steering groan and later loss of power steering fluid

[chris fry]

Hi any advice please,
a couple of months ago i noticed the steering creaking at low speeds (sounded like Tyre scrub but rolling so cant be) was always ok on startup but came a bout after 30 minute drive, asked a local garage to have a look up on the ramp, they couldn't see anything wrong, other than a split gator to a lower ball joint. after that it didn't seem to be as bad. Today after 30min drive home all of a sudden steering is making a terrible grinding noise, at first i though something was rubbing on the tyre, so i pulled up to stationary and it was still doing it if the steering wheel was anything other than dead centre. limped it the rest of the way home, when i have opened the fluid reservoir it looks low and foamy, when the foam subsides it will probably be very low. so presuming there is a leak i have had a rummage around with the phone camera, think i have found a/the leak, does this look like the rack of the pressure or return hose?

 

[Pete42]

Hi any advice please,
a couple of months ago i noticed the steering creaking at low speeds (sounded like Tyre scrub but rolling so cant be) was always ok on startup but came a bout after 30 minute drive, asked a local garage to have a look up on the ramp, they couldn't see anything wrong, other than a split gator to a lower ball joint. after that it didn't seem to be as bad. Today after 30min drive home all of a sudden steering is making a terrible grinding noise, at first i though something was rubbing on the tyre, so i pulled up to stationary and it was still doing it if the steering wheel was anything other than dead centre. limped it the rest of the way home, when i have opened the fluid reservoir it looks low and foamy, when the foam subsides it will probably be very low. so presuming there is a leak i have had a rummage around with the phone camera, think i have found a/the leak, does this look like the rack of the pressure or return hose?

At a guess it looks like the right hand side p.a.s pipe is leaking, they are common for the pipes. Unable to see the outside of that side rack bellows to give any further information

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[chris fry]

At a guess it looks like the right hand side p.a.s pipe is leaking, they are common for the pipes. Unable to see the outside of that side rack bellows to give any further information

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thanks, for quick response , i'm really hoping for a pipe leak looking at the cost of rack replacement!, if its the rack leaking would it exit from the track rod end of the bellows.

 

[chris fry]

At a guess it looks like the right hand side p.a.s pipe is leaking, they are common for the pipes. Unable to see the outside of that side rack bellows to give any further information

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do you think if i top the reservoir up ill get it to behave for a few miles to the garage workshop?

 

[Pete42]

Chris if it was the pressure seal on the end of the tie-arm to rack yes the bellows would fill up and eventually leak

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[Pete42]

As long as it's not actually pouring out I can't see that filling it back up and bleeding the air out of the system would pose to much of a risk

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[chris fry]

As long as it's not actually pouring out I can't see that filling it back up and bleeding the air out of the system would pose to much of a risk

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thanks much appreciated

 

[chris fry]

drove it to a garage after topping it up yesterday, by the time i got there it sounded back to normal so must have purged the air out, had a look in the reservoir once pulled up and frothing has stopped. starting to wonder if the syptoms are all a result of the fluid getting too low. still leaking from something though so fingers crossed its pipe not rack.

 

[chris fry]

unfortunately the mechanic has confirmed its the rack leaking, he started the solution gently by telling me a new one is £1400 for the part and a pig of a job, great. re-con rack it was then, still a pig of a job and £300 labour but its back and working beautifully.

luck of the draw.

 

[Pete42]

Pleased your sorted Chris
You need deep pockets with audi's I've learned

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[chris fry]

yes i have to admit at first i thought that everything is a fortune on them and i'm going to sell up and go for a new car in warranty, but having got the car back i love it so much and would miss the softtop too much, most cars cost a bomb when they do go wrong.