Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure

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Wed 23 Jun 2010 10:24
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - jcbland

2004 Meriva, recently main-dealer serviced, after standing unused for 2 weeks the EPS (Electronic Power Steering) light is on, and therer is no power steering.

Might this just be a loose connection?

Have spent loads on the car recently - don't want another big bill!

Is this a known/common problem?

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Wed 23 Jun 2010 20:18
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - topbloke

unlikely, has the battery gone flat and you jumpstarted it ?, if the alternator is not charging then the power steering" EPS" wont work so i would start there, get the charging checked first , then if its charging, a code read of the eps is next on the list, post any codes and descpriptions that you are given, make sure that you get them written down and post here and i will try to help,Regards TB

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Thu 24 Jun 2010 10:43
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - jcbland
Thanks for advice.
No jump-starts, engine started OK first time - so battery etc probably OK.
Well - just took it for a short run - very heavy steering.
Got back, switched off and on again - problem cleared!
Another short run with no problems.
I'm hopeful it was a glitch, and that it is now all behind me.
Definitely time to change the car, though!
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Sat 26 Jun 2010 10:51
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - jcbland

Oh dear - it's back again, intermittently.

I guess the PS motor is not burned out, must be dodgy sensor or something. Is that hard or expensive to diagnose/fix?

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Sat 26 Jun 2010 18:37
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - topbloke

Hi you realy need it diagnosing properly first to make sure that its a eps fault and not an alternator fault as for price if it is an eps fault clikck on this link

http://www.bba-reman.com/catalogue/DetailedProduct.aspx?DetailedProduct=884

should give you some idea of price then you will have fitting, programing, and postage you could go down the route of second hand but you could be buying something that could fail again in a short period of time at least you get a gaurentee with this one,Regards TB

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Mon 28 Jun 2010 17:54
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - jcbland

Thanks, TB.

Local independent garage found no logged diagnostic errors.

EPS getting very intermittent.

Garage suspects Alternator, too - it is delivering 14.04v at the battery terminals, which he thinks is rather high. Might the EPS turn itself off as self-protection? Awaiting quote for new alternator...

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Mon 28 Jun 2010 23:21
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - JohnM{P}
I fear that this is the common fault in Merivas - have you looked at the Meriva 'What's Bad' tab in HJ's Reviews and the embedded link? Good Luck! John
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Thu 8 Jul 2010 21:53
Vauxhall Meriva - Power Steering failure - jcbland

Trading in for a new Kia with 7-yearwarranty! Thanks for everyone's advice.

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