Technical Panda power steering motor

[dp0001]

2010 Fiat panda 1.2

A couple of times the power steering warning light has come on and the power steering has not worked. Ie the steering is heavy. Then the next day it's fine.

Local garage tested and says 'it's on it way out and an expensive part'. Looking at autodoc/buycarparts A new motor is £750 available down to £300 but not currently available.

Having a googled I came across videos of someone changing something similar on a Punto and stating that the relays start to play up. Further digging around Youtube shows someone changing over the relays.

It seems really easy to pull the power steering motor and solder in new relays. (I've swapped engines and gearboxes so technically reasonably competent).

Question is, is there a fault code or something that would confirm it is the relays?
Secondarily, is there anything about this job that could cause unforeseen delays? I don't want to have the car disabled halfway through the job because of some obscure screw.

Can't quite believe a £1000 job is actually just two relays on Ebay for a tenner and a bit of dismantling and soldering?

Actually is it better to just replace the motor because it is probably worn too or do the motors last forever?

Many thanks

 

[jrkitching]

Much, perhaps even most, of the time the cause is a weak battery, and replacing it solves the problem. Way, way cheaper than replacing the power steering motor.

How old is the one in your car?

 

[dp0001]

Much, perhaps even most, of the time the cause is a weak battery, and replacing it solves the problem. Way, way cheaper than replacing the power steering motor.

How old is the one in your car?

Age of battery unknown, haven't changed it in the 5 years we've had the car. Thanks I wouldn't have thought of that

 

[Mike1alike]

Age of battery unknown, haven't changed it in the 5 years we've had the car. Thanks I wouldn't have thought of that

In that case you might be lucky. Chances are high that the battery is causing the issue. Just don't run much with it like that, because it can do damage to the EPS very quickly. Besides battery, do check the alternator and the earth cable.
And anyway, I think your power steering motor doesn't have the relays, those were on earlier versions. This newer motor version is more reliable and I didn't hear of one that broke. If something brakes in the EPS nowadays (and that happens if you run the car with bad voltage, EPS is sensibil to voltage) that is the Steering Angle Sensor located in the column. That costs abot 100£, still much cheaper than what they ask for fixing it or 'reconditioned column'. When the sensor is broken, you get a new sensor and put it in, it's quite an easy job, do a sensor calibration using MES and you're good to go.

 

[Panda IIs]

Age of battery unknown, haven't changed it in the 5 years we've had the car. Thanks I wouldn't have thought of that

Have a measure of the battery voltage in the morning before you run the car. Also, if you can be bothered, have a scout around the battery looking for a date of first charge or installation. You may have seen some spurious signals on the dash too but I think yours is a Mk3 and you are in the "Mk4" (2012+) section so it might pay to ask elsewhere on here?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I agree -battery the most likely cause. Really doubt the motor is the issue

 

[WitleyPanda]

Steering motors are relatively high current, worth checking cables, and earths, then battery.