Technical Power steering oddities, and hello.

[Panda500Panda]

Hello! Long thread ahoy…

I’ve got a 2003 Panda Eleganza, very low mileage and not messed about with, and have a few annoying issues which I hope to get some guidance on, if possible. The car is ace, and I’m keen to fix it.

The car had been stood for years before we got it, hence the very low mileage. It had previously gotten damp inside (windows down, rain) but was all cleaned up and good when we got it. Went though MOT no problem.

It’s had a new battery just before we got it (have receipt), then it seemed to fail to hold charge when we started to use it so we had a garage replace the alternator. For some reason the battery still didn’t hold charge for long and the car wasn’t often used.

We then had the dreaded power steering issue. So I bought a(nother) new battery to be sure. I also fitted a battery isolator switch so it didn’t go flat when left for a few weeks. For ages this seemed to work and the car was used more frequently. Then an occasional red light for steering, and then it’s always on and the steering is heavy and clearly unassisted.

So it went to a local garage who fitted a new EPAS, and all was well. For a bit…

Now the issue is back. I wonder if occasionally disconnecting the battery with the wheels perhaps not in the straight position has caused a calibration issue with the EPAS. I read a thread on that here somewhere and now can’t find it. I also wonder why there’s no warning light when the handbrake is on, and get the feeling there’s a battery drain or short somewhere causing this. The car is spotless and everything works. We’re Fiat fans and keen to get this fixed.

I’m going to try the ‘full lock left and right five times’ thing and see if that recalibrates the EPAS. I’ll also check all fuses are clean and behaving. I’ve previously checked all earths and they seem fine. I’m reluctant to go back to the garage to just have them throw parts at it, it needs properly diagnosing.

Ironically, we’ve also got a battered ‘07 Panda with mega miles on it which is flawless. I had hoped a low miler would be perfect. There’s also a lovely old 500 at home that is perfectly behaved.

Any advice most welcome, thanks.

 

[Mike1alike]

It does sound like a short that drains the battery. And the EPAS is sensitive to voltage. First of all, you have to measure the voltage in the battery before starting the car and also, measure it with the engine running, to know if the new alternator charges as it should. Then, when having the car parked, with the doors closed, you'll have to mesure the amperage on the battery, connecting the multimeter on the negative line, you disconnect the cable from the battery and connect the multimeter's probes one to cable and the other on the battery terminal. A good result for this measurement is between 20-50 mA. A higher value means that there is a large consumer that drains the battery. To find it, you can keep the multimeter connected for amperage measurement and begin taking out the fuses, one by one, watching the multimeter in the meantime. When the value drops, that is the line the consumer is on, the one that the fuse you took out and caused the drop is on. After this narrowing down, you can check all consumers and cables on that line and stop the draining.

 

[koalar]

Hello! Long thread ahoy…

I’ve got a 2003 Panda Eleganza, very low mileage and not messed about with, and have a few annoying issues which I hope to get some guidance on, if possible. The car is ace, and I’m keen to fix it.

The car had been stood for years before we got it, hence the very low mileage. It had previously gotten damp inside (windows down, rain) but was all cleaned up and good when we got it. Went though MOT no problem.

It’s had a new battery just before we got it (have receipt), then it seemed to fail to hold charge when we started to use it so we had a garage replace the alternator. For some reason the battery still didn’t hold charge for long and the car wasn’t often used.

Needs sorting

Did they change just the alternator or the battery as well. A new battery will soon be dead if left standing for a few months. Did the garage test it before changing the alternator. I would try swapping it over into one of your other cars

We then had the dreaded power steering issue. So I bought a(nother) new battery to be sure. I also fitted a battery isolator switch so it didn’t go flat when left for a few weeks. For ages this seemed to work and the car was used more frequently. Then an occasional red light for steering, and then it’s always on and the steering is heavy and clearly unassisted.

Starting to sound like the battery

So it went to a local garage who fitted a new EPAS, and all was well. For a bit…

Now the issue is back. I wonder if occasionally disconnecting the battery with the wheels perhaps not in the straight position has caused a calibration issue with the EPAS.

Will not cause any issues

I read a thread on that here somewhere and now can’t find it.

EPS electric power steering faults | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

First don't panic, the vast majority of power steering faults are normally simple and cheap fixes especially if it starts failing mainly in your winter months But unfortunately nobody can say change this or do that and it fix it. A lot of different faults will cause the same symptoms or the...

www.fiatforum.com

I also wonder why there’s no warning light when the handbrake is on, and get the feeling there’s a battery drain or short somewhere causing this. The car is spotless and everything works. We’re Fiat fans and keen to get this fixed.

Hopefully just damp got into the switch.

I’m going to try the ‘full lock left and right five times’ thing and see if that recalibrates the EPAS. I’ll also check all fuses are clean and behaving. I’ve previously checked all earths and they seem fine. I’m reluctant to go back to the garage to just have them throw parts at it, it needs properly diagnosing.

Ironically, we’ve also got a battered ‘07 Panda with mega miles on it which is flawless. I had hoped a low miler would be perfect. There’s also a lovely old 500 at home that is perfectly behaved.

Any advice most welcome, thanks.

 

[koalar]

It does sound like a short that drains the battery. And the EPAS is sensitive to voltage. First of all, you have to measure the voltage in the battery before starting the car and also, measure it with the engine running, to know if the new alternator charges as it should. Then, when having the car parked, with the doors closed, you'll have to mesure the amperage on the battery, connecting the multimeter on the negative line, you disconnect the cable from the battery and connect the multimeter's probes one to cable and the other on the battery terminal. A good result for this measurement is between 20-50 mA. A higher value means that there is a large consumer that drains the battery. To find it, you can keep the multimeter connected for amperage measurement and begin taking out the fuses, one by one, watching the multimeter in the meantime. When the value drops, that is the line the consumer is on, the one that the fuse you took out and caused the drop is on. After this narrowing down, you can check all consumers and cables on that line and stop the draining.

Readings are different for different trim levels although similar

I can’t remember if this was an active or dynamic, with the doors locked. When you first connect it measures 800mA then drops to 39mA after around 30 seconds when the ECU and body computer goes into standby

Most multi meters will either die or blow a fuse if you accidentally open the door while measuring mA and the interior light switches on