Hello all. Very new to the forum and I’m struggling with the power steering on my Polo GT. 

 

I’ve just bought a Polo GT a few days ago with the power steering already not working. I took it to the mechanic who discovered that the pipes were leaking very badly. I got another steering rack with pipes off a vrs that was being broken. After the mechanic changed those it still was not working. The light was not illuminated but still no power steering. It kicked in at a small range towards the right end of the lock but then would not work. 
 

Yesterday I changed the pump from another working car and still nothing. It kicks in fully in a small range of the turning circle but for the rest there is no assistance at all. 
 

I’ve primed the system, checked all fuses. Made sure there was no air in the system. I had a fault before when I moved the engine bay wire for the pump back to the fuse box (previous owner put it directly on the battery) 00566 implausible signal but that hasn’t come up again after that. 
 

Please any help is appreciated. 
 

Car battery was just replaced with a nearly new one. Idle voltage 12.8 but when started 14.4. 
 

Thank you!

Edited 11 May, 20233 yr by FreeHassan
Missed some information

Just now, FreeHassan said:

Hello all. Very new to the forum and I’m struggling with the power steering on my Polo GT. 

 

I’ve just bought a Polo GT a few days ago with the power steering already not working. I took it to the mechanic who discovered that the pipes were leaking very badly. I got another steering rack with pipes off a vrs that was being broken. After the mechanic changed those it still was not working. The light was not illuminated but still no power steering. It kicked in at a small range towards the right end of the lock but then would not work. 
 

Yesterday I changed the pump from another working car and still nothing. It kicks in fully in a small range of the turning circle but for the rest there is no assistance at all. 
 

I’ve primed the system, checked all fuses. Made sure there was no air in the system. I had a fault before when I moved the engine bay wire for the pump back to the fuse box (previous owner put it directly on the battery) 00566 implausible signal but that hasn’t come up again after that. 
 

Please any help is appreciated. 
 

Car battery was just replaced with a nearly new one. Idle voltage 12.8 but when started 14.4. 
 

Thank you!

I forgot to add. It’s a 54 Plate 9n GT with the BLT engine code. 
 

Thank you!

Take out the bolt that secures the rear end of the 'dogbone' engine mount and measure it (underside of head to tip).

The correct length is 61mm. If a 65mm bolt (like some used to hold gearbox to engine block) is put there by mistake it goes right on through the captive nut on the subframe and dents the steering rack tube.

2 hours ago, Pete1 said:

Take out the bolt that secures the rear end of the 'dogbone' engine mount and measure it (underside of head to tip).

The correct length is 61mm. If a 65mm bolt (like some used to hold gearbox to engine block) is put there by mistake it goes right on through the captive nut on the subframe and dents the steering rack tube.

Will have a look at this today 

10 hours ago, Pete1 said:

Take out the bolt that secures the rear end of the 'dogbone' engine mount and measure it (underside of head to tip).

The correct length is 61mm. If a 65mm bolt (like some used to hold gearbox to engine block) is put there by mistake it goes right on through the captive nut on the subframe and dents the steering rack tube.

Hi Pete. Your suggestion was bang on. I don’t know where to get the correct m10x61mm bolt. Any tips?

 

 

I'll tell you part number and price in a minute, VW dealer or ebay.

 

N 909 830 02 is the part number, £4.45 inc VAT at a VW dealer (or Skoda if nearer)

No listings on ebay with anything comparable cost-wise at the moment. 

Or simply cut 4mm off the current one, but they are supposedly 'replace if removed'.

Unfortunately, that bolt has wrecked two steering racks already so you may wish to throw it a long way away.

 

Looking on the bright side, its presence in this wrong place probably means the car had a new clutch fitted before being sold.

1 hour ago, Pete1 said:

Or simply cut 4mm off the current one, but they are supposedly 'replace if removed'.

Unfortunately, that bolt has wrecked two steering racks already so you may wish to throw it a long way away.

 

Looking on the bright side, its presence in this wrong place probably means the car had a new clutch fitted before being sold.

Just picking one up from TPS for £4.95 I think. It should be ok as the rack was only put on a day ago and driven to get tracked and then back home where it’s on ramps 

44 minutes ago, FreeHassan said:

Just picking one up from TPS for £4.95 I think. It should be ok as the rack was only put on a day ago and driven to get tracked and then back home where it’s on ramps 

I’ve changed the bolt but to no avail. Still no power steering. Any other ideas. 

 

2 hours ago, Pete1 said:

Or simply cut 4mm off the current one, but they are supposedly 'replace if removed'.

Unfortunately, that bolt has wrecked two steering racks already so you may wish to throw it a long way away.

 

Looking on the bright side, its presence in this wrong place probably means the car had a new clutch fitted before being sold.

 

Yeah, the problem with the too-long bolt is that it dents the hydraulic tube of the rack, making it not work.

The garage that changed the rack for you would really be expected to have spotted this on the one they took out, given the symptoms. Ask them if they still have it, to inspect.

 

25 minutes ago, Pete1 said:

Yeah, the problem with the too-long bolt is that it dents the hydraulic tube of the rack, making it not work.

The garage that changed the rack for you would really be expected to have spotted this on the one they took out, given the symptoms. Ask them if they still have it, to inspect.

 

Will ask them. I really don’t want to pay labour for the rack again but they’re not the type to recognise stuff like this. 

I doubt it will help more than a well planned polite approach, but this is the info that says unambiguously that that fastener should not be re-used. I can't see that they would/could have done the job without removing it.

 

2 minutes ago, Pete1 said:

I doubt it will help more than a well planned polite approach, but this is the info that says unambiguously that that fastener should not be re-used. I can't see that they would/could have done the job without removing it.

 

Yeah I’ve seen this. The rack was done under my ownership. The clutch was done a while ago. I got the rack from a vrs this garage just change the rack and the cv boots and other suspension parts. Just a normal mechanic not a specialist or anything. Could it be the steering angle sensor by any chance or would it definitely be the rack. I’ve noticed if I unplug the angle sensor from the sensor connector I can hear a whine from the pump so I am certain the pump I installed is working 

If you can grab a cheap secondhand sensor to try, why not, but I don't hold out a lot of hope.

 

2 minutes ago, Pete1 said:

If you can grab a cheap secondhand sensor to try, why not, but I don't hold out a lot of hope.

 

If I do get another rack is the vrs or fabia one the same and what about the Ibiza or facelift 9n3 are these racks interchangeable. 

Message me with your VIN and I can look up the part number to look for.