Power Steering Problem? Troubleshooting Guide.

Hello,

I'm having another problem with my Passat (35i 1Z sedan), which has been going on for quite some time. It's a bit difficult to explain.

Imagine a road in cross-section. Let's assume that the right side of the road is higher, perhaps due to ruts.
So, the wheels on the passenger side are riding on the edge of the tire and are therefore 'higher', while the wheels on the driver's side are lower.

The steering wheel is pulling strongly to the left, which means I have to steer sharply to the right to compensate.
It's incredibly annoying when driving on bumpy roads, especially when the steering wheel starts wobbling back and forth.

Does anyone have any ideas?
Sure, no problem. Here's the translation:

'Thank you in advance.'

Hello,

So, for me, that sounds completely normal .
The wider the tires, or the wider the wheel spacers mounted between the rims and the hub, the more pronounced this effect becomes. This is due to the geometry of the wheel suspension.
Do you want to see the effect without the road and tire tracks, or are you just looking for an explanation as to why it is like that?

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi Rainer,

So, the wheels aren't excessively wide (205 R15 with VW alloy wheels) -> that was the standard size for the GT back then.
No track widening.
Well, I think something might be wrong because I haven't noticed this issue in other cars before.
I should probably mention that it's about a quarter of a steering wheel rotation, and the pulling sensation remains until the road changes. Sorry if my initial explanation didn't come across clearly...

Hello,

'To me, it sounds like there's either a huge amount of play in the steering (which would explain the need for constant counter-steering), or a complete failure of the power steering system (which would explain the 'strong pulling' sensation on the steering wheel).'

But a quarter turn of counter-steering? That would mean that the top point of the steering wheel would be the rightmost point when counter-steering (rotated 90 degrees). That sounds like so much that the error must be obvious to an experienced eye.

Okay, let's jack up the front of the car and check the wheel play. Put one hand on the front of the wheel and the other on the back, and rotate the wheel back and forth. There shouldn't be much play at all.

In addition, I would like you to check the play in all the rubber bushings by inserting a long lever between them and seeing if there is any movement.

Does the servo make noise when the car is stationary? Could the V-belt be slipping? Please perform a visual inspection of the V-belt. Also, with the engine running, try turning the steering wheel fully to the right and then to the left. The V-belt should not squeal or slip during this process.

I had a similar effect with my previous car (a Scorpio). Whenever it rained, water would splash onto the ribbed belt, causing it to slip. (This was all because a splash guard was missing.) This also resulted in the car strongly following the ruts in the road and having difficulty getting out of them.

If the servo actually fails, I would suspect the pump rather than the steering system itself. I have never heard of a servo failure without some kind of mechanical force (i.e., an accident) being involved.

Regards,
Private.

Hi.

Quote:

But to steer a quarter turn in the opposite direction?

That would mean that the top of the steering wheel would be at the rightmost point (rotated 90 degrees) when counter-steering. } That sounds like so much that the error must be obvious to an experienced eye. }
A quarter turn sounds like something is loose.

Best regards, Rainer.

Thanks for the helpful tips, I'll investigate this further.

Power steering works when stationary, and the serpentine belt doesn't slip.
I'll try checking the wheels again, but if you wiggle the steering wheel (with the engine running, so with power steering), the wheels also wiggle without noticeable play. I suspect it's probably some kind of rubber bushing; I'll see if I can find anything.
Thank you...