A Class 160 Pas Problem!

[MANBY]

Hi All,
Wonder if any of you guy's & girl's can help.
When approching a junction/roundabout..etc,
the battery light starts flashing and the power steering fails, it becomes a struggle to turn the wheel, also the engine takes on this strange sound, like it's electric instead of a petrol engine!
But when i pull away the power comes back to the steering and it seems fine.

Hope you nice people have any advice or can help in any way.

Many thanks
Manby

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

Hi there,
Do you notice if the revs drop or the engine is seeming to missfire/ cut out??

I say this because the power steering pump on a A class is electric. It has three electric connections, A perminent live 12v, an earth to the body, and a engine running signal direct from the alternator. When it recivies the signal from the alternator 12v the it knows the engine is running and starts up the pump. if the signal is lost then the steering pump will not run. this is the same signal which is sent to the instrument cluster to put out the battery light.

so your engine is gutting out or slowing down considerbly, or your alternator is most likely faulty, check you alternator performance.

Sorry for the esay, i get carried away,
hope that helps

 

[jibcl500]

do you have the battery light illuminated when the car is at tickover, faint glow of the battery light. If so alternator is failing.

Does the car turn over on the key like it normally does or is it sounding sluggish.

jib

 

[MANBY]

Thanks for the help,
No the battery light does not come on when driving or on tick over. It only flashes when braking or stoping and the power steering goes!
The engine starts fine first time and runs well too.

Manby

 

[mattkh]

Hi

How is the power steering if you leave the wheel slightly at an angle when parked overnight ?

 

[carabind]

if the alternator is the common link to the PAS and battery light, then this must be the culprit. It sound like an intermittment break, thats caused by braking. Have an auto electrician check the output voltage, also have you checked to see all wiring (inc earth to battery) is secure ?

As an aside what's the mileage/age, as the alternator might be coming to the end of its life?

 

[MANBY]

Hi,
Thanks for all your help but the problem seems to have cured it self!! It has not occured since i last wrote about it. I drove from oxford (where the problem started) to hertfordshire and not a trace of the power steering failing, and its not done it since. Maybe it was just a glitch or the wrong time of the month! but it seems ok now (crossed my fingers just then) anyway thank you for your time. Manby