therealkingcorona

I was driving from the highway then went I got into town I tried to make a right turn at a slow speed and it became extremely hard till a accelerated I assumed it was the power steering . After making a couple more difficult left an right turns I got home. I checked the power steering fluid level , looked for leaks , and anything that could be possibly damaged by the wheels bit everything was fine. Just difficult steering. And hour later I went back checked everything again tried steering while parked an still didn't work. Tried another time turning the wheels an everything was back to normal. Any ideas???

silverd2

A couple of guesses. 1st: If no leaks at the tie rod boots or a slipping belt, something in the servotronic system unit could be failing (meant to provide variable speed dependant boost, having minimum boost at higher vehicle speeds)...if failing to get correct speed signal or a bad connection or failure of the servotronic solenoid on the steering gear, it could be going to minimum boost at slow speeds (heavy low speed steering).

Or: The steering pump has an internal relief valve, meant to maintain consistent pressure output at all engine speeds...if it was failing (sticking) intermittently, it could allow bypassing of pressure which would cut boost. Don't know if that valve is reachable or serviceable...no mention of a procedure in the Bentley manual...just a basic pressure test at idle. If it fails the pressure test, the manual says to replace pump..no repair mentioned.

therealkingcorona

How would i go about doing this pressure test?

silverd2

Like with everything else on these cars, if you're gonna do your own testing and repair: The proper tools and a manual.

In this case, if you don't have one of these (I sure don't), >>>

http://audi.snapon.com/SpecialToolsD...itemid=7550008

...the directions to use it (in the Bentley manual any home mechanic needs) are meaningless.

pocketchange

flushing the system and using a steering system additive might help.

I've had a 50% success rate with flushing. good luck

therealkingcorona

It keeps acting up again, just finishing driving 20 miles on the highway. How do I go about flushing the system?

silverd2

Pretty much the same method on about any car.

Try Google >>>

https://www.google.com/search?q=flus...ient=firefox-a

therealkingcorona

So i have a new problem now. I was accelerating from 60mph to 110mph an i felt.my power steering lock up. Could it be a ground problem?

silverd2

Explain "lock up" !!
Do you mean it lost power boost completely and simply became manual? ...or the steering would NOT turn at all?
Nothing electrical I know of can shut off the power steering altogether...that sounds more like a mechanical problem...belt, pump or pressure relief valve in the pump....or worse, a failed rack, esp if steering sticks completely and won't turn. Even if you lost ALL hydraulic boost, at 60mph plus the steering should still turn with just a little increased effort.

The servotronic module (the onlt electric component of power steering) just adjusts boost within a range, but does not turn off boost altogether...it's an electric valve on the steering rack that decreases boost as car speeds up, but only down to a certain level. With the servotronic completely disabled, you still have boost, esp at highway speeds where the least boost is needed.

therealkingcorona

Pretty much steering became manual and when making a turning an pressing the gas it still stayed as difficult to turn. When i started this post awhile back, when i pressed on thr gas it would "loosen" up and go back to normally. I know i have a bad pump but not enough money yet. Just wondering if thats only to do with the pump and nothing else.