Power Steering Intermittant Clio

Hi All, Strange problem i noticed last night. I am noticing the oil pressure, level and high temp lights flickering on the main instrument console. Within this the power steering goes heavy, presume its also switching off. It appears to happen worse when you press the accellerator, doest happen when approaching a junction. . I am thinking it is the oil pressure sensor, which apparently the power steering is also controlled by. So i will have a look here first.

But anybody else with some advice? or had simular problems?

Car is a Clio Diesel 95 model. Mk1? Craig

Reply to
craigio
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Slipping belt?

John

Reply to
John Greystrong

Do you have the electric power steering ? In which case it sounds like a bad connection.

Reply to
mrcheerful

yes, belive it is. Just having difficultly with finding the oil sensor at the moment. The haynes manual doesnt give any real clue where it it. Although its looking like its under the oil filter a'ssy which means the raditor fan at least needs to come out.

Reply to
craigio

I'd be checking for bad earths. Most likely one of the main earth leads (engine to body, or body to battery ones).

Reply to
Moray Cuthill

Are you sure its electric power steering ?. Our old Clio MK11 98 was hydroulic ( bugger no spell check, anyway you know what I mean)

Dave

Reply to
Dave Stanton

Dave Stanton ( snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Even the electric systems are usually hydraulic - the pump's electrically driven, not engine-driven.

Reply to
Adrian

Well i think its a electrical problem which is on the power steering circuit. The haynes manual i have doesnt give detail of the electrics for the power steering. But i have found the oil pressure sensor and the voltage (which i presume should be at +12v) is moving around as and when the lights flicker. So it rules out the sensor, but its possibly the supply feeding the circuit. Its strange, its not affecting anything else. So i am assuming that it could be a earthing problem or a power feed problem. I will need to continue tommorrow. Its annoying i can probably find the fault if i can trace the cabling around, which on a shoehorned engine bay isnt easy.

C.

Reply to
craigio

No, they are not.

Reply to
mrcheerful

mrcheerful. ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Many are. Like I said - "usually".

Reply to
Adrian

Hate to argue, but most of them are. All vauxhall's still use hydraulics at some point in the power steering system, and considering all the other manufacturer's are buying from similar sources, they'll most likely be the same.

Reply to
Moray Cuthill

Ok, looked further...

power steering relay box, which contains 4 relays. Unfortunately Haynes dont have a schematic for this, so really looking in the dark here. I appear to have found the feed going in (link to the sensor) and to what relay it connects to. From looking further and by taking out all of the relays, i did not that one of the connections to a relay looked loose, so i have put it back in correctly. Problem is due to the lack of information im not sure if this has anything to do with the problem i have (but it seems rather strange). I havent seen the problem come back (as yet). But i can at least monitor the sensor line and check if supply is affected or not.

The earth in the circuit appears to be the sensor itself. Which wasnt the problem as i disconnected yesterday, to prove the fault was still around.

Reply to
craigio

Update, Still have the problem, but i have managed to isolate the power steering relay. And check with a ohmeter. The resistance is varying, at the time i am getting the problem, from open circuit to a few meg ohms. The instrument panel is still flickering, but i have effectively taken out the 12v supply (via power steering relay). What would be arrangement on the instrument display in the way it senses the sensor, is another relay used? So im thinking of breaking out the sensor line, to isolate the feed to the instrument console.

Maybe the sensor is faulty?, or could it be that there is a lack of presure in the engine? what would be the way to test?

Reply to
craigio

alternator?

Reply to
dojj

clio and Vauxhall columns are the same, they have a large wiper motor on the side of the column, no hydraulics at all

Reply to
mrcheerful

Done, after spending the day finding it. I found that the Oil Sensor cable was chafed and the wire was showing. Replaced the cable now fine.

Reply to
craigio

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