Need help - Power steering gone. AMF TDI 75

[technoman52]

2 orange warning dashboard indications started showing when I started the engine today evening.
What do those orange warning signs represent?
The power steering was gone making the car very heavy to steer.
The rescue mechanic said it might be power pump, or electrical wiring issue, or fuse. Couldnt help more than that.
As you all know this is a rare car with congested engine parts. Not all mechanics know about it.
Anyone could help?
Thanks.

View attachment 116051

 

[A2Steve]

Was it accompanied by a misfire?

 

[Robin_Cox]

Check fuse 38 ; and your aircon pressure sensor (G65) - at the front of the car just behind the bumper skin and in front of the radiator.

I had the exact symptoms as you have on my project car when I bought it - symptoms of the Canbus loom being taken out. Steering controller inactivated by a faulty G65, which also gave an oil pressure sensor warning. The faulty G65 results in fuse 38 burning out as soon as the car is switched on even if replaced.

Unplugging the G65 completely (which then snapped in half revealing the internal corrosion) resulted in the new fuse remaining intact, the steering being restored and the oil warning going away.

There are a number of other sensors and devices on the same fuse circuit that can all cause similar problems if faulty, but the G65 is often the first to go wrong owing to its location and exposure to water / salt etc.

If this *is* intact, then you need to look at the Canbus circuit wiring loom as in other documented examples (Skipton here on A2oc being noteworthy), insulation being worn away was causing the short instead.

 

[PlasticMac]

2 orange warning dashboard indications started showing when I started the engine today evening.
What do those orange warning signs represent?
The power steering was gone making the car very heavy to steer.
The rescue mechanic said it might be power pump, or electrical wiring issue, or fuse. Couldnt help more than that.
As you all know this is a rare car with congested engine parts. Not all mechanics know about it.
Anyone could help?
Thanks. View attachment 116050 View attachment 116051

A scan would almost certainly give you a clear idea of what is at fault.
Very different faults can give very similar symptoms, so guessing what may be at fault is not the best, (nor most cost effective), way forward.
Mac.

 

[technoman52]

Was it accompanied by a misfire?

Not at all. the engine start has always been smooth as ever.

 

[PlasticMac]

Other than the dash warning, does your power steering work, or does the effort required to turn the steering wheel, tell you that you have no power assistantance?
Mac.

 

[A2Z]

Have you checked the power steering fluid level? The reservoir is located under the passenger side headlight.

It could be something as simple as a very slow leak and it's now below the level where it makes a difference.

It's the first thing I would check, and really requires removing the headlight for access to see, then top up with the correct Green fluid only, if required

 

[technoman52]

power steering does bot work. meeds a lot of force to turn steering wheel. car. drives though

 

[Robin_Cox]

Have you checked the power steering fluid level located under the passenger side headlight? It could be something as simple as a very slow leak and it's now below the level where it makes a difference.

It's the first thing I would check, and really requires removing the headlight for access to see, then top up with the correct Green fluid only, if required

the clue is the oil symbol coming up at the same time. There are bunch of other subtler hints that I can't remember here but it all points towards the canbus circuit wiping out the steering controller due to a fault probably resulting in fuse 38 blowing.

 

[technoman52]

Have you checked the power steering fluid level? The reservoir is located under the passenger side headlight.

It could be something as simple as a very slow leak and it's now below the level where it makes a difference.

It's the first thing I would check, and really requires removing the headlight for access to see, then top up with the correct Green fluid only, if required

i cant reach the power steering fluid bottle. unfortunatrly the hesd kzmp scres is rusty and worn out. cant unscrew it.

 

[CrispyEdd]

Check power to pump, then try and second hand pump off a breaker.

 

[audifan]

Even if you can't remove the headlight to access the power steering reservoir you may still be able to reach the cap and remove it. It contains a dipstick and is the only true way to check the level on the A2. Failing that use a bright led torch and shine it through the reservoir to see the level.

Unusual to be low level and is either a power issue or the pump has failed.

 

[CrispyEdd]

Does sound like pump itself, not too bad a job to do either really.

 

[PlasticMac]

Might be worth checking the fuse, (and the wires each end of it), first though ...
Mac.

 

[technoman52]

Gentlemen,

power steering SORTED..!!!

Initially, the RAC mechanic suggested any with fault with Steering Pump, or Steering Oil may be low or could be the Fuse. and told me to take the car to garage for diagnostics. He didnt know any thing more than that.

I took it to the mechanic where We top-up about 70 ml of Steering Oil level using genuine Audi VW Steering oil..

Then we scanned the system using his device which identified the following faults, but there was no way he could resent them as his handy diagnostic device did not have enough programming, that was only good for new cars;
- Sensor for Oil level/temperature (G266) Open circuit/Short with power
- High pressure sensor (G65) Short with Ground


Then ~I bought a 10A fuse from Halfords and replaced the faulty fuse I found in Fuse 38 slot. below is the picture.

Then I started with regaining power steering back immediately. No warning light for oil, or anything else at all.

According to member Robin_cox, I will get the G65 checked if there is any remaining fault, but as of now all is good and perfect.
Thanks.

.

 

[Robin_Cox]

Gentlemen,

power steering SORTED..!!!

Initially, the RAC mechanic suggested any with fault with Steering Pump, or Steering Oil may be low or could be the Fuse. and told me to take the car to garage for diagnostics. He didnt know any thing more than that.

I took it to the mechanic where We top-up about 70 ml of Steering Oil level using genuine Audi VW Steering oil..

Then we scanned the system using his device which identified the following faults, but there was no way he could resent them as his handy diagnostic device did not have enough programming, that was only good for new cars;
- Sensor for Oil level/temperature (G266) Open circuit/Short with power
- High pressure sensor (G65) Short with Ground


Then ~I bought a 10A fuse from Halfords and replaced the faulty fuse I found in Fuse 38 slot. below is the picture.

Then I started with regaining power steering back immediately. No warning light for oil, or anything else at all.

According to member Robin_cox, I will get the G65 checked if there is any remaining fault, but as of now all is good and perfect.
Thanks. View attachment 116341
View attachment 116342
. View attachment 116343

G65 will probably fail / short to earth again if it gets the right combination of conditions (assuming it's not something even simpler such as a break in the insulation leading to the connector) - and in doing so will take out fuse 38 again. Suggest sourcing a G65 already so you have one to hand, but also have a really good look at the wire in case there is any obvious damage.

Does your a/c work - ie give proper cold air?

Secondly, seeing the oil sensor "short" message above does make me wonder if those errors are being detected owing to the loom itself having a lesser version of the @Skipton01 loom insulation wear somewhere common to both sensors? Or just the beginnings of a failing sensor here as well?

 

[technoman52]

G65 will probably fail / short to earth again if it gets the right combination of conditions (assuming it's not something even simpler such as a break in the insulation leading to the connector) - and in doing so will take out fuse 38 again. Suggest sourcing a G65 already so you have one to hand, but also have a really good look at the wire in case there is any obvious damage.

Does your a/c work - ie give proper cold air?

Secondly, seeing the oil sensor "short" message above does make me wonder if those errors are being detected owing to the loom itself having a lesser version of the @Skipton01 loom insulation wear somewhere common to both sensors? Or just the beginnings of a failing sensor here as well?

I never used A/C for cold air, also the A/c gas is not filled. I use the a/c for heating only and it is working fine at the moment however earlier on used to heat up the car at Teperature 21, but now I need to set it up to 24 for heating the car. I dont know why is that happening. I checked the pink water and it appeared to be a little dirty like grey/pink. .. I will have my mechanic check the G65.

 

[CrispyEdd]

I never used A/C for cold air, also the A/c gas is not filled. I use the a/c for heating only and it is working fine at the moment however earlier on used to heat up the car at Teperature 21, but now I need to set it up to 24 for heating the car. I dont know why is that happening. I checked the pink water and it appeared to be a little dirty like grey/pink. .. I will have my mechanic check the G65.

Could be just donw in poorly moving flap motors...

 

[PlasticMac]

I never used A/C for cold air, also the A/c gas is not filled. I use the a/c for heating only and it is working fine at the moment however earlier on used to heat up the car at Teperature 21, but now I need to set it up to 24 for heating the car. I dont know why is that happening. I checked the pink water and it appeared to be a little dirty like grey/pink. .. I will have my mechanic check the G65.

Just be aware that the AC compressor is running all the time the engine is, (no clutch in an A2). No gas might not be a problem, (I don't know), but little or no lube oil will trash the compressor.
Mac.