Power steering failure

[Chris06v6]

As title says. Was fine going into work this morning, no problems not even a hint of trouble.

When i left work, started car up as normal, went to pull away but found the steering impossibly heavy yet i had no warning lights. On way home the warning light came to life albeit intermittantly until finally staying on permanently. There was no noise that you would associate with low fluid ie. the pump was not hunting, there was no noise any different than usual.

I'm thinking its electrical? fuse/relay perhaps?

Not sure where to check though

[Chris06v6]

[Das]

You got a test meter? With the car running how many volts is it at the battery? Might be the alternator on its way out.

[Chris06v6]

Got a test meter at work, will check tomorrow. What should i be getting? used to petrol engines at about 14v charging will the v6 diesel be the same?

[Big Sig]

yeah it will. Not sure of the fuse number but its located in the handbook if you have one?

[Chris06v6]

Got a manual but it says nothing about a fuse for power steering, but......


just went out to car to see if i could spot anything obvious, wouldn't unlock with fob or the spare. Opened with key ok, alarm went off and deactivated it with the fob.... started her up and had power steering again

i have a gremlin. car going in to get wheel bearing done on friday, will get codes checked at same time, cant be done with this. Got this car so i would have a "reliable" vehicle to get me to work and back (50 mile round trip) and be able to take my little girl places at weekend and in 4 weeks i've had limp mode once, had to change a headlight bulb, wheel bearing going and now a mogwai lurks under my bonnet


ps. had a look round flea bay for alternators just in case... they aint cheap!

[Big Sig]

Also check the battery and alternator. The power steering is electric hydraulic and the alarm going off just made me think it could be power related..... Could be wrong though.

edit: too slow!

[Chris06v6]

cheers matey, will check these things in the morning at work.

Regardless of the outcome i will NOT be starting a whiney thread about "poor advice"

Just dont get how the fault can be there one minute then gone the next modern cars are a pain in the bum when they go wrong, at least with my old gt4 i could hit something with a spanner, not that it EVER went wrong in the 3 years i had it. In fact my last 3 cars have been toyotas and i have only had to replace one starter motor in 10 years (besides mods, but thats a whole differrent bank account). If only toyota made the signum...

[Chris06v6]

All was fine today until leaving work, the steering wheel and ! mark came up briefly but decided it was ok so put out my low beam on drivers side instead.... just one thing after another with this car.



ps. 14v charging at battery, measured today.

[Chris06v6]

Wife went to take car to get wheel bearing done. No power steering again. And another bulb went. My mate at the garage plugged it in to see what he could find, it wouldnt let him in. Something about low battery. Reckons its the alternator after all. Going back to supplying garage on monday to be sorted for FREE. And im not taking 2nd hand or recon parts, my little girl is in this car every day and i will NOT be fobbed off with crappy excuses about how it might be this or that but definately not the expensive alternator. They WILL change it for new and it get a new belt/tensioner as required.

Then its going back to my friend for a really good going over to find even the tiniest fault and to make sure the work has been done to an acceptable standard. The only reason its going back to supplier for the fix is because im not forking out 200 quid of my own hard earned