Power Steering Issue

[Kitesurfer]

Any one experienced a burst power steering pipe, this happened to me last week, as soon as I realised something was not right, I stopped checked the reservoir to find fluid below the low dip stick mark.
Phoned for break down Green Flag & got taken to the VW Garage to get repaired.
I was told that I had run the power steering pump dry & required a new pump & new pipe work.
I don't think it was run dry if there is still fluid in the reservoir ?.
The pipe that burst runs form the pump to the steering rack, this is a steel pipe bent in a S shape with a solid fixing bracket, with rubber tubes on ether end that connect to the pump & steering rack.
I assume that the rubber pipes are to take any flexible movement out of the connection.
My thoughts are that the reason the steel pipe broke was due to it being solidly fixed with the substantial pipe bracket, this has then put strain - metal fatigue into the steel pipe that has eventually cracked.
I am going to contact VW customer care to check if this is a regular problem & maybe a design fault

PS tried attaching photos to this thread but can not figure out how to ?

Terry

 

[WelshGas]

Any one experienced a burst power steering pipe, this odwilloog ynffer and VW to me last week, as soon as I realised something was not right, I stopped checked the reservoir to find fluid below the low dip stick mark.
Phoned for break down Gre at some point.den Flag & got taken to the VW Garage to get repaired.
I was told that I had run the power steering pump dry & required a new pump & new pipe work.
I don't think it was run dry if there is still fluid in the reservoir ?.
The pipe that burst runs form the pump to the steering rack, this is a steel pipe bent in a S shape with a solid fixing bracket, with rubber tubes on ether end that connect to the pump & steering rack.
I assume that the rubber pipes are to take any flexible movement out of the connection.
My thoughts are that the reason the steel pipe broke was due to it being solidly fixed with the substantial pipe bracket, this has then put strain - metal fatigue into the steel pipe that has eventually cracked.
I am going to contact VW customer care to check if this is a regular problem & maybe a design fault

PS tried attaching photos to this thread but can not figure out how to ?

Terry

Fortunately not a common fault. I haven’t been able to find anything similar on this Forum or some others .
I presume you stopped as soon as the steering became “ heavy “. This woul£ tend to indicate that the pump was operating but no pressure/assistance was generated due to a lack of fluid within the pump. So, no matter if there was fluid in the reservoir, it seems likely the pump has run dry.
I presume it is outside Warranty and if VW offers no compensation then you could just ask for the pipe work to be replaced but be prepared for the pump to be replace at some future point.

 

[jts46]

How often do you check the vehicles bodily fluids, I check mine weekly

 

[Kitesurfer]

Hi WelshGas / John

I check regularly this fracture in the steel pipe was sudden I had just set of & got about 1 mile when it happened stopped then phoned the brake down service

 

[Silver5urfer]

Hi, I had to have a split power steering pipe replaced on my 2013 Beach (24000 miles) last October, very disappointing and expensive (£400). VW dealer said it must have been damaged by a stone/rock which I very much doubt. It was an expensive month with the Cambelt and service as well.

 

[Kitesurfer]

Hi SilverSurfer

Tipical Comment that you get from them (Bull sing)
I would dispute that as the belly plate totally protects it

 

[Kitesurfer]

Customer Care, ?
With regard to a telephone conversation with one of VW customer care representatives, to be told VW do not guarantee any of there parts, against failure, I find that very disappointing.
I totally understand that any part of any vehicle can & will fail at some time as a vehicle gets older, but do not agree that the metal pipe part of a flexable joint, between the power steering pump & the steering rack should fail on a vehicle less that 4 years old.

The metal pipe section of this flexabl connection between the power steering pump & steering rack should be mounted on a flexible connection point, not as the design of a substantial solid bracket welded to the pipe.
Lodgic tells me that the flexible movement of the rubber hose section will put stress on this metal pipe section cousing stress - metal fatigue to this part.
Your representative said that as VW do not guarantee any parts, they would contact the VW garage who done the repair work to see if they would consider a good will gesture in reducing the cost of this unexpected repair bill.
I have contacted this VW garage to see if they would consider a reduction in this bill but told that they could only reduce this cost if VW would reduce the cost of the parts.
I have had conversation with work colleagues, Designers who all have commented on this flexible pipe should be flexible not solidly fixed.
I also have a thread running on the VW California Forum, with lost of response to this issue.
Mr T Bradley