Sudden power steering failure

[GrahamDG]

Hello,

Driving home this morning, power steering quite suddenly packed in (while going round a roundabout of all places). No previous problems noticed - ie no sign of steering getting increasingly heavy - and no warning light coming on.

Wrestled it home, checked the fuse, checked for signs of leaking PAS fluid - nothing. Tried switching off and starting up again a few times, just to see if it was some electrical glitch that might reset itself - no improvement.

Looking back through previous threads on this it seems that the power steering pump might have gone - but I'd be surprised if it had failed so suddenly with no prior indication of anything amiss. Has anyone out there had a similar problem and found that it was indeed pump failure?

Any advice gratefully received!

Graham

[merikiito]

The power steering pump should be under the front drivers side wing. To get to it you need to remove the front bumper. Once you have done this check the oil level. If it is low/gone check for leaks and damage in the hoses. If the pump has packed up then you are looking at a new one which is £600 or so. They can appear on ebay now and again and sometimes I can get one second hand a lot cheaper.

[glynn]

could be the alternator at fault as the steering pump just goes if the alternator isn't giving out enough volts/amps

[merikiito]

I think that if the "steering wheel with an explantion mark" symbol did not appear in the dash then Glynn may well have a point.

[GrahamDG]

Thanks guys, that hadn't occurred to me. Will investigate further...

[andymagee1982]

Graham

Did you ever solve this as i am having the same problem.

Just spent £1100 fixing my car so i hope the pump has not gone?

[mitch1965]

Check the plug that goes onto the steering rack, they are bad for corroding on the vec c causing the light to come on and steering to go heavy. had a few in work with that problem,
it's pretty easy to get at, look at the rack where the column joins onto it and you will see the plug clear as day. unplug it and check the terminals.

[cameraman]

When my alternator went the power steering light was about the 4th or 5th warning light to come on, had no previous concerns that anything was wrong. I was travelling down the M1 at motorway speeds when the abs & esp lights came on, then the ids, then the airbags, then the heaters stopped blowing, the radio gave a dab box error & then the power stering light came on, at that point I decided enough was enough & pulled off at the next exit & could not restart the car

[andymagee1982]

Check the plug that goes onto the steering rack, they are bad for corroding on the vec c causing the light to come on and steering to go heavy. had a few in work with that problem,
it's pretty easy to get at, look at the rack where the column joins onto it and you will see the plug clear as day. unplug it and check the terminals.

I tried removing this and replacing a few weeks ago. (Never looked at the connection tho) And funny enough it solved the problem for about 5 min's max.

This will be the first place to look in the morning.

[andymagee1982]

When my alternator went the power steering light was about the 4th or 5th warning light to come on, had no previous concerns that anything was wrong. I was travelling down the M1 at motorway speeds when the abs & esp lights came on, then the ids, then the airbags, then the heaters stopped blowing, the radio gave a dab box error & then the power stering light came on, at that point I decided enough was enough & pulled off at the next exit & could not restart the car

I did also think this would be the problem.
But when i fitted the new engine this weekend (great Engine BTW) It had an Alternator on it and it still a problem.

I have also developed an MAF problem