GTA_Driver

Be very careful with cleaners. Audis power steering systems aren't good with anything much except Audi PS fluid. Cleaning fluids can eat away at internal seals and leakage may occur.

usandruha

That is very true, "GTA driver"...
thats why i had it in there for 3 minutes with the engine runnig then completelly flushed and new Audi PSF went in there.
Personally i dont even think the cleaner helped much, just a colegue offered it to me for free and... decided to give it a try...

yagovoz

Here's an update on my PS situation for what it's worth. The hard right turning symptoms eventually returned one cold morning, but to a much smaller degree. After locking the wheel to the right a couple times while pulling out of the drive, it all goes away, and I'm good after that. Only happens on cold mornings. While doing my last oil change I noticed a small amount of fluid leaked on the inside of the undercarriage guard. It lined up with the two PS hoses not far from the oil drain plug where I had replaced hose clamps already. I believe that's where air is getting in the system, although its easy to get rid of it again. I think the expanding and contracting of the rubber hoses has somewhat loosened the clamp strength over time. I'm thinking of putting on a second set of clamps just behind the existing ones next time I change oil.

Any input on how easy PS fluid properties are compromised by small amounts of air or moisture exposure? Is it as sensitive as brake fluid to that kind of thing? I live in a pretty dry climate (15% humidity), Hopefully i don't need a new flush.

Prospeeder

its the steering rack dude. Replace it, nothing more to say. Valves inside are defective and sticking and not allowing assist to one side of the rack. See it plenty of times.

Audi Junkie

There's no such thing as "cleaning fluid". Before VW used 11S they used ATF-Dexron with the same exact steering part numbers before and after CHF was introduced, so bzzt.

Also, there is no such thing as an "Audi power steering rack" either. Audi uses the same parts suppliers as other brands, but the difference is the fluid. Mercedes developed ATF+4 and uses it with the same seals, parts and whatever imaginary pixie dust people think makes other fluids completely incompatible. Wrong.

The big difference is the viscosity and CHF 11S is just too thin. It throws the system into runaway heating from scuffing in the pump. Once you get over 100C, it's a complete fail.




idk if many people read this, but pass it along. People have been using Mobil 1 ATF since the mid-1990s! Everytime people swap over they have success. A gradual swap with a turkey baster is fine. I use W*M Supertech $4q ATF+4, every brand is the exact same anyway.

seishuku

Funny, the last time I suggested ATF I got scolded and was told to "just use the CHF fluid."
I'm actually using a CHF "replacement" from Prestone, it's their euro PSF, it seems ok... I think I would have felt better about using ATF though.

Harrison Fink

I have a 2000 audi a6 2.7t 6spd. Recently the power steering started making a whine/grinding sound. I had nust came off the highway when i noticed the sound, so i pulled over to check and there was some foam in the reservoir but almost no fluid at all. I was close to home so i just drove it back, but half way home the whine stopped and so did the power steering. When i got home i started the car up, the ps pump was quiet still but the reservoir was making a sucking sound the power steering didnt work at all. So fill the reservoir with audi ps fluid and start the car and it makes an unbareably loud whine louder than before. Idk if its a bad rack seal or a bad pump or just a line burst or something. I just dont understand why the pump is quiet without fluid but with it its louder than hell

georgeb944

Bad pump. While you are replacing the pump, check the supply hose to the pump for cracks.