My power steering has gone very strange all of a sudden. It keeps going heavy and then light.

 

I have searched but none of the symptoms are the ones I am having.

 

Instead of going heavy all of a sudden after so many miles or so many mins of driving, it changes stiffness every so many degrees of turning of the wheel.

 

For example;

Doing one full turn of the steering wheel the steering will turn slightly and then go heavy, keep turning and a few degrees later it will go back light, few more degrees and its heavy, so on and so forth. In one full turn it will go from light to heavy 4-5 times.

 

The fluid was completly changed about 6 months ago, using the correct fluid which is stated in the manual. I forget which one it is exactly.

The HICAS was disabled about 5 years ago, and never given any problems.

ECU code is 55, all clear.

Steering fluid is at correct level.

HICAS light is not on.

It does not go away when I go faster

It does it when the car is stationary too.

Speedo works as does the AVC-r speed reading/

 

Any one got any ideas?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Stuart

slipping belt? pump on the way out? speed sensor?

slipping belt? pump on the way out? speed sensor?

 

I had this problem on my old mitsu starion, turned out to be a faulty P/S pump. Bit scary as well when your turning as normal then all of a sudden you have to put double the effort to turn the steering wheel....lol

slipping belt? pump on the way out? speed sensor?

 

 

New belt, its not slipping, speed sensor would cause the speedo to not work correctly and the ACVr not to show the speed. Plus it would have shown up in the ECU diagnostics.

New belt, its not slipping, speed sensor would cause the speedo to not work correctly and the ACVr not to show the speed. Plus it would have shown up in the ECU diagnostics.

 

 

I'll climb back into my little hole then.

I'll climb back into my little hole then.

 

LOL ..

dodgy pump then?

 

Someone was just giving one away on here.

 

Gone now though .... :-(

I second dodgy pump!

you can get some liquid stuff...power stop or sommit the garage used it in my family car it revived a failing ps unit which caused heavy steering and stalling...glad to say it has now gone on to its 6th year of life...touch wood

My power steering has gone very strange all of a sudden. It keeps going heavy and then light.

 

I have searched but none of the symptoms are the ones I am having.

 

Instead of going heavy all of a sudden after so many miles or so many mins of driving, it changes stiffness every so many degrees of turning of the wheel.

 

For example;

Doing one full turn of the steering wheel the steering will turn slightly and then go heavy, keep turning and a few degrees later it will go back light, few more degrees and its heavy, so on and so forth. In one full turn it will go from light to heavy 4-5 times.

 

The fluid was completly changed about 6 months ago, using the correct fluid which is stated in the manual. I forget which one it is exactly.

The HICAS was disabled about 5 years ago, and never given any problems.

ECU code is 55, all clear.

Steering fluid is at correct level.

HICAS light is not on.

It does not go away when I go faster

It does it when the car is stationary too.

Speedo works as does the AVC-r speed reading/

 

Any one got any ideas?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Stuart

 

An air lock within the PS system will cause these symptoms - simply top up, when full turn the wheel back and forth a few times with the engine running and then top up again - keep doing this till the level stays constant after a couple of turns back and forth

This is the easy answer, if this aint it then the pump is probably off to the great PS pump place in the sky.

 

Drivin Ivan

[instead of going heavy all of a sudden after so many miles or so many mins of driving, it changes stiffness every so many degrees of turning of the wheel.

 

For example;

Doing one full turn of the steering wheel the steering will turn slightly and then go heavy, keep turning and a few degrees later it will go back light, few more degrees and its heavy, so on and so forth. In one full turn it will go from light to heavy 4-5 times.

 

Mine's doing the very same thing at the moment so interested to hear how you get on. Also, i've had the universal joint go in previous z's and they throw up the same symptoms when they get worn, so it's worth a look.

Assuming that all was OK recently, an air lock would not appear by magic! Fluid loss causing the reservoir to go too low would result in air being sucked in. If ther is no significant of fluid loss from pipes or seals then pumpitself is probably about to go AWOL.

Best fixed now before it seizes up on an awkquard junction. Try "listening " to the pump when running using long screwdriver on it and listening to it in your ear. (or use a proper stethascope if you can borrow one). Noisy bearing will indicate imminent demise of said item.

My power steering has gone very strange all of a sudden. It keeps going heavy and then light.

 

I have searched but none of the symptoms are the ones I am having.

 

Instead of going heavy all of a sudden after so many miles or so many mins of driving, it changes stiffness every so many degrees of turning of the wheel.

 

For example;

Doing one full turn of the steering wheel the steering will turn slightly and then go heavy, keep turning and a few degrees later it will go back light, few more degrees and its heavy, so on and so forth. In one full turn it will go from light to heavy 4-5 times.

 

The fluid was completly changed about 6 months ago, using the correct fluid which is stated in the manual. I forget which one it is exactly.

The HICAS was disabled about 5 years ago, and never given any problems.

ECU code is 55, all clear.

Steering fluid is at correct level.

HICAS light is not on.

It does not go away when I go faster

It does it when the car is stationary too.

Speedo works as does the AVC-r speed reading/

 

Any one got any ideas?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Stuart

 

 

Posted a thread a few days ago about noisy steering, had to use the car the next day before i could check it, got the same symptoms as you, (never had that bit before) checked the fluid level and it was very low, assumed that when i turned the wheel (say as i went round a corner) that the reservoir was letting air in and causing the rack to act like a non ps type, hope this helps

Posted a thread a few days ago about noisy steering, had to use the car the next day before i could check it, got the same symptoms as you, (never had that bit before) checked the fluid level and it was very low, assumed that when i turned the wheel (say as i went round a corner) that the reservoir was letting air in and causing the rack to act like a non ps type, hope this helps

 

 

Although after actualy reading your thread properly it probably wont :headvswal

[instead of going heavy all of a sudden after so many miles or so many mins of driving, it changes stiffness every so many degrees of turning of the wheel.

 

For example;

Doing one full turn of the steering wheel the steering will turn slightly and then go heavy, keep turning and a few degrees later it will go back light, few more degrees and its heavy, so on and so forth. In one full turn it will go from light to heavy 4-5 times.

 

Mine's doing the very same thing at the moment so interested to hear how you get on. Also, i've had the universal joint go in previous z's and they throw up the same symptoms when they get worn, so it's worth a look.

 

 

Hi mate,

 

Do me a favour.

Go to a carpark or driving slow in a traffic will do, keep turning your wheel left and right. This is why you need to do it in a carpark or when you are in traffic or at least driving slow in traffic.

 

Tell me if it gets easier and eventually goes.

 

Mine did but it came back quite quick. I kept doing it for 5 mins while in traffic, and it went completely. Every now and then if feels like it is going to do it again.

 

I think that is an air lock. Constently turning the wheel left and right is pumping the fluid around releasing the airlock. But there is probably a leak somewhere letting the ait back in.

 

Tell me how you get on with turning the wheel thing.

I think I have found the problem.

 

I think the belt is slipping all the time but it is not making any sound when slipping.

I was suspicious of this at first and now I am more sure of it.

 

Today was quite cool, so the belts are shorter and stiffer and the steering was perfect.

This sounds like the problem I've got with mine, fluid levels seem fine though, could do without replacing a pump when I've only had the car a week or so!!!!