2009 Ibiza 6J power steering,,, again.

[mobbzy]

After 2 weeks snowed in my power steering stopped working. yellow light on dash did not go out when start engine, and steering stiff. Obviously the pumps not running.
OBD failure codes 01288 (Signal too high, Terminal 30 Steering assistance), and 01290 (Short circuit to ground, power steering reference voltage) are showing.
Battery is good, changed 6 months ago without problems till now. and the fuse on battery terminal is not blown. pump is 6R0423156A. where is terminal 30?. it shows 20.66 volts on scannner.
Any ideas welcome.

 

[Dazmancumbria]

I had problem with my steering, kept stopping and than after a mile came back . I cleaned all the contacts in the engine that supply the pump, check the alternator was working and replaced the battery . Hasnt happened since.

 

[Dazmancumbria]

 

[mobbzy]

I had problem with my steering, kept stopping and than after a mile came back . I cleaned all the contacts in the engine that supply the pump, check the alternator was working and replaced the battery . Hasnt happened sinc

View attachment 22361

looks well corroded, looking at your fuse box, shouldn't the largest red cable, which feeds compartment, go to the 110 amp fuse connector (which looks well corroded). the one you show disconnected will be black wire which comes from alternator, this be 175 amp. according to https://fuse-box-info/seat/seat-ibiza-mk4-6j-2008-2015-fuses
which list all the fuses and is a good source of info. the fuse rating is stamped on the metal plate. thin spray of waxoil will protect all.. or liberal application of wd40.

 

[Dazmancumbria]

Yeah I cleaned all of them and the one from the alternator. And covered everything in copper grease to stop the corrosion

 

[dm222]

Its ridicullous how unreliable the Ibiza power steering is...

As the cars get older we will see this posts more and more often.



Terminal 30 is the wire that sits on the 50A fuse.

Bad contacts dont increase voltage, in fact they REDUCE voltage and increase Amps



If the battery reads normal voltage between 12 and 14.5 and the pump is reading 20v your pump has gone bad.

 

[mobbzy]

Its ridicullous how unreliable the Ibiza power steering is...

As the cars get older we will see this posts more and more often.



Terminal 30 is the wire that sits on the 50A fuse.

Bad contacts dont increase voltage, in fact they REDUCE voltage and increase Amps



If the battery reads normal voltage between 12 and 14.5 and the pump is reading 20v your pump has gone bad.

Thanks, yes I'm seeing that 20.66 volts in the scan. I am using an iCarsoft scanner. On steering assistance scan it's showing 20.66 on terminal 30. But I know battery is good, and the 50A fuse is not blown. At battery multimeter shows 13.8 and charging ok..So can I assume that the scanner is reading a duff voltage within the pump unit via the CAN system because the pump electronics are US.? I have downloaded model specific circuit diagrams from erWin, but all the descriptions are in german, so have used google translate to decipher. The other good source of info is 7zap.com, where spare parts/ekta data can be found (eventually).
The scan is reading that I have pump 6R0423156A, (TRW) so next step is to demount the existing, check the wiring and connectors are all intact, and if so fit new one.
These same pumps are used on literally 100's of models. but I would like to know what caused it to fail??

 

[dm222]

Usually corrosion and water finds its way inside the pump

 

[mobbzy]

Problem with finding out cause is that the old unit has to go back as exchange, £210 credit, so only the manufacturer will know when they strip it. I think the problem is where they locate the pump, its under the wheel arch behind the foglight, and relies on undertray and wheelarch liner to protect it. They are both intact, and I hadnt driven through deep water, nor got snow in there. Maybe in the 2 weeks inactivity some mice found a home there and chewed a wire. Salt on the roads maybe.

 

[mobbzy]

Usually corrosion and water finds its way inside the pump

I will protect new pump and connectors with liberal coating of waxoil. assuming new pump fixes the problem.
Thanks, will file a report when complete.

 

[dm222]

Seat designed the car in a way that there is basically a water drain directed to the pump

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that it used to be a lot worse than it is now, originally the pump assembly was fitted with an acoustic blanket which probably made the pump quieter and made sure it was surrounded by moisture for most of its life - that was in the early Skoda Fabias which were the first VW Group marque to launch these cars in maybe 1998.

 

[mobbzy]

After 2 weeks snowed in my power steering stopped working. yellow light on dash did not go out when start engine, and steering stiff. Obviously the pumps not running.
OBD failure codes 01288 (Signal too high, Terminal 30 Steering assistance), and 01290 (Short circuit to ground, power steering reference voltage) are showing.
Battery is good, changed 6 months ago without problems till now. and the fuse on battery terminal is not blown. pump is 6R0423156A. where is terminal 30?. it shows 20.66 volts on scannner.
Any ideas welcome.

All fixed now, fitted new pump, like for like (TRW 162 fits several variants), and it fired up immediately OK. But it was a nightmare getting at the unit to remove it. £528 minus £210 old pump exchange. remove wheel, remove plastic wheel arch liner (and the load of sand and mud trapped behing it).. remove cooling fan control module for access the pump retainer frame bolt, loosen windscreen washer pump unit fo easier access, disconnect pipes, lower the retainer unit down, remove pump to retainer fixings, disconnect the hydraulic pipe. Drain oil from pump. Now rotate the unit for access the connectors..(this the very awkward bit because virtually no slack in the connecting wire). Remove old. Fit new in reverse of process, by tying piece of cord around the fiiter cap and pulling up through the top hole to hold the weight whist doing electrical connections. I guess when car manufactured they fit the front bumper unit last, and access is easy.