Technical Power Steering

[Supersnapz]

Hi,

Weird problem with power steering.

I was driving along then a red steering wheel light came on the dashboard and I lost power steering. Stopped the car and switched off, switched back on and it was back and ok. Then it went again.

Any ideas of what the problem can be?

As i havent got a owners manual at the moment Im not sure where the PAS fluid is...I can find the brake fluid, rad bottle and washer bottle.

Thanks

 

[cgarr04]

This appears to be a common issue with Punto's - run a search and you'll see alot of similar posts.

First thing to do is check the battery is healthy as that is known to cause it, particularly when it is intermittent. Moisture in the steering column is known to cause this i believe, taking a hairdryer to the column has sorted it for a few people. Failing that you'll most likely need a new steering unit - which is expensive.

The steering is electric powered rather than hydralic therefore no fluid needed.

Colum

 

[badladjohn]

i had the same fault,turned out to be a dodgy connection in the big blcok connector in the steering column

 

[melwhitters]

I have just posted the same problem, except I get the light but no problem with the power steering..... very very odd and frustrating.

Mine is 2004, under warranty thankfully, but ideas please if I get the warning light but no problems with the power steering at all.

Odd!!

 

[Ziggy122]

the real only way to find out what is actually going wrong with the PAS is to fault code read it

If the EPS ECU is short of power - it can sometimes operate but only at like 50% for example
Causes can be something silly like Old battery - Alternator not upto much

Other things like Moisture attacks = Not good - get it dried out

Also the car rely's heavily on the Speedo Sensor on the gearbox
Some versions have this fault and as a result, the EPS seems to never work
only way to diagnose tho is with Code Scanner

Ziggy

 

[DaveMcT]

Its dead easy to get the battery properly stress tested. A battery fault will cause the electronics to raise spurious errors. When battery ability to do its job is proven you can start looking for actual steering faults.

 

[Supersnapz]

Thanks all,

Think I will give the batttery a good charging....hope it dont come to new steering column. The mrs has only just brought this car, she had a mk1 before, but wanted PAS hence going for mk2.

 

[melwhitters]

Has this fixed your problem?