Power Steering Fault light On
- Thread starter portculisz4
- Start date
It's highlighly likely that it's the motor, but you can check the voltage at the plugs themselves.portculisz4 said:
I couldn't actually get my column out without removing the motor, so I ended up doing it both ways. Wouldn't recommend!thecremeegg said:
Was made much harder in my case by having a seized intermediate shaft.
I'd leave the column connected because it's easier and you avoid messing with (and perhaps breaking) the intermediate shaft.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1755842&i=115
portculisz4
Member
Firelobby & enuff_zed
No, not stuck but delayed with a painful neck muscle strain so a few days late getting started.
Progress so far - I took the advice of enuff_zed and have removed the seat, steering wheel and steering column shrouds as well as the the long column stud and spring to get better visual clearance. Getting late so will look at the motor removal first thing tomorrow. The tools I have to remove the EPS are an 8mm ratchet spanner, or an 8mm hex socket and 1/4" ratchet or also the correct size torx socket for a 3/8" ratchet drive, would like to know what tools you found the most suitable. Are the EPS torx bolts on very tight, not sure with the clearance available as to whether I can get enough leverage with any of these options. At least I can work upside down now. I have marked the eccentric spacer ring and EPS casing so as to get them back in the correct position,
question - does the eccentric spacer ring come away with the EPS or is it basically situated in the column housing ??
Anthony
No, not stuck but delayed with a painful neck muscle strain so a few days late getting started.
Progress so far - I took the advice of enuff_zed and have removed the seat, steering wheel and steering column shrouds as well as the the long column stud and spring to get better visual clearance. Getting late so will look at the motor removal first thing tomorrow. The tools I have to remove the EPS are an 8mm ratchet spanner, or an 8mm hex socket and 1/4" ratchet or also the correct size torx socket for a 3/8" ratchet drive, would like to know what tools you found the most suitable. Are the EPS torx bolts on very tight, not sure with the clearance available as to whether I can get enough leverage with any of these options. At least I can work upside down now. I have marked the eccentric spacer ring and EPS casing so as to get them back in the correct position,
question - does the eccentric spacer ring come away with the EPS or is it basically situated in the column housing ??
Anthony
The ring should stay put, mine did anyway.
The socket is the 'correct' tool to use, but I found it too bulky to line up. The ratchet spanner was nice and slim and much easier to get in there with. The bolts aren't too tight, but you just know you'll skin a knuckle anyway :roll:
Have fun.
PS. I managed to disturb the connection on the yaw sensor while in there, even though it's under the carpet, so stick a cushion over it if you can.
The socket is the 'correct' tool to use, but I found it too bulky to line up. The ratchet spanner was nice and slim and much easier to get in there with. The bolts aren't too tight, but you just know you'll skin a knuckle anyway :roll:
Have fun.
PS. I managed to disturb the connection on the yaw sensor while in there, even though it's under the carpet, so stick a cushion over it if you can.
portculisz4
Member
Not sure what the yaw sensor is. I found a connector under the drivers seat that had to be removed before taking the seat out but assumed this was for the seat belt sensor and any driver presence sensing that may exist within the seat. I have place a cushion over the cable and plug so as not to damage it when climbing in and out
If you lift the carpet you'll see another loom that connects to a sensor mounted under a metal bracket. It senses lateral/longitudinal movement and works with the traction/dsc and other nanny state aids. Usual scenario is the door membrane leaks, it gets wet and throws up codes.portculisz4 said:
In my case I sat on it. :roll:
That way works just as well. However, my policy of dismantling as little as possible meant the ratchet spanner was better. It's no wider than the head of the socket handle so you can put it straight on, not have to get a straight line from the other side of stuff (if that makes sense)firebobby said:
End of the day it's whatever suits you best really.
portculisz4
Member
enuff_zed
Progress - there at last with the EPS motor now sitting on my work bench. Your advice about removing seat and steering wheel and other steering column garbage worked well. As you say, weedling it out from the column with all the cables around was the fiddliest bit and the two cable ties fixing the black plastic cable to the motor body didn't come up as a restriction until the very end. The 8mm ratchet spanner was definitely the answer with a copper tube extension to break the initial bond, I fixed the clutch pedal down by removing the clutch back stop and replacing with a 10mm bolt with wire tie secured to it and then tied the pedal right down to the floor to avoid having to mess about with it while wriggling the motor out. Well off to ECUTesting on monday and hopefully it will be back within a week. Will definitely touch base with you again on the re-installation, I assume the worm gearing on the motor shaft will align automatically with gear teeth on the column shaft. Also as you mentioned, the eccentric adjustment ring has stayed in place so will hopefully be in the correct position on motor replacement.
Progress - there at last with the EPS motor now sitting on my work bench. Your advice about removing seat and steering wheel and other steering column garbage worked well. As you say, weedling it out from the column with all the cables around was the fiddliest bit and the two cable ties fixing the black plastic cable to the motor body didn't come up as a restriction until the very end. The 8mm ratchet spanner was definitely the answer with a copper tube extension to break the initial bond, I fixed the clutch pedal down by removing the clutch back stop and replacing with a 10mm bolt with wire tie secured to it and then tied the pedal right down to the floor to avoid having to mess about with it while wriggling the motor out. Well off to ECUTesting on monday and hopefully it will be back within a week. Will definitely touch base with you again on the re-installation, I assume the worm gearing on the motor shaft will align automatically with gear teeth on the column shaft. Also as you mentioned, the eccentric adjustment ring has stayed in place so will hopefully be in the correct position on motor replacement.
Result! Well done and a great improvement with the clutch pedal.portculisz4 said:
I would get on eBay now and 'buy' the ECUTesting service. I did that and they rang me very first thing on Monday morning to arrange to email me a postage paid label. DHL picked it up lunchtime the same day.
Refitting:
1. It will automatically align the gearing.
2. I didn't bother the convoluted juggling to replace the tie-wraps, just made sure the cable was well routed.
3. Now you can see how the plugs work it is simple to push them in to place after its all bolted in. Easier than pre-connecting them.
4. To get the bolts in, put a little vaseline (or similar grease) on the bolt head and stick it into the spanner. Offer it into place then use a long flathead screwdriver to apply pressure on the bolt head as you ratchet it back in. (NB. Even qualified technicians get it all in place to then discover the spanner is the wrong way round. :roll: )
5. The rest should be pretty simple.
portculisz4
Member
Getting ready to complete the fix to the steering problem - ECU Testing have phoned and are putting the reworked unit with the courier with an ETA for tomorrow. I did ask the technician about the nature of the problem and why is it so common to this unit, they say it all goes down to initial weak design in the ECU using poor quality components, they claim their update also strengthens this weak area reducing risk of re-occurance, we shall see. I do have one last question prior to re-installation - I noticed the worm shaft on the motor had some grease on it after removal so my question is, is it necessary to re-grease the shaft and the recommended grease to use if it is ?? - I thought the motor worm drive engaged with a non-metal gear inside the steering column and that grease wouldn't be necessary.
Mine had a little grease on it when I took it out.
It still had it on when it came back, and ECUTesting stick it on a rig so they would have cleaned it off if it wasn't supposed to be there.
It was a light looking stuff, like vaseline, and it looked clean so I left it as it was.
I'm available on my phone over the weekend if you need any help, but tbh, you've done the hard bit.
Get those bolts in and nearly tight, then double check the marks line up before you tweak them up.
It still had it on when it came back, and ECUTesting stick it on a rig so they would have cleaned it off if it wasn't supposed to be there.
It was a light looking stuff, like vaseline, and it looked clean so I left it as it was.
I'm available on my phone over the weekend if you need any help, but tbh, you've done the hard bit.
Get those bolts in and nearly tight, then double check the marks line up before you tweak them up.
portculisz4
Member
Thanks for the response, unfortunately away for the w/end but on the job first thing monday, with all this fine weather I'me desperate to get the hood down and get it back on the road. One positive thing about your suggestion to remove the seat - I found about £12 in loose change hidden and wedged somewhere underneath, must have come out of the previous drivers pocket and removing the seat to recover was obviously too much effort for them. Thanks for the offer of the phone contact but hopefully it will all go back OK, always nervous when turning the ignition on for the first time that the yellow warning light will now no longer illuminate.
portculisz4
Member
After a couple of hours re-installing the EPS motor, finally connected the battery and started the car, great news, no EPS fault light and the steering appeared to be back to normal (the airbag light came on but I reset the error code and no further problem there). But the news was not good - after leaving the car for about an hour, went out for a test drive, started the car and the EPS fault light back on and steering heavy. I connected the OBD2 unit and this time there was communication with the power steering ECU and the fault indicated was - '611A PHASE VOLTAGE, SERVOMOTOR'. I could reset the fault and the steering appeared OK, ran a 10 mile test drive and no problems. Parked the car and left for about 10 mins and retried, fault light back on again with same fault indication. It appears fault will stay cleared if you drive off immediately after clearing the fault indication or restart engine immediately after clearing but leave for 5-10 mins or more and fault re-occurs. Whats going on ??? Will contact ECU Testing to seer if they can explain, not keen on dragging the whole unit out again.
I think the 611X code is Torque Sensor related in the column.
Edit: This thread might be worth a read? https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99430&start=15 - might be worth checking you plugged it all back in! The EPS motor has 3 power connectors I believe, easy to miss the smaller top one.
Edit: This thread might be worth a read? https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99430&start=15 - might be worth checking you plugged it all back in! The EPS motor has 3 power connectors I believe, easy to miss the smaller top one.
Oh bugger! Not good, but still think you've fixed one problem if it can now communicate, so not changed in vain.portculisz4 said:
Speak to Stuart (bigwinn) as he had to change something else on the column too, so he can advise on that.
Definitely talk to ECU Testing as well. They should be able to confirm that it passed all their tests which would rule that out of the equation.
