Pug 306 1999 - pug 306 power steering failure.

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Tue 8 Mar 2011 18:05
Pug 306 1999 - pug 306 power steering failure. - nafets386

Hi. Looking for a little advice if anyone can assist. basically, i have just bought a pug 306 and noticed the steering seems to be fairly heavy considering it is supposed to have PAS. Im pretty near certain the power steering is not working. I have checked the Power steering fluid and the belt and all is fine there. However, the battery on the car is really tired and is in need of a new one, you can tell by the way the car starts up really lazily and slow. Sometimes it needs 2-3 turns of the key to get it fired up, By this time you can hear the battery literraly dying as the car is firing up. Could this be the problem with the power steering? the fact the battery is dying? or could it just be the pump or other issues. When i drive the car, i can hear a low toned grinding/grutling noise, almost as if a c.v joint or bearing has gone, could this be related to the power steering pump or even rack? Any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers.

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Tue 8 Mar 2011 19:24
Pug 306 1999 - pug 306 power steering failure. - Peter.N.

When you say you have checked the belt, are you sure it has the correct tension and is not slipping? Are the front tyre pressures correct with and have a good tread? I doubt that the battery problem is anything to do with the steering but the pump could be worn.

I would think your noise is a wheel bearing, you may be able to confirm this by listening carefully when you go round a bend, it will likely be louder one way than the other.

You don't say whether it is diesel or petrol, a diesel needs a good battery to turn the engine over fast enough but a petrol one is not so fussy.

Edited by Peter.N. on 08/03/2011 at 19:25

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Wed 9 Mar 2011 10:14
Pug 306 1999 - pug 306 power steering failure. - dieselnut

Could also be a ball joint seized.

Try jacking both front wheels off the ground, if still stiff you'll have to find which side is the cause.

Get someone to turn the steering while you listen at each wheel for any creeking noises

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Wed 9 Mar 2011 13:11
Pug 306 1999 - pug 306 power steering failure. - Peter.N.

...or the universal joint on the steering column.

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