My girlfriends 2001 Fiat Punto seems to have lost its power steering. There is a red light the shape of a steering wheel on the dashboard.

Poor girl is struggling to drive as the steering is so so heavy and it is making her more tired at night time which isn't good for me. Is there anything obvious I can look at (fuses, etc) so I can get some browny points for tonight!

Thanks

Hi Bigmatty,

I had this exact same problem about 2 years ago on a 2000 MKII Punto ELX,

I brought it to the dealer who told me that the power steering motor needed to be replaced, i took him for his word on that, and bought a brand new motor which cost about €500. got the car back about 2 days later and everything was grand.

Following week the light comes on again, so i bring it back and they put it on the diag machine, and it says its the same problem, even though i have a new motor?!?!?

So they give it back to me and they say the mechanics did something, and to come back to them if it happens again, i've never had a problem since.

Bottom line is....... i don't think they needed to replace the motor in the first place! it was something else, as they were able to fix it the second time without replacing the motor.

I would bring it to the garage and see what they say, i don't think there is much you can do yourself. but be careful on shelling out for a new motor, if one garage says you need to, bring it to nother for a second opinion.

Kwikk

I feel for your GF mate because mine has just gone aswell, driving out of a car park is a work out in it's self. I got told i need a whole new steering column at £320 all fitted. Propper gutted was meant to be at York Dragstrip this easter monday.

kwikksilva said:

Following week the light comes on again, so i bring it back and they put it on the diag machine, and it says its the same problem, even though i have a new motor?!?!?

So they give it back to me and they say the mechanics did something, and to come back to them if it happens again, i've never had a problem since.

Bottom line is....... i don't think they needed to replace the motor in the first place! it was something else, as they were able to fix it the second time without replacing the motor.

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Tell them to read this next time

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-guides/70703-punto-steering-column.html

rosse119 said:

I got told i need a whole new steering column at £320 all fitted. Propper gutted was meant to be at York Dragstrip this easter monday.

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Thats too cheap,complete column is between £480-£550 depending on version + fitting.

Thanks guys, could you just confirm where is the power steering motor so I can check the wiring?

Bigmatty said:

Thanks guys, could you just confirm where is the power steering motor so I can check the wiring?

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there's nothing you can check mate it's all enclosed and it's nothng to do with the wiring anyway motor failures are common and so are toque position sensors on these

Well you can get a reconditioned one from Fiat Auto parts in Leeds for £250 the lot

Hi
I have a fully working steering colomb/motor/ecu assy in a scrapped Punto if you want one, make me an offer and I will take it out and send it to you. all the best.

blackmondaychild said:

Hi
I have a fully working steering colomb/motor/ecu assy in a scrapped Punto if you want one, make me an offer and I will take it out and send it to you. all the best.

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put it in 'classifieds' section please.

T14086 said:

put it in 'classifieds' section please.

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and make sure to post the numbers on the ecu cos there are a few different ones

Yeah I talked to a guy today who says he fixed a lot of them just by changing a diode!!! Acctually by his words, abbout 70% of ones he tried to fix had this problem, he cannot solve the dead column, but as I said in most cases its the diode, but in your country I guess no one wants to mess with parts like that and just change the existing one

I posted a picture of that diode in sticky

I got few PMs abbout this sticky being deleted, so here are some pics of the diode and of the contacts you could try to fix first

HOWTO fix column

http://www.pctuner.net/forum/auto-m...rare-il-motorino-servosterzo-elettrico-3.html