E89 power steering issue.

[Z450]

Hi

Firstly I apologise if this has already been covered! But I am struggling to find an answer. I have a low miles 2010 E89. I have noticed that every so often when you start the car, there is no power steering.
Turn it off and on again and it is absolutely fine. It does not always do this. I wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar issue?

Any help will be much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Smartbear]

Hi

Firstly I apologise if this has already been covered! But I am struggling to find an answer. I have a low miles 2010 E89. I have noticed that every so often when you start the car, there is no power steering.
Turn it off and on again and it is absolutely fine. It does not always do this. I wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar issue?

Any help will be much appreciated, thank you.

This can happen, how old is your battery?

Rob

 

[Anonymous]

I got this occasionally on mine and a new battery resolved it

 

[Z450]

Thank you for the replies. I know the car has had a replacement battery, however the previous keepers did not use the car often and the car was not kept on charge so this could well be the issue!

 

[Z450]

Hi all

Just to update this we have had the battery replaced and we still have the issue annoyingly!

Any further suggestions of the possible cause?

Thank you

 

[tintoverano]

the pump may be going out or something with the fluid, seals

perhaps it is the latter, once thy system warms up the seal expand

 

[Anonymous]

the pump may be going out or something with the fluid, seals

perhaps it is the latter, once thy system warms up the seal expand

There is no pump it’s an electrical based system..not hydraulic.. :tumbleweed:

 

[tintoverano]

the pump may be going out or something with the fluid, seals

perhaps it is the latter, once thy system warms up the seal expand

There is no pump it’s an electrical based system..not hydraulic.. :tumbleweed:

so the latter one

thanks for correcting

 

[tintoverano]

there are two steering-torque sensors involved in realizing the turn of the steering wheel, one is a backup

did you read any fault codes recently?

perhaps connections are loose or there's a problem with power voltage

checked ISTA-D, there's no test for these sensors

it could be also an EPS ECU issue - there's a company specialized fixing issues with ECUs

[youtube]lA1JIruh4DI[/youtube]

 

[Z450]

there are two steering-torque sensors involved in realizing the turn of the steering wheel, one is a backup

did you read any fault codes recently?

perhaps connections are loose or there's a problem with power voltage

checked ISTA-D, there's no test for these sensors

it could be also an EPS ECU issue - there's a company specialized fixing issues with ECUs

[youtube]lA1JIruh4DI[/youtube]

Thank you for the info

 

[Paul Morgan]

Hi, I had this problem in the last month and I've now fixed it. Search "Very Stiff Steering" on the forum to see what happened.

 

[Z450]

Hi

Just to update on this. The car has been to a BMW specialist. They believe it’s the actual power steering control module not the motor which seems to be the common fault.

So it looks like potentially I may need a whole new rack which is not cheap. Trying to source a company who can refurbish ours or do a swap over with a refurbished one.

 

[Z450]

Hi

Just to update on this. The car has been to a BMW specialist. They believe it’s the actual power steering control module not the motor which seems to be the common fault.

So it looks like potentially I may need a whole new rack which is not cheap. Trying to source a company who can refurbish ours or do a swap over with a refurbished one.

 

[tintoverano]

there's another recent thread about power steering and a company is mentioned fixing ECUs successfully

 

[Paul Morgan]

Hi, Perhaps I should be a bit clearer about the repair to my steering motor, bear with me and I will try to explain. When I said the motor was repaired by ECH Testing as far as I understand what they actually fixed was the electronics fitted to the end of the motor i.e. it's built in ECU which talks to the cars main ECU not the moving parts stator, commutator, brushes etc. So when your BMW specialist says it's "steering control module" may be that's the same thing.
Therefore it might be that a company like ECU Testing can sort you out with a "repair".
I'm not an expert on these things and may be other can clarify if what I am saying makes sense.

 

[Owdgit]

Buggery bollarks.
F'in bmw.
I had a warning light and stiff steering pop up a few days ago.
Decided to try a new battery, I now know it was still on the 2010 original.
Changed the battery, coded it in, cleared up the errors and the steering one comes back :headbang: :headbang:
Instrument cluster, A54B id failure or alive eps
These cars are a very fragile money pit, I've only done 1500 miles since I got it thanks to covid.
Any idea how to remove the steering rack?
Can't find a 'how to" on it.
How high up does it need to be to get it out from underneath? Normal trolley jack and axle stands good enough?
Getting p'd off with this car.
Lovely looking and lovely to drive but OMG what a bleedin pain :driving: :thumbsdown:

 

[tintoverano]

repair manual

 

[Owdgit]

Looks like fun.
Is it likely to cause any damage driving with the error till I can work up the enthusiasm to do it?
How bmw can get away with such shoddy parts and not recall them in the UK is shocking, shame on you bmw

repair manual

 

[tintoverano]

it seems the ecu module is broken, so you have no steering assistance

I don't think anyone here on the forum would advise you to drive the car like that

 

[Owdgit]

Don't know if it's just delaying the inevitable or a battery anomaly but after going for a good ride and an engine restart the steering warning has gone and it seems to be ok.
As unlucky Alf says "it's probably just a matter of time "