Power steering

[georgiedavids1006]

Hi,

hoping someone can help. As i was exiting a carpark today, the amber steering wheel warning light came up and i lost all power assist.

i carefully drove home which is less than a 5 minute journey, as i went over a small speed bump, which is not really a speed bump, but a small patch of uneven road, the steering warning light went out and my power assist was immediately restored.

anyone got any thoughts on what could have caused this to happen?

thanks in advance.

[TMB]

Check the fuse strips on top of the battery. They can develop very fine cracks that can make intermittent contact. Like this...

 

Edited 30 August, 2018 by TMB

[KenONeill]

@georgiedavids1006 - Well, that immediately makes me think that you have a loose connection on one of the wires to the electric pump for the PAS.

 

Or what TMB said!

Edited 30 August, 2018 by KenONeill

[georgiedavids1006]

Thank u both. Ill go and have a look at the top of the battery 

[georgiedavids1006]

Well i checked the battery fuses and theyre all in good order, so i checked the fluid reservoir and all though it wasnt bone dry, it was very low and the fluid wasnt touching the dipstick at all. So i drove to a dealer and i topped topped it up, then drove home, again with no problems.

could that have been the problem, or is that being to optimistic? And should i be looking for something else or just wait to see if it does it again, then carry on looking for a problem?

again thanks for all your help 

[sepulchrave]

30 minutes ago, georgiedavids1006 said:

Well i checked the battery fuses and theyre all in good order, so i checked the fluid reservoir and all though it wasnt bone dry, it was very low and the fluid wasnt touching the dipstick at all. So i drove to a dealer and i topped topped it up, then drove home, again with no problems.

could that have been the problem, or is that being to optimistic? And should i be looking for something else or just wait to see if it does it again, then carry on looking for a problem?

again thanks for all your help 

 

Optimistic, it'll be a dodgy connection or wiring somewhere.

[KenONeill]

@georgiedavids1006 - Well, low fluid won't help because that increases the load on the hydraulics, and hence on the electric pump. I still think it's most likely a wiring connection though, not least because the electric PAS runs a higher current than even the starter motor or the HRW!

 

The other "drive-around" that might help would be to try to never use full steering lock, and if you ever feel a lock stop back the steering off an inch or so at the wheel rim.

[LB123]

Can I advise you to check the fuses on top of the battery again. The break can be almost invisible. Happened to me and after a good look without seeing the break I then unbolted the two nearside fuses and one of them fell apart. I really could not see the crack with the naked eye. Unfortunately I have also had to replace the steering angle sensor at the bottom of the steering column which is also prone to failure on early models.

[georgiedavids1006]

Well i checked the battery fuses and theyre all in good order, so i checked the fluid reservoir and all though it wasnt bone dry, it was very low and the fluid wasnt touching the dipstick at all. So i drove to a dealer and i topped topped it up, then drove home, again with no problems.

could that have been the problem, or is that being to optimistic? And should i be looking for something else or just wait to see if it does it again, then carry on looking for a problem?

again thanks for all your help 

[georgiedavids1006]

Hi all and thank u for your help so far. It didnt happen again all yesterday and early this morning, but when i popped out an hour ago i got to the top of my road, the light flashed on again and the steering went heavy for a split second, then the light went back out and the pas cane back, so yeh i agree that my hope it was fluid level was a bit optimistic. So ill slacken the bolts on top of the battery and have a better look at the fuses. If not ill have to give someone a call because im hopeless with any car thats newer than a 1982 cortina 

thanks very much

[KenONeill]

@georgiedavids1006 - Now 100% certain it's electrical, and the prime suspects are the strip fuses and the live connector  on the electric pump.

[TMB]

1 hour ago, georgiedavids1006 said:

If not ill have to give someone a call because im hopeless with any car thats newer than a 1982 cortina 

 

 

Ah, the memories of failed rear axle void bushes

[georgiedavids1006]

Thank u both ill check out both and see if anything occurs 

[KenONeill]

1 hour ago, TMB said:

 

Ah, the memories of failed rear axle void bushes

Been there, done that, got the scraped knuckles.

[TMB]

28 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Been there, done that, got the scraped knuckles.

 

Yes, wasn't much fun. Haha

[georgiedavids1006]

Well ive checked the strip fuses and theyre all ok, i actually undone the nuts and inspected them.

checked No. 7 fuse in the fusebox too and thats all good, so im just waiting for a midget friend of mine to come round, get under the car and look at the connection to the pump. 

[Umed]

Hi everyone, 

     My knowledge is minimal so please bare with me .I am having problems with my power steering too.  I’ve just bought a 53 plate 1.2 estate as a runaround as they are known to be reliable cars , after driving it for two hours I felt i’ve Got a good reliable car. Has 12months mot , algood tyres , recent service , timing chain replaced , power steering pump replaced . What could go wrong ? Turned the steering wheel full lock , all of a sudden power steering light goes on and car has no power steering . Diagnosis shows error J500 , 03109 . Fuse in car is fine , 50amp fuse on top of battery component is blown , I changed the 50amp strip fuse . The fuse blows straight away even without turning the ignition on . Can anyone give me some advice please , my guess is faulty earth maybe , but it seems like bumper and maybe wing needs to come off which seems a bit too much for me as I’m disabled. I do want to Give it a go will take me much longer than any of you guys but I really don’t want to get ripped of , garages tend to just replace parts after parts till it’s fixed , I don’t want it costing me more than the car did lol . Today I managed to take the bumper off, the power steering pump looks brand new, took all three connectors off the pump they all look clean and they were all engaged well, put them back on with a new strip fuse as soon as I connect the battery it blows the fuse . I’m baffled , the car ran well for two hours , why would it all of a sudden keep blowing the fuse ??

[Breezy_Pete]

Did you try it with two way connector unplugged from PAS module? If it then doesn't blow the fuse, fault is with PAS module, if it does blow, the  fault is in the wiring.

[Umed]

No I didn’t mate, didn’t really have a clue lol . I will definitely do that and take it from there. Really appreciate your time and knowledge mate, thank you sooo much 

[Tech1e]

Very useful guide already on here...

[georgiedavids1006]

Well its all sorted and the steering is back to normal. I only dropped the car off at 9 and it was sorted out by 11. Found a decent and honest mechanic who used to work for VAG. On the phone he said it sounded like the pump, but it wasnt. Moisture in the pump caused a short. 

Cost me 80 quid all in all. 

[Tech1e]

If it had its original foam jacket on its quite possible.

 

Glad its sorted.

[DRJ]

You need to find out why the oil level was low though. It should "consume" oil. Mine was a split pipe.

[Umed]

 I found time to take the bumper off again , took the power cable of the power steering changed the strip fuse , only had 60amp fuse so I used that . Reconnected the battery and started the car , the fuse didn’t blow. I then reconnected the power steering power cable and the fuse didn’t blow , really confused . Friend of a friend had vcds. When he tried to go straight into power steering there was a  no communication error but on auto scan fault 1309 j500 came up also 49-00 no communication came up . I’m baffled , why would it blow fuses before and not now ? Could it be the extra 10amps ?? .