Technical ABOUT POWER STEERING ON MK2 MK2B and (modification for the VSS wiring) PAS

[road runner]

Interesting your does it aswell, how many others i wonder ?
I see what your saying about not having to wait for the lights to go out but let me just explain how & why we do what we do.
First turn key to on (I think its mar)
Lights all come on including PAS.
Wait for a short time to see if PAS light goes out, if it does start engine and all is fine, once the PAS light goes out it never comes back on, until the next restart.
If the PAS light remains on turn the key to off & try again.
The reason not to start before seeing the light go out is
(a) to saving restarting for no good reason.
(b) To make sure the PAS is working before driving off, made that mistake leaving a petrol station. Got in started and drove off only to fine no PAS, amazing how heavy the steering is without it.
So i cant think its battery voltage, the battery is original, but the car has done this for the last 3 years, no better or worse as it aged. Earthing or wiring seems more likly to me.
I just hoped, as we all do, that someone out there had found the fault already.
I think my local Fiat garage would just say new column and worry about it latter if it did not clear the fault, mean while iam £600 out of pocket.
Thanks again for you efforts jim

 

[The Sultan]

well if your dealer were to replace the column and that did not solve the problem then it would be up to them to solve the problem after that

but this is all pointless chitter chater until you have the codes read and then we will know what's wrong

 

[T14086]

Interesting your does it aswell, how many others i wonder ?

....but I know why mine does it,I have read the codes (battery voltage) but getting most out of it until winter comes (before it lets me down) when it will be renewed by original Fiat battery,£37. There are no other (safety) related errors in the EPS & I normally have examiner connected every month or so.

I see what your saying about not having to wait for the lights to go out but let me just explain how & why we do what we do.
First turn key to on (I think its mar)
Lights all come on including PAS.
Wait for a short time to see if PAS light goes out, if it does start engine and all is fine, once the PAS light goes out it never comes back on, until the next restart.
If the PAS light remains on turn the key to off & try again.
The reason not to start before seeing the light go out is
(a) to saving restarting for no good reason.
(b) To make sure the PAS is working before driving off, made that mistake leaving a petrol station. Got in started and drove off only to fine no PAS, amazing how heavy the steering is without it.
So i cant think its battery voltage, the battery is original, but the car has done this for the last 3 years, no better or worse as it aged.

How can you tell how good the battery is...should be changed every 3 years anyway.

Let me put it this way.....

when you switch ignition on the radio comes on, fuel pump primes, heater blower comes on, lights come on (if left on), ECU & body computer (interior lights) come on......all this is taking voltage away from the EPS...

...but if you wait until interior lights go off, fuel pump finished priming then there more voltage for the EPS to 'scrounge' thus less likely to bring steering light on

All of these systems are 'calling out' for voltage from the battery...its only 12v/280amp remember.Diesel engines are worse,you wait until gl;ow plug light goes out as you are bascally heating up 4 pieces of metal to red hot heat...how can battery do that aswell as turn engine + other systems you have on!

Earthing or wiring seems more likly to me.

yes one of many possible reasons.........carry out a voltage drop test to find out.

I just hoped, as we all do, that someone out there had found the fault already.
I think my local Fiat garage would just say new column and worry about it latter if it did not clear the fault, mean while iam £600 out of pocket.
Thanks again for you efforts jim

Someone has.....its one of the faults mentioned here or in the guide I wrote;

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-guides/70703-punto-steering-column.html

....all you have to do is find out which one

 

[Cr@zy]

Yep mines does the exact same thing. turn it on somedays and its fine allday, other days i have to turn engine on and off a few times for it to kick in or turn ignition on and leave it for a minute or two.

 

[Timmy T]

Not had my '03 plate punto 1.2 active long and the steering has started playing up. Generally when the car is first started the power steering light goes off after a coulple of seconds, as it should do, and all is fine. After it's been running a while, sometimes 1 mile, sometimes 20 miles the PAS light comes on and the PAS fails to function. But I've found the longer I leave the car inbetween uses the longer the steering lasts before it cuts out again. I've checked for voltage loss and alternator outputs etc before taking it to a garage and am fairly confident there's no issue with lack of voltage or battery charging etc. When it's working CITY mode also works but makes no difference to how long the PAS stays active for. So I generally leave City mode off.

I took it back to the dealership today as it's still under their 1 year warranty and they've said it's power steering control unit at fault. Obviously because of the cost of replacing these items they're considering arranging another car for me and getting rid of the punto as it'd work out cheaper for them. Which is a shame as it's a small and cheap to run car that suits my needs. But jokingly we talked about just leaving it without power steering. Is it possible to remove the motor in the steering column or disconnect it from the shaft that goes down to the rack so that it gives a little less resistance and just use it as a manual steering car? Would this cause any other issues? I've no real problems in having this done as I also own a classic car with no power steering so am used to fairly heavy steering. Any thoughts on whether this can or should be done?

 

[dave]

it would probably in validate your insurance

 

[toad101]

tell them you want it fixed, otherwise whats the point in having a warranty

 

[focus]

I was driving this morning and hit a bump (grate or something) in the road at about 60mph and the PAS light immediately came on, pulled over and switched the engine off and straight back on again and the light cleared. Should I be very worried or is it likely just a quirk. I have a 2000 HGT.

If I need to take it in does it have to be a Fiat dealer who reads the logged faults? My local garage has the diagnostic equipment and are much closer than my nearest Fiat dealer, and presumably cheaper as well. Actually, thinking about it my local garage charge £45 for reading codes what is the usual Fiat dealer charge?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[dave]

fiats normally £30-£40 and can read codes only fiat machine can read

 

[T14086]

I was driving this morning and hit a bump (grate or something) in the road at about 60mph and the PAS light immediately came on, pulled over and switched the engine off and straight back on again and the light cleared. Should I be very worried or is it likely just a quirk. I have a 2000 HGT.

I'd have a quick check of the battery terminals,there is a 'issue' aswell with the EPS connector so worth a quick check as strange as happened when you went over bump.

 

[focus]

I'd have a quick check of the battery terminals,there is a 'issue' aswell with the EPS connector so worth a quick check as strange as happened when you went over bump.

Thanks for the replies. I will check the battery terminals. If it makes any difference I did have the radio on, the heater on full, the back de-mister going, and the lights on at the time it happened.

Just as a precaution is it worth putting on a new battery as it is at least two , probably older, years old? The battery is Bosch so would I be better going back to an original Fiat battery?

 

[T14086]

Bosch is approved make,original fiat battery (that actually fits roperly) is £38.

 

[brucemalti]

Hi there, I`m not new to this forum but its my first post

So lately Im having problem with my 2003 Punto Mk2B. It only has 4900miles. On a fine day, the red light "electric power steering failure" came on. At first I thought I had deflated tires as I didnt know what the warning light means, obviously I associated it something with "tyres or steering", so I went to inflate my tyres but the problem was still there. I read now from different sources that I have a power steering failure. I contacted fiat and they said its about 500pounds to buy a steering column and get it fit.

But from my vage knowledge about cars, a steering column shouldnt go with 4900miles. Before taking it to the garage to have it checked with a computerized system, should I check some other things which can be the cause for this warning light? Like battery terminations, because I have the feeling that its something sorted with sensors since its not always on and dont want to pay a 500pound which might be a minor problem.

Regards,
Iain

 

[shanewhite]

My 2000W Punto 1.2 has covered 77000 trouble-free miles, but recently I've become aware that I can hear a slight whirring noise from the power steering motor when it's working hard, whereas up until now it's been pretty much silent. Should I be worried?

 

[T14086]

Mine does it all the time,never had a problem(72K).I only use it (city) for parking as I'm crap at it

 

[focus]

Car did it for the 2nd time this morning, again when I hit a small bump in the road at 40mph. Light reset soon as I switched the engine back off and on again.

I had hoped the first time was a glitch but time for a Fiat dealer I think. If it is the worse then I will probably sell the car and get something else. I have had only had it a year and probably spent nearly a £1000 on repairs, and I know the gearbox has the third gear synchro problem so that will need replacing eventually.

 

[focus]

OK, car is booked in at a dealer for the fault codes to be read. Cost is just short of £70.

Should I expect a printed diagnostic report of the fault codes, or will I just be told by the dealer?

 

[T14086]

Ask for diag printout (or a copy of it) & dont be afraid to ask to speak to tech working on car

 

[focus]

Ask for diag printout (or a copy of it) & dont be afraid to ask to speak to tech working on car

Thanks for the help.

From reading through this forum it seems that a) I will be lucky and it will be a loose connection or need a new battery or b) I will need a new steering column. Is that a fair assessment or are there numerous things in between that could cause the fault that would be more expensive than a battery but less expensive than a steering column?

Unless I am mistaken as mine is an HGT the wiring modification mentioned in this thread wouldn't apply. Or would it?

 

[m_aver_ick]

my steering went with no warning had it on full lock coming from a tight space then it went BANG! it was raining at the time

my city light doesnt come on either so could it maybe be a fuse?