Hi everyone, 

     This is the first time I’m ever writing in a forum and my knowledge is minimal so please bare with me . 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 , all good 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 . 

 

  

Really need to get the bumper off for a look. Beware - the latch on the main two-way power cable connector to the pump is an awkward one, (I broke one on a spare pump I bought that had the loom connector still plugged in).

I'm wondering if someone broke the latch when the pump was replaced, so now the connector isn't fully engaged on the replacement pump, and water has got in, shorting pin to pin?

 

Only other alternatives are a short circuit on the main red power cable from the fuse, or a fault inside the pump. Do you have a receipt/history for the pump replacement? How's the fluid level?

Not really sure why I found the latch so awkward (it was a while ago), looking at a picture of the one on my Polo, it doesn't look anything unusual?

Maybe just a lot of friction because of the big contacts.

 

Thank You Wino, Am I right in saying it can’t be the angle sensor or the module on the steering rack ? I will take the bumper off this weekend and have a look  

I can't see why an angle sensor problem would blow that fuse.

Not sure if you can get any access via where the foglight is, or would be if there isn't one.

Yesterday 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 ?? . 

Did you ever find the solution to the problem. i having the same issue? 

Best regards