Hi, just looking for some advice.
Just wanted to ask if the electric steering colounm unit is ok to change to one with a different part number?
My 2008 500's steering stops working every now and then and I've seen a few on eBay with different part numbers.

Thx in advance

Has anyone else not had this problem?
Steering went again last night ?

On our old 1.2 we had a few years back, we didn't suffer a 'total failure' or anything like that, but when the car was under warranty, the Fiat dealership we were using for servicing 'picked up' a fault with the electric steering during a 'free' software update. They promptly replaced it under warranty. Whether there was actually a fault with it we'll never know.

As a matter of interest, are you having any other 'electrical' problems? Just wondering if this could be linked to the car's battery failing?........

Do you mean rack or column?

I went to look at a red 2008 500 on the surrey / sussex border a few months back. On the test drive, about half a mile in, the power assistance went completely and a warning appeared on the dash. Shut it down, restarted it and normal steering resumed. Took it back and the trader gave what I thought, was some cock and bull story about how he jump started the car in the morning and maybe it was low battery power. I walked away and bought another.

However, I did do a bit of digging (google is your friend at times) and it appears a low battery charge can bring this issue up.

But then there was a hell of a lot of companies selling refurbished racks so it appears that the demand could be there as well.

The first thing you need to do is have the diagnostics read and see what comes up.

I'm a huge fan of getting a long overdue proper dealership diagnostics check done, especially on a car that is several years old and one that hasn't seen a dealership for 4 or 5 years plus. One of my wife's work colleagues recently put her 2010 500 1.2 into her local Fiat dealership for a 'one off' dealership service which included a full diagnostic check. It threw up a whole list of faults, error codes and software updates. I think the poor woman spent about £600 having it all sorted out, but to be fair, even she says the car is now running better than it has done in the previous two years, so it can't be all bad.

But going back to the original question, I notice in my day job that most of the cars that have flat batteries whereby I need to physically attach a jump pack to the battery to get the car going, the electric steering is usually not operating correctly or is completely inoperative until the battery has attained an adequate charge.

I will add the ABS may not work with a totally discharged battery too

Fudge500 said:

Hi, just looking for some advice.
Just wanted to ask if the electric steering colounm unit is ok to change to one with a different part number?
My 2008 500's steering stops working every now and then and I've seen a few on eBay with different part numbers.

Thx in advance

Click to expand...

To answer your question re steering column part numbers I understand the replacement must be the same part number on the steering column ECU otherwise it will not work.

Thx guys. The car fires up instantly so don't think it's the battery.
Plugged a diag machine and it came up with C1002 Steering Column Motor Torque Position Sensor.

Fudge500 said:

Thx guys. The car fires up instantly so don't think it's the battery.
Plugged a diag machine and it came up with C1002 Steering Column Motor Torque Position Sensor.

Click to expand...

Even if the car starts that doesn't mean that it has enough power for the EPS. Charge the battery or replace it and go from there.

306maxi said:

Even if the car starts that doesn't mean that it has enough power for the EPS. Charge the battery or replace it and go from there.

Click to expand...

Will do. Certainly worth a try

Check the earth straps too they tend to corroded away?

As Maxi has pointed out, the battery is the first place to start, the electric power steering can pull serious current from the battery, and any little weakness will be picked up by the software in the steering computer and cuts the power assistance.

If you stop the car, turn off and back on again and the problem disappears then it's a good indicator that the battery may be to blame.