Hi Guys,

Running a 2004 ( 54 plate ) Superb 1.9 TDI 100hp, I've noticed a problem thats becoming more common lately, it seems whenever driving in the rain and I go through a puddle, the power steering will cut out for a second or 2, which brings up the battery light on the dashboard, then a couple of seconds later there will be a loud squeak that lasts about 3 seconds, then the power steering returns absolutely fine.. any ideas?

Hi Guys,

Running a 2004 ( 54 plate ) Superb 1.9 TDI 100hp, I've noticed a problem thats becoming more common lately, it seems whenever driving in the rain and I go through a puddle, the power steering will cut out for a second or 2, which brings up the battery light on the dashboard, then a couple of seconds later there will be a loud squeak that lasts about 3 seconds, then the power steering returns absolutely fine.. any ideas?

I would say check and adjust your drive belt.

Agreed, if the aux drive tensioner is manual; It may indicate that the automatic aux drivebelt tensioner is on the way out though.

This has nothing to do with the camshaft drive belt

It won't be adjustable, the tensioner does that automatically, it's defo as said a belt slipping though, as it's the batt light it should be the alternator drive, so what to do, temp fix, get a spanner on the tensioner and move it back and forth, might help to hit it with some WD40 as well to clean the spring up, next up get some talc powder and sprinkle it on the inner edge of the belt, don't go mad as we don't want it in the alternator or steering pump, just enough to suck any grease off the belt, real fix is a new belt, and possibly a new tensioner if you feel it is slightly seized and not doing it's job, belts should be changed anyway, they get a lot of heat and muck on them, plus by design they will stretch over time, hth.

hi thanks for the replies, do you mean the cambelt? if so then i only had it done about 600 miles ago, and I had the same problem before it was done.

hi thanks for the replies, do you mean the cambelt? if so then i only had it done about 600 miles ago, and I had the same problem before it was done.

No not the cambelt, the two belts you can see as you open the bonnet, if you had a cambelt you really should've replaced these 2 belts at the sametime, does sound like either the pump bearing is wearing out or the tensioner isn't strong enough anymore, start with the tensioner it's cheaper, look at the alternator and look down on the drivers side of it and you will see the tensioner with the belt running round it, can go weak.

If you had the cambelt changed 600 miles ago, somebody c0cked it up. Who did it?

The aux belts should always be changed when the front is pulled to do this job. The tensioner is automatic for the PAS/Alt/Fan belt and manually set for the compressor (two aux belts on a B5.5).

rotodiesel.