where is power steering reservoir on 190e w201

Hi the power steering reservior when looking from the front of the engine is to the right of the front of the cylinder head. There is a pump fitted with a metal reservior with a small black rubber screw off top.Twist of the top then lift of the lid.

hi, thanks for your reply.

I found it (exactly where you said), but its already full. I then thought perhaps the creaking is the ball joint so I covered it in oil just to see if it went quiet and it made no difference. If the joint were creaking would oil reduce the noise or would it not penetrate deep enough ? I dont have any WD40 to hand. I am not looking to solve it with oil, just to diagnose what the problem is.

Anyone have any ideas what else it could be ? The symptoms are.

Loud creaking noise when steering at low or no speed. With the car totally stationary its worst. It creeks in both directions. It doesn't creek at all ever unless turning the steering wheel which suggest to me it isn't part of the suspension, I can bounce it up and down without such much as a squeak.

The fluid in the reservoir was pretty dirty looking so I will be changing that when I get the time but I wouldn't have thought dirty fluid would cause it to suddenly go from totally silent to embarrassingly creaky ?

Any help much appreciated

Idler arm bushings?

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Three things to check first...

1. At the bottom of the reservoir there is a filter screen that may need cleaning/replaced.
2. What is the condition of the serpentine belt. Could it be worn out and slipping?
3. What is the condition of the belt tensioner. A worn out tensioner will not hold enough tension, thus allowing the belt to slip and make noise when the pump has to work a little harder turning the wheels standing or slow speed.

My 3 cents

Peter

Hi Kenny sounds like a bottom ball joint to me try jacking up the car on the side with the noise and try turning the steering ,if noise disappears then most likely bottom ball joint . Try pulling the rubber boot back and see if joint seems dry or rusty. While jacked up and boot pulled away try soaking the joint with wd40 ,but will require replacing if joint is diagnosed as worn.

Hi,

Thanks everyone for your advice, I have now worked out it isnt the power steering, I think it does sound like a ball joint, taking the weight of it and steering sounds like a good idea, although if it is another part of trh suspention wouldnt that also stop when the weight is taken off it ?

I have it booked in tomorrow so I am sure it will be an easy fix I just wanted to get the part before I drop it off for fixing. Mind you a lower ball joint is only £7.50 (in the uk) so I may as well just grab one, even if this isnt the problem it will need replacing eventually.

Thanks again everyone !!

thanks for reply.

I have traced it to the lower ball joint. spraying wd40 on it made it stop after about 5 minutes , its booked in to be done tomorrow, thanks for the advice.

In case it helps anyone else with a similar problem , From the sound it was clear it was a creaking rather than a slipping sound, it wasnt noticably coming from the engine bay but was VERY loud in side the car and just as loud but not so bassy or serious sounding outside near the wheel.

thanks kenny

I have a similar sound on occasions normally when parking I think it comes from the steering damper (sort of shock absorber gismo on the steering linkage). Worth a look.