Having in issue with power steering recently, on my 2010 VRS CR.

 

A few times now, when either stationary or very low speeds (when turning around or doing a 3 point turn for example) when I go to turn the wheel it feels very notchy and jerky - almost like assistance is failing, then coming back, then failing, then coming back etc etc very quickly as I turn the wheel. It is not (yet?) a total loss of assistance as that feels very different, but definately some kind of issue. Haven't noticed anything at more normal driving speeds and the more 'normal' turns made with every day driving - just in left or right extreme lock situations.

 

Anyone experienced anything similar? I've checked the car, albeit only with a cheap and cheerful reader, and no fault codes were present.

Yes I have had exactly that a few times, very notchy and jerky, did not feel like the power assistance was reduced but exactly like an old wreck with loads of play in the steering where one wheel would move in relation to the steering and the other would move in jerks as the play was taken up, rubber bushes compressed and then the tyre contact point would break traction, the wheel jerks and does it all again.

 

From the feel through the steering, which does not really exist on this rubbish system, and the noises it felt like only the LH wheel was jerking.

 

Another way of describing it would be steering while stationary (3 point turn) with one wheel on ice, the other on marbles.

 

Like you I have no fault codes on VCDS and took it as a harbinger of doom, I think it has happened always after starting the engine so maybe a battery voltage problem?

Edited 31 January, 20197 yr by J.R.

As the power steering is electrically assisted on these I would suggest starting with the battery/alternator.

Hmm, interesting - hadn't considered some kind of power issue, but I guess at low speed maneuvering, especially in a DSG, the car is giving very low revs, wonder if that is a factor.

 

I did put a new, bigger than standard battery in it at the end of 2017. 

 

I think my symptoms are a bit different to yours @J.R. but it's quite a hard thing to describe! If you imagine the steering wheel being a clock face, my symptoms feel like the wheel has assistance from 12 to 1, then assistance fails from 1 to 2, then returns from 2 to 3, then fails from 3 to 4 and so on - there is no real 'feel' to it other than it feels very odd/difficult to turn, but is not a 100% consistent difficulty how you would find if the assistance failed completely.

 

I need to get my indy to sort out a cam belt and water pump change soon anyway so I'll mention it then. Thanks for the input.

Thats exactly the same as when my car does it, you just use a different and much better way of describing it.

 

Your "hours" of assistance are equal to the parts in my description where the wheels break free and judder round until they block again.

 

It "feels" mechanical to me but I'm sure its simply the assistance varying as you describe it, ironically its the only time the steering ever has any feel or feedback!!!

Ok got you

 

I'll post back if I get any useful information (or if the steering fails completely at some point)

Me too!

 

In the absence of any fault codes these things usually reveal themselves over time, the circumstances when they happen etc.

 

I can force a similar reaction if I start the engine and immediately try to turn the steering as soon as it has caught as I would have done when in a hurry with hydraulic power steering, its a similar feeling but much briefer and would correlate with a battery voltage reduction.

 

Something maybe for you to try?

Yes I see that scenario very regularly - I have 2 cars and often need to swap them around parking spots on the driveway, so I'm frequently just starting up the Octavia, moving it off and out of the way, then back on 30 seconds later. Get the judder fairly regularly - happily it never affects normal driving at all (yet!) as that would be quite disconcerting.

Got my cambelt/water pump change and DSG oil service booked in this coming Friday - they're going to see if there's anything obvious wrong with the steering.

Well, above work all completed for a very reasonable £470. 

 

I described the issue using the clock face analogy, unfortunately this translated to the mechanic as 'tight spot' on steering, which then came back as being all clear - as I guess the mechanic was looking for a permanent, fairly obvious issue when turning full circle.

 

So, none the wiser unfortunately - but continues to be a problem very frequently. Will just play the waiting game until it gets to the point where normal every day driving is affected as well as parking, if that should happen.

Well, a year and a half later this has not got any worse, but I still get the same issue intermittently. Had a week off this week so after finding this thread:

 

 

I removed the battery, tray, airbox etc. and have cleaned up:

 

1) Gearbox to chassis ground

2) Battery negative to chassis ground

3) Both positive and negative battery terminal connectors and the terminals themselves

 

Too early to tell if this will have any impact (the gearbox to chassis connection was dirty, but definitely not loose) and a very quick drive following by lots of steering wheel turning could NOT reproduce the fault, but it does seem to just pop up out of no where so is hard to trigger with any reliability.

 

Will update this thread the next time the steering issue happens - so if no update, assume positive news!

 

 

Just wanted to resurrect this and see if it’s fixed your problem as I think I have the same symptoms and will try this out. I’ve seen people putting in new earthing cable all over but this is much more elegant. 

7 minutes ago, Norris-wf said:

Just wanted to resurrect this and see if it’s fixed your problem as I think I have the same symptoms and will try this out. I’ve seen people putting in new earthing cable all over but this is much more elegant. 

 

Short answer is: no, I still do get the issue every now and again. I think I can confidently say I get it 'less' often since following the advice above though, so it's worth a small investment of time I would say.

 

Generally I only get it now if I've had the car running, then need to do some wheel turning at idle speed - whereas prior to messing with the cables I got the issue every now and again during normal driving, which was a bit disconcerting - haven't had that since, and I still only get the issue very infrequently (though the car has only covered 30k in the 6 years I've owned it!)

2 minutes ago, Timmyboy said:

 

Short answer is: no, I still do get the issue every now and again. I think I can confidently say I get it 'less' often since following the advice above though, so it's worth a small investment of time I would say.

 

Generally I only get it now if I've had the car running, then need to do some wheel turning at idle speed - whereas prior to messing with the cables I got the issue every now and again during normal driving, which was a bit disconcerting - haven't had that since, and I still only get the issue very infrequently (though the car has only covered 30k in the 6 years I've owned it!)

ah. Sorry to hear it didn’t solve it for you but thank you very much for replying. As you say, it’s worth the investment of time for the improvement, shame it can’t be eradicated. 
much appreciated Timmyboy.