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start up hard steering. wth is going on

11K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  minione2002 
#1 ·
ok so when the car is started the steering wheel is hard for a few turns or about 10-15 seconds. then the pump starts kicking in. its not on cold starts. u can sit there and start the car 5 straight times and 2-3 of the times the steering will be hard. the pump was replaced 2 weeks ago and again yesterday thinking it was a defective part. i flushed the fluid. using the right fluid. checked both banjo bolts the one with the check ball is fine. fuses are fine. fuse box is fine. ground was cleaned and is fine. my friend hooked it up to a scan tool. the pump gets power but does not fully kick in. it starts at 10% and eventually climbs to 80. when it works fine it starts at 80%. i also checked the ign switch. also fine. i know the harness has a fuse built in but im sure thats not bad. anyone ever have this problem? its a simple system so im scratching my head now. only thing i can think of next is replacing the rack but i dont think thats bad. and its 1000dollars.
 
#2 ·
Have you checked the output of the alternator as the ps pump makes heavy demands for power, also check the connectors on the back of the alternator. A faulty signal can cause the computer to do odd things like thinking the engine has stopped.

"The EHPS system on Mini's (electro hydraulic power steeering) is a two stage steering system/process. When NO steering wheel movement is carried out the pump runs at 80% its output. When any movement of the steering wheel is carried out the hydraulic pressure in the system increases thus the pump runs to its full 100% output.
eg:- 80% output spin speed is 3500 rpm
100% output spin speed is 4500 rpm."

More info here:
Power Steering Pump replacement - Forums
 
#3 ·
Also, the pump gets an initial kick up the backside on startup, then spins away at its 80% RPM. If that little wire falls off the back of the alternator (it tells the computer that the engine is running) then the car thinks the engine is already running rather than just being started, and DOESN'T give it the kick in the bum, so the pump runs slow for a while.

Stupid supposedly unrelated things, but there you go. Happened to me after a dealership forgot to reconnect when doing a water pump.
 
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