Technical GP EPS easy to fit?

[Cinqster355]

My 56 plate 1.4 Active Sport power steering motor has just failed this week (motor is grinding at the slightest touch of the wheel), I can see refurbished units on Ebay are available with 2 year warranty, I have rang them today and am getting a refurb/exchange unit next week for £234.50.

My question is, is this a job a reasonably competent DIY person can do or do I need special tools to fit or calibrate and thus need to give the job to Fiat or a specialist power steering company?

 

[Andy Monty]

A replacement column will need to be calibrated by the fiat examiner computer or I think it can also be done with FES SCAN an laptop a ELM 1.4 modified OBD2 code reader and the correct patch lead

http://www.fiatecuscan.net/

 

[Cinqster355]

Cheers Andy, sounds like I need to get it fitted professionally then. The supplier of the part does not fit them but does have a company local to them that can fit it. I will ring Monday to arrange.

 

[Andy Monty]

from what i understand there are companies who can repair your unit and return it to you .... as your reusing the original unit which the car is calibrated to the car recognises it and no need to calibrate

make sure the shaft is in the correct position prior to fitting

 

[Cinqster355]

Andy Monty, thanks for the help and info, I have ordered and booked the car in for Friday. £234 for the recon unit, I take my car in, they remove, fit the refurb one and program/calibrate it etc for £120 so a total cost of £354 all in.

I changed the top strut mounts today using your guide. Come Friday it should be back to normal.

The steering failed completely today, parked the car up came back to it a few hours later and it was fine, steering worked with no noises at all so its intermittent. I am getting it changed anyway.

 

[Cinqster355]

Final update.

Got the recon unit and had it fitted professionally (by an independant). The car is fine so far. £354 all in supplied and fitted, it could have been worse.

I am happy again now, the car is back to its former glory.

A bit thumbs up to Andy Monty as well, you are a super star, thank you for all your info and help. Your guides are excellent as well.

Thank you.

 

[Cinqster355]

Well 3 weeks or so after fitting the refurb steering and guess what? Yes you guessed it, its gone again! At least it has a 2 year warranty.... I am starting to lose faith in this car...

On the phone tomorrow to get it sorted.

 

[AgnessGP]

good luck mate, let us know how you get on

 

[Cinqster355]

Well I spoke to the supplier and the guy who fitted the part (two seperate companies) and I am pretty convinced its the steerinng rack and the the power steering now. I will have a read up on here to see if my symptoms match and have agood luck at the rack and mounts later tonight.

Its also booked in to have a professional set of eyes on it as well.

 

[Cinqster355]

Problem located but not yet fixed.

The noise is 100% behind the steering wheel and certainly not from any suspension or steering rack as suggested by the tech who fitted the refurb EPS so I decided to rip into the cowling behind the steering wheel as sort it out myself.

Once I got all that off I was literally shocked to find the power steering unit moving excessively when turning the wheel left and right. I had a really good look and eventually found 2 bolts that have a rubberised nut at the very rear of the unit not tight. The one side was just loose, the other side was cross threaded and not even tight. It had even started to foul the knuckle, a serious issue I am certain.

Anyway I am really struggling to get the cross threaded bolt into the nut. Access is very tight and you have to be on your back to see. I have included a very poor photo for you all to see and try to better visualise. I am going to see if I can run a tap through the nut to clean the thread up as I cannot get it out of the car unless I take the car further down and I am not 100% certain how to do that so I will see if I can rectify it in situ.

I am certain once the bolts are refitted and tight the problem will be cured (already proven by tightening up one side and its solid, just not solid enough to drive anywhere).

Does anyone have any suggestions or hint/tips on how I best proceed, as the car is currently undriveable now its stripped down and there is no way I would drive it anywhere to get it fixed.

 

[T14086]

I support the column on my knees and always fit the rear left bolt first as this is the one that often gets cross threaded, however that info is of little use to you now!

My advice would be remove column or enough to put the bolt in from the other side all the way in then out to hopefully clean up the thread. After try again from the correct side and if it goes in then refit column as I initially suggested.
If not try another bolt as it's the bolt that normally gets damaged rather than the captive nut. If still no luck its tap and die time unless you want to fit a slightly smaller bolt with a locknut.

p..s I use a 1/4 drive ratchet and 13mm socket on these bolts until I'm 100% sure they are in and not cross threaded then tighten to spec with 3/8 torque wrench.

 

[Cinqster355]

T many thanks for your info, the captive nut will not pop out as the column knuckle is in the way (unless you have a trick of the trade). To remove the column do I simply undo the 13mm head bolt that you can access through the steering computer and slide the column (that looks like its telescopic) and knuckle off the shaft?

If so that should (if possible) give me the clearance as you say to run the bolt through the hole the other way. Failing that I can use a smaller bolt with lock nut (already thought of that but due to access unable to do so so far.

 

[T14086]

yeah just turn the steering wheel back to 9 oclock position and undo the top shaft bolt (13mm) and slide off or undo the 13mm bolt at bottom of shaft.

 

[Cinqster355]

Cheers T, just got back in from fixing the car. In the end all I had to do was run a die down the damaged threads of the bolt and it went straight into the captive nut. I did not need to remove the shaft in the end.

I am really happy again, I have taken it for a test run and its spot on again. :slayer:

Now comes the hard part in convincing the wife the car is perfectly good again and its safe to drive!

Again, thank you for your help. I am certainly glad I had a look at it rather than take it back to the place it was fitted at. In the end it took about the same for me to fix it (and learn something new as well) than it was to take it back with all the faffing around back and forth etc. :worship: