Hi guys not sure if i chasing a fault that doesn't exist.

   #1  

spoon

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Got a customer with a 2005 seat ibiza 1.4 with electric power steering they have asked me to diagnose the "fault" with their car. They are complaining about headlights dimming when the power steering is used.
From a large amount of reading this appears to be a common issue that is not a fault just down to the drain from a high amperage p/s pump.
initially had no comms with vag com - easy fix k line still connected with an aftermarket head unit. When checking voltages with k line still connected to radio under load battery voltage was dropping to 12v after k line disconnected 14v and reasonably stable but the headlights still dim with steering.
Can anyone confirm this is normal as i have never been asked to trace a fault similar to this before and not sure it is a fault.
In power steering assist measuring blocks i have a difference in terminal 30 and 15 voltages of about 0.4 -0.5 volts and power steering assist reference voltage only says "to low" no actual value seen this in other peoples logs aswell???
I can't post any logs as they are on my other laptop but will have access to that tomorrow and will upload asap.
thanks in advance
 
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Uwe

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Honestly, this sounds more like a job that should perused with a multimeter rather than a scan-tool. Use it to find where the voltage drop is when the steering rack puts a load on things. Scan tools are wonderful things, but they can only tell you what the car knows, and I really doubt the car itself knows where this voltage drop is occurring.

Putting that aside for a moment, by all means, post up your logs; maybe there are clues in there.

-Uwe-
 
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spoon

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well went through everything possible today to find no real problems then borrowed a similar car from the car sales lot down the road from me to discover it behaves in exactly the same way and i was indeed chasing my tail and this is not a fault but a general condition of small vag group cars with electric power steering.
cheers for the input anyway.
 
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Uwe

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It may be endemic to that model of car, but I bet it could still be improved if one wanted to. I bet there's a substantial voltage drop somewhere (VW tends to be cheap with copper wire) that could be reduced if one wanted to figure out where it's happening.

-Uwe-
 
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