Hi everyone,

 

Well out of the blue today my power steering warning light lit up yellow when cornering  . A scan with VCDS shows the following:

 

Address 44: Steering Assist Labels: 1Kx-909-14x.lbl

Part No: 1K2 909 144 M

Component: EPS_ZFLS Kl.069 H08 1901

Shop #: WSC 73430 000 90108

VCID: 366824867E1D6BAC

2 Faults Found

00778 - Steering Angle Sensor (G85)

014 - Defective - Intermittent

00778 - Steering Angle Sensor (G85)

000 - -

 

I've cleared the fault codes a couple of times but they keep coming back after a few miles. I guess its the steering angle sensor at fault then? ISTR this needs a complete replacement steering rack to fix doesn't it??

 

 

Isn't the sensor behind the steering wheel?

From memory it is on pre-FLs but the part is no longer available so the usual dealer fix is a complete replacement FL style rack at huge expense?? Or am I mistaken?

The column and rack are separate aren't they?

Yes they are, but from techie's previous posts about this the issue is that on the pre-FL the sensor is on the column, whereas on the FL the sensor is on the rack.

The pre-FL sensor is no longer available new at all, so the official fix now is to ditch the sensor on the column and fit a complete new FL style rack, complete with sensor and modified loom. In effect the steering has to be converted from pre-FL to the FL setup, just because of a failed sensor. Not surprisingly that is not cheap.

 

I suppose the alternative would be to try and find a secondhand pre-FL sensor.

 

 

 

Edit: re-reading previous posts it seems that it is the torque sensor which requires replacement of the rack, but the angle sensor on pre-FL cars IS still available separately?

Have you had a look at what the sensor is reading with VCDS?

I've just had another look now. The fault seems very intermittent, and occurs mostly when accelerating round right hand bends for some reason, but perhaps only about one time in every 5 or 6 or so.

 

I've sat with VCDS plugged in, looking at the steering assist controller measuring blocks. With the car stationary your can turn the wheel from lock to lock repeatedly with no obvious problems, the angle sensor seems to be reading correctly. When actually driving the car you suddenly start to get this slightly odd feel through the steering, then the warning light comes on.

 

When restarting the engine the steering warning light is on yellow, like it would be if the battery had been disconnected. Drive a few yards and the light goes out and all appears to be fine again, until a couple of miles later the fault occurs again and the warning light comes on.

 

Thinking about this I have noticed a slightly odd feeling to the steering occasionally of late, but just dismissed it as perhaps caused by a particular road surface.

 

If its easily fixed by replacing the sensor in the column I'm not so worried, but it does make the car unpleasant to drive as I never quite know when its going to happen. Fortunately the car passed its MOT only the other week as that would have been another problem with this warning light on!

If the sensor is giving out funny readings then that may be why the steering feels odd.  You could try setting VCDS logging, strap in the laptop (or co-opt a friend and see what the log picks up.

 

I need to dig out another computer and have a look at where the G85 sensor is,I thought it slots onto the column behind the slip ring, but I could be wrong.

I think you're very likely correct about the location of the G85 sensor on my 2008 MY car. From what I can gather it was only in later years when it was moved onto the rack itself. What threw me was the mention of needing to replace the rack, but it seems that is only if the torque sensor fails, not the angle sensor (hopefully!)

Apparently it was wk 22 of 2008 when it became integrated into the steering gear.

 

To get at it you remove the airbag, steering wheel and slip ring.  The sensor is rectangular and below the column.  You need to drop the steering controller down to unplug it from the sensor and then the sensor just pulls straight out towards you.

 

If you can't get a new one, then if you take out the existing one it should have a part number on it, you can then look for a replacement on ebay etc.

Excellent, thanks very much for your help.

Thanks Mike, I'll give that a go.

 

By the way I had a short break in Whitby last week, I'd forgotten what a nice place it is. Not an easy place to find a parking space in though!

Here is a link for retrofitting cruise control.  It's for a Scirocco and the G85 is not shown but getting to it is the same.  Once you take the slip ring off you will see it.

 

http://www.sciroccocentral.co.uk/roccopedia/index.php?title=Fit_Cruise_Control

 

One tip - when you use a screwdriver to release the steering controller you need to push the lug inside to the left, it can be a bit tricky to get it to release.

In that guide the torque for the steering wheel bolt is wrong.  I believe that 35Nm is right, not 50.

Once again thank you both for all the help, it really is very much appreciated

Right a quick update.

 

I ordered a new angle sensor off Ebay a couple of days ago and as I have today off work I thought I would make a start and remove the airbag, wheel, controller etc ready for the new part arriving (hopefully) in the post today.

 

After a bit of fiddling with the clip on the steering controller I was able to lower it and remove the angle sensor. But here's the odd thing, the old sensor was covered in some sort of greasy liquid. My first thought was that some component inside it had failed, perhaps a capacitor had leaked, but on closer inspection the substance doesn't appear to be from the sensor itself. It looks like some sort of lubricant has run out of the airbag clock-spring unit and dripped down onto the angle sensor, covering what appear to be the little optical sensor 'eyes' in grease.

 

I presume the clock spring mechanism is supposed to have a bit of grease inside it to make it move freely, but whether mine just has excessive grease in it or what I don't know. I'm currently cleaning it up with cotton buds to get the excess grease off. I'm half tempted just to clean the eyes on the sensor too and try it again to see if that cures the problem. On the other hand I have a new sensor coming in the post and it would be a bugger to put it all back together with the old sensor cleaned, just to find it still didn't work!

I remember seeing grease inside the slip ring but the sensor was clean and dry on my car and another I have fitted cruise to.

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Well I spent some time cleaning the sensor what do you know, it seems to have cured the problem! Just been for a ten mile drive round some twisty back lanes and the steering feels better and the fault hasn't come back so far.

If the slip ting is leaking then that should be simple to change. There are two types so you need to get the right type.

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Its odd but the slip ring didn't look damaged in any way and turns freely enough, it perhaps just had excess or the wrong type of grease applied at the factory for some reason? There was grease oozing out a few of the plastic joints so I gave it a good clean and put it back.

Both of the ones I have handled haven't had any leakage of grease.

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I had wondered if the original owner had taken it upon himself to put extra grease on the slip ring for some reason. He was a retired engineer and a bit of a tinkerer . After I'd bought the car he proudly told me he'd always stripped and rebuilt the brakes every six months as 'you have to on these modern cars with ABS..... ' !

Was it white grease? IIRC that's what appeared to be inside the slip ring.

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Yes I think so. If it happens again I'll replace the slip ring, but at least now I know whats causing it and that it can be resolved quite easily.