Funny noise from the steering

[n968412L]

Funny pulsing ticking sound on full lock. Only noticeable when parking etc. But once it's started making it, it stops when the lock is unwound... but does it again without lock when the car reverses. I've no idea!

There is no feeling through the wheel or through the chasis when going forward... but subjectively it can be felt when going backwards.

Been getting a little bit more prevalent over the last thousand miles.

Driving normally, steering feels perfectly normal.

Any ideas? I've checked the power steering fluid. If anything the reservoir is over full.. so it's definitely not short of fluid. Shoudl the fluid be checked from unscrewing the dipstick.. or with is jut dipped in and not screwed up? Either way it's still over the max line.

Any advice gratefully accepted... unless you going to scare me with threats of big bills...

Thanks

M

[invisiblewave]

When moving or stationary? Clicking while turning at low speed on a 944 is the classic symptom of a failing cv joint. I've never heard anything like that on my Phaeton, which incidentally would make yours look like triplets instead of twins!

[n968412L]

Good question. Both... but as it does it when stationary when holding the steering wheel on full lock it can't be transmission related.

Thanks!

[n968412L]

I'm hoping that the absence of advice on this thread shows that the Phaeton steering gear is pretty well bullet proof... and I'll be very very unlucky if there's a problem......??

Thanks

[EnglishPhaeton]

I'm hoping that the absence of advice on this thread shows that the Phaeton steering gear is pretty well bullet proof... and I'll be very very unlucky if there's a problem......??

Thanks

Mike,

being this is your 666th post I'm thinking the worst! Is the noise on the "proper" Phaeton or the "other" one?
Can't say I've had any noises (other than a bizarre screaming noise when generating far too many G's for a 2 ton plus barge)!!

Stu

[n968412L]

Yes... that is an interesting number for this post.....

It's the one with the heavy engine.... and the less well know pedigree!

I'll see how it develops.....

regards

M

[n968412L]

Bit more info in case any one's moved to pontificate about this. When the car is stationary - and the wheel is moved - particularly after just having changed direction (ie forward to reverse or vice versa) such as when parking, there is a faint pulsation that can be felt through the steering wheel.

Starting to feel more expensive now....

M

[n968412L]

Starting to feel more expensive now....

For various reasons I was feeling flush so thought I'd have this looked at. The verbatim report from the dealer:

"Carried out tests for vibration and we suspect the power steering pump and main pressure pipe are at fault. In order to replace these parts the engine and gearbox will have to be removed. We've submitted a technical report to VW and we will notify you when we receive their response."

Can't wait.

It's been doing this without causing me any real problem for the six months I've owned it... so I think I'll use the time honoured maintenance technique of continuing to ignore it. However, there is a silver lining... if I do need to have the engine whipped out, I can have a furkle with the turbocharger vanes....

Regards

M

[Prince Ludwig]

Eeek!

This might be useful.

Harry

[n968412L]

Haven't read it all yet, Harry, but there is also the time honoured common law approach of caveat emptor....

Regards

M

[snapdragon]

Does it only happen of 100% full lock, ie against the end-stop?
If so, it may just be some strange harmonic in the hydraulic poppet valve and nothing to worry about.

[n968412L]

Does it only happen of 100% full lock, ie against the end-stop?
If so, it may just be some strange harmonic in the hydraulic poppet valve and nothing to worry about.

Thanks for that comforting thought- but no, it does it at random places between full lock - but it is definitely related to the load on the hydraulics. If the vehicle is moving at all it doesn't do it... only when stationary.

regards

M

[Prince Ludwig]

the time honoured common law approach of caveat emptor

If you bought it from a dealer rather than a private individual then you have a surprising amount of rights for 5/6 months after purchase. "Caveat emptor" and "Sold as seen" are essentially meaningless under the law in those circumstances.

Harry

[Paximus]

Mike,

I just had an enjoyable hour reading about Servotronic. If the SSP is correct, then as expected there's a controller involved, but surprisingly it's the TPMS controller J502.

This gets the vehicle speed & forward/reverse info from the J218 instrument cluster and provides a 'stiffness' analogue PWM signal to the J236 Servotronic 'Relay' (probably a solid state PWM switch) which drives the hydraulic solenoid valve N119 that modulates the steering assistance.

Presumably having a low tyre pressure alters the steering assistance for safety and feedback. Can't say I had noticed. Is that one for the 'hidden features' thread?

So although that doesn't rule out a pump, bypass valve or main hose resonance problem, at least there's a more familiar controller villain on stage!

So if a tie-wrap round the main fluid hose doesn't solve it, a replacement TPMS controller, smoothing capacitor, or alternator might!

Chris

[n968412L]

or alternator might!

Well, I could always take the engine out to try that instead!

But it wouldn't surprise me if it was some control feedback issue. Time might tell.. I'm not currently minded to find out more!

Regards
M

[n968412L]

If you bought it from a dealer rather than a private individual then you have a surprising amount of rights for 5/6 months after purchase. "Caveat emptor" and "Sold as seen" are essentially meaningless under the law in those circumstances.

Harry

Thanks Harry - and you're right of course.

I do have some options - but they also probably involve crystallizing the problem as a real problem - as opposed to a slight strange phenomenon that actually doesn't bother me. There will be time and effort involved in pursuing this... and it's the time that's most valuable. And I note it didn't bother you when you hammered down the A10 in it!

However I'll see what comes back from VW... but I'm not convinced that a remote diagnosis from their technical experts without seeing the car will take us much further forward. But as usual, I will seek the sage (and usually amusing) advice from experts on this forum!

Regards

M

[Zaphh]

For what it's worth, I am very familiar with the kind of pulsations you seem to describe in my... 1973 MY Citroën DS where they are "normal".

The car is now more than 250k miles and has ever done it since it was new (I think all Citroën DS power steerings do this).

So maybe they managed to iron it out on modern power steerings and in your case, the dampening system doesn't do its job as well as it should ?

Pierre