Important! : Bye power steering - HELP!

1. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #1 23rd June 2011, 23:11

   having a lovely day, park up out the front of my house, went inside to eat something, come back out to go and visit the girlfriend, and bam! the steering wheel is the hardest thing to turn literally in the world!
   
   i heard a weird sound from under the bonnet so tried to inspect what it was, power steering fluid is up to a nice level, so it cant be that needing more..
   
   i gave all the pipes a little wiggle and squeezed them just to make sure nothing was blocked, but all seemed fine. had a little look at the rack and it seemed okey..
   
   what the hell has happened!
   
   i need to use the car for work tomorrow, but looks like ill be stealing my mums car for now.
   
   does anyone have a clue what it could be?
   any help is highly appreciated, many thanks, D
2. user_43898 Established Member Joined: May 2010 leicester Posts: 1446 Clio 182 Inferno

   #2 23rd June 2011, 23:16

   Is the pump motor working, can you hear it making its usual motor whirring noise
3. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #3 23rd June 2011, 23:18

   noise you heard was probably the death throes of the power steering pump breaking down
4. user_43898 Established Member Joined: May 2010 leicester Posts: 1446 Clio 182 Inferno

   #4 23rd June 2011, 23:20

   ^ is that common?? i have done a few where they need the wiring fix, with the demister,heater blower and pump fault
5. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #5 23rd June 2011, 23:26

   extremely, when you get a wiring fault they don't make a noise,they just pack up! We sell and fit a hell of a lot of pas pumps,so yes,its common.
6. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #6 23rd June 2011, 23:30

   i dont really know what the general power steering pump sounds like, never been bothered to listen lol but when i turned the car on, it sounded like a whirling sound, abit like something needed air, kinda weird to explain. how do i tell if its DEFO my pump which is fooked? (bar the fact its not working!)
7. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #7 23rd June 2011, 23:38

   the power steering pump is located low down in the engine bay on the passenger side front corner, should make a whirring noise when its running, trace the 2 wires back from the pump and you'll find a plug connection, check for voltage there if the pump isn't running. If the pumps not running and you've got voltage at the connector then the pumps goosed.
8. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #8 24th June 2011, 09:25

   I know where it is just never listened to what it sounds like when its on lol, will have a look for the connection bit now and see how I get on. How exactly am I going to check the voltage btw? Cheers, D
9. user_43898 Established Member Joined: May 2010 leicester Posts: 1446 Clio 182 Inferno

   #9 24th June 2011, 13:53

   test using a multimeter for accuracy, or just a test light to indicate that there is any sort of voltage at all
10. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #10 24th June 2011, 13:59

    couldnt find a connection of any sort, but hit it with a hammer, and its never worked better!
11. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

    #11 24th June 2011, 14:35

    thats the one lol, sometimes works for a week,sometimes never gives any signs of trouble again. Result for you!!
12. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #12 24th June 2011, 16:23

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mandyslover70 thats the one lol, sometimes works for a week,sometimes never gives any signs of trouble again. Result for you!!

    Haha thanks man! Can only hope so!
13. Mini-valver Regular Poster Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 343

    #13 24th June 2011, 16:38

    Wait till you have to hit it every day, then everytime you stop the car etc etc.
14. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #14 24th June 2011, 16:52

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mini-valver Wait till you have to hit it every day, then everytime you stop the car etc etc.

    im getting a new one in 2 days, it was only temporary to get me to work today and tomorrow - seems perfect so far anyway, like said above it feels 10 times better then before. but cheers for the heads up.