Power steering failure.

[bwana]

Judging by the puddle of power steering fluid on the ground my car has experienced some sort of failure.

What sort of damage am I likely to do driving it the 10km or so to the mechanic tomorrow?

 

[upup]

Soar hands for fighting to turn the wheel.

 

[Venomous]

I wonder if your steering fluid bottle has not got a hole in it (happened to me a while ago).

maybe see where the bottle is. Mine is next to my battery. i was told that it perished coz a bit of battery acid got onto it making the bottle brittle.

there should be a screwtop lid with a mini dipstick attached. permitting there is still fluid in there there should be no prob getting it to the mechanic.

 

[bwana]

I wonder if your steering fluid bottle has not got a hole in it (happened to me a while ago).

maybe see where the bottle is. Mine is next to my battery. i was told that it perished coz a bit of battery acid got onto it making the bottle brittle.

there should be a screwtop lid with a mini dipstick attached. permitting there is still fluid in there there should be no prob getting it to the mechanic.

The reservoir is bone dry - inside and out.

 

[werner]

The reservoir is bone dry - inside and out.

then disconnect the belt driving the power steering pump and just drive it. sure, the steering will be heavy, but that is what your grandfather put up with every day

 

[Venomous]

then disconnect the belt driving the power steering pump and just drive it. sure, the steering will be heavy, but that is what your grandfather put up with every day

Ouch!!!!

 

[Venomous]

The reservoir is bone dry - inside and out.

Was the leak near the reservoir or somewhere else?

If not the reservoir it becomes more expensive

if only the reservoir it's quick to change & add fluid in. = not too big a cost

 

[bwana]

then disconnect the belt driving the power steering pump and just drive it. sure, the steering will be heavy, but that is what your grandfather put up with every day

Is it possible that everything is running off the same belt?

 

[HapticSimian]

Is it possible that everything is running off the same belt?

Very. In which case you'd really not want to disconnect the belt - stating the obvious, I know. It varies from car to car. What car are we talking about?

 

[bwana]

Very. In which case you'd really not want to disconnect the belt - stating the obvious, I know. It varies from car to car. What car are we talking about?

An ageing Audi A3.

 

[HapticSimian]

An ageing Audi A3.

1.8T?

 

[bwana]

1.8T?

Yes.

 

[Fudzy]

Is the pipe still connected to the reservoir?

 

[bwana]

Is the pipe still connected to the reservoir?

Seems to be.

 

[HapticSimian]

My theory would be that, if the reservoir is already bone dry, you're probably unlikely to do any more damage. I wouldn't bother trying to disconnect any belts, and I seem to recall that the 1.8T does indeed run everything off one serpentine belt:

Best suggestion I can come up with is that you check that all the easily accessible lines are still attached, especially between the reservoir and pump, and then top up before you drive the car to the mechie. The problem with that is that any fluid other than that specified by Audi could cause damage to far more than just the pump. Perhaps go past Goldwagen PE - with another car - before taking on the journey to the mechanic?

 

[bwana]

Topped up the tank with fluid and took it to the garage this morning. Seems that something had shaved through the hose.

 

[BobsLawnService]

This may sound ultra-conservitive but give the dealership/mechanic you're taking it to a call and ask them to arrange a tow. They will arange one at a heavy discount. I did that and it cost me 500 bucks.Worth it if you don't want to cause extra damage which could cost a lot more.

 

[Nanfeishen]

Seems that something had shaved through the hose.

Shaved through , as in - something moveable slowly shaving hose ?