pump electrical current consumption). Also are all the cables to and from the battery OK as any anomoly here may affect the steering pump.

[devonutopia]

Thanks.

Battery being in the boot does aid access to the PAS pump, or it would if I'd not stuck the water/meth setup over it. I might need to access it from the side by removing the wheel, wheel-arch and front bumper (need to change the foglight anyway on that side)

Something I'll try to do on saturday I think. VAGcom after that. Am on my 2nd PAS sensor already but when the first one was going, it would bring the warning light on the dash - the symptoms in this case are more severe, yet no warning light. :confused:

[Dmac1969]

I had the same problem (steering going heavy when braking and cornering) it was due to the steering rack leaking all the fluid out , I had to get a new rack fitted , which sorted the problem , was about £650 fitted.

[devonutopia]

A new rack!? :eek: Something I'd rather avoid for sure!

I've never really looked at what makes up "the rack" - curious to know.

[devonutopia]

:bump:

After almost stuffing my car off on a roundabout (hard acceleration to enter the roundabout then found I could barely turn the steering wheel ) I was wondering what others thought I should check first. :(

[ric04vrs]

weight lifting to build your arm muscles up is required , lol

oh , and slow in , fast out

seriously , the diff could be at fault , when you turn the steering, one wheel will want to turn faster than the other , if the diff wont allow this to happen , it will always want to go straight, especially under power/load

[rum4mo]

Here's a revolutionary idea (!?!) just remove the fuse for the power steering and get a feel as to what the unpowered but reasonably safe steering feels like - get whack in some power turns and see if you still have the same problem - is so you can't blame the steering, as said earlier, the LSD might be locking up the diff too much. (I've forgotten if you have tried this already).

[devonutopia]

Here's a revolutionary idea (!?!) just remove the fuse for the power steering and get a feel as to what the unpowered but reasonably safe steering feels like - get whack in some power turns and see if you still have the same problem - is so you can't blame the steering, as said earlier, the LSD might be locking up the diff too much. (I've forgotten if you have tried this already).

Not thought about this. I guess if I unplugged the steering angle sensor from the PAS pump this would essentially "kill" the PAS and I will be able to determine if it's the pump or the rack doing the nasty thing? Hmmm. Any techie want to comment on that? (when I say "any" I mean "the" )