Yellow steering wheel warning light

enuff_zed

enuff_zed

Lifer
 Attleborough, Norfolk
Hello all,
Went out in the si this afternoon, no problems. Parked up for an hour, started up to come home and the yellow steering warning light is on and no power steering.
Wrestled it home and checked for codes (Autophix 5900): nothing.
Did the old, leave it half an hour and try again. Still there!
Now before I rip the EPS out and send it to ECU Testing is there anything else I should be checking?

In the back of my mind I'm thinking about the potential yaw sensor light array that hasn't come back and wondering if the battery could be playing about.
But it starts up fine and there's no other symptoms.

Any ideas, or other things to check before I open the old wallet?

EDIT: If I remove the EPS motor will the car still be driveable? Nothing too far, just considering a short term rob from the 3.0i, but would need that to still be moveable on the drive.
 
Ah no - gutted again, and just when I thought all was well with it after all!
Not much I can add (ie nothing) to your EPS query, other than to comment that the battery did get pretty flat a few months ago and needed starting with a booster pack. Though after that, I made sure to run it a little every 10 days or so to keep things tickety-boo. Or so I thought...
 
Hi Steve, don't think it's the battery. 12.7v static and 14.5 running.
I pumped the tyres up over the weekend, and yesterday on the way to work I felt maybe they were a bit too hard as every now and then it seemed to deviate a little. Now I reckon that was the EPS saying its farewells.
It's a 16-y-o car. These things happen. Don't worry.
I didn't think there was much for me to tinker with anyway. :rofl:
 
Try checking the fuses.

Does the code reader state unable to communicate ?

This indicated the eps motor on my 3.0 and ecs tuning were able to fix it
 
enuff_zed said:
I didn't think there was much for me to tinker with anyway.
Click to expand...
So I guess that's what you get for saying it was an easy project! better get your signature updated :D

PS - the colour is Black Sapphire not Sapphire Black :poke:
 
MKZ4000 said:
Try checking the fuses.

Does the code reader state unable to communicate ?

This indicated the eps motor on my 3.0 and ecs tuning were able to fix it
Click to expand...
Yup, I'll go for the fuses today if the rain ever stops!
Code reader seems to check and say it's all ok, doesn't say it can't communicate?
 
Ok then, so sadly for me all the fuses were ok. :headbang:

So it's time to talk nicely to ECU Testing.
Before I dive into this job, who has done it already?
Is it easy to remove the motor in situ?
Do I need to lock the column in place at all?
Is there any kind of setting up to do?

Thanks
 
I got Ross at RBM to do mine at a very reasonable cost. My local garage researched it first and said they needed a special tool (Pin)to lock the column in place which they didn't have.

I think a few others have done it and it's doable without removing the column but fiddly.
 
MKZ4000 said:
I drove from kent to Hampshire without power steering which was fine but I tried to avoid sharp turns :D
Click to expand...
My question was more aimed at driving it with the motor not fitted as I may have to move it on the drive.
Further research seems to suggest a rigging pin is only needed if the whole column comes off.
Appreciate all your input, thank you. :thumbsup:
 
Ayup Enuff, before you go to all the expense, you could try a simple reset that cured my EPS problem i had a few years ago. Mine just all of a sudden stopped working like yours.

All i did was turn the ignition on (full dash lights but don't start the engine) turn the steering all the way to the left then all the way to the right, full lock both ways, then turn ignition off. Then start engine, hopefully this will have reset the angle sensor and the light will go out giving you EPS again.

I did this a couple of years ago & have never had the problem since (Touch Wood)

Hope this works for you like it did for me. Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
 
tug said:
Ayup Enuff, before you go to all the expense, you could try a simple reset that cured my EPS problem i had a few years ago. Mine just all of a sudden stopped working like yours.

All i did was turn the ignition on (full dash lights but don't start the engine) turn the steering all the way to the left then all the way to the right, full lock both ways, then turn ignition off. Then start engine, hopefully this will have reset the angle sensor and the light will go out giving you EPS again.

I did this a couple of years ago & have never had the problem since (Touch Wood)

Hope this works for you like it did for me. Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Hi Tug,
In the back of my mind I thought there was something like this. I did try that, but with the engine running. :headbang:
Thanks, I'll give it a go this week. It's currently up on sticks getting the suspension refreshed.
If it fixes it I owe you a beer.
 
I have a similar situation, every morning when I start the car it's fine but when I turn the ignition off, drive to work, shops etc. the light is on and I have no power steering. It can sit there all day and when I start the car to leave work 9 or 10 hours later I still have no power steering but the next morning it's fine again until I turn the engine off.
I'll try the reset method.
It just seems extremely odd that leaving it overnight cures the problem until the engine is switched off again, but leaving it 9 hours isn't long enough to cure the problem, it makes no sense.
 
Mine's still on jacks after a weekend suspension-fest.
It'll be Wednesday at least now before I can check it out. hoping Tug's advice saves me a wedge.
 
Try the remedy while the wheels are off the floor mate, be a lot easier on the arms. Hope it cures it for you.
 
tug said:
Try the remedy while the wheels are off the floor mate, be a lot easier on the arms. Hope it cures it for you.
Click to expand...
Now if it was the front end jacked, not the rear! Dammit!
Gravel drive though, so should make it a bit easier.
 
Well got the car back on it's wheels and tried Tug's fix.
Didn't work!
So now the plan is seats out to re-colour them and while access is a little easier hoick out the EPS motor and send it off to ECU Testing.
Fire Brigade already alerted to remove me from the foot-well. Will drop the roof to save them having to cut it off. :roll:
 
tug said:
That's a shame mate, ah well at least it didn't cost owt to try.
Click to expand...
Exactly, seats were coming out anyway and it's not a daily. Soon as it dries up here I'll start getting the thing out.
Not looking forward to that tbh, but needs must and it's a new one for me.
 
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