Power steering failure intermitant

[john91919]

Hi,

After driving out of the works car park and waiting a queue for a few minutes with the aircon on full and the radio on and the rear demister and my indicator I turned right at a junction. Just after I almost completed my turn the power steering died. Luckily I was around far enough the drive down the road.

After about 100yards the battery light came on.

I turned everything off a/c demister etc, the light went off and the power steering came back.

I have tried several time to replicate it but it hasn't happened again.

Any idea whats going on?

Cheers
John

[Flying Scotsman]

Sounds like a slipping drive belt.
It used to happen to a Talbot solara I had. (christ, how long ago was that??)
Happened every time it rained and belt got wet.

You had a lot of load on the belt at the time and it probably just slipped and couldn't drive the power steering pump for a few seconds. When you turned off the ac etc. drive came back.

Maybe time for a new drive belt?

[Mike Noc]

Yep I'd go with a slipping belt, but nothing to do with the air con as that has its own belt on the CDT. Could be a fault with the auto tensioner, oil on the belt, or something binding and holding the belt back.

If it happens again and the belt isn't contaminated then might be worth taking it off and checking all the pulleys and the tensioner.

Mike

[raykay]

I had a similar problem, a jammed A/C compressor pulley, with the A/C switched on - 'no charge' light on and no power steering, with the A/C off - back to normal.

[john91919]

How much am I looking at to get the belt replaced?

What is involved?

I would I test the tensioners?

Cheers
John