Power Steering Fail

[jonnysouth]

Driving earlier and my power steering failed as went to make a turn pulled in a got a warning message instructing to restart power. Did this and warning disappeared but red battery light came on. Managed to drive short distance home without power steering. Have restarted engine a couple of times, battery light has gone off and can't see any other fault lights but still no power steering.
Anyone had anything like this? The way it failed doesn't seem like a mechanical/fluid issue to me and maybe more electrical but not much clue what it could be? Is there a fuse involved (wishful thinking maybe!)?
Thanks

 

[Dellmassive]

What spec van?

Assuming a T6.1 with electrical steering rack?

 

[jonnysouth]

What spec van?

Assuming a T6.1 with electrical steering rack?

2016 T6 T32 highline kombi.
I found the fuse board diagram in the members area after original post and located 2 fuses with ref to steering, unfortunately both seem fine.
Also found the tank for the steering fluid which looks like it might be a little low but not too far off where it should be, the pipe coming out of it does look dry at the top and damp further down so unsure now if there may be a leak, just seems odd to me if this was the case that it would go from working fine to nothing all at once.

 

[Perfectos]

Check the serpentine belt, if that has broken you’ll have no drive to the PS pump

 

[jonnysouth]

Check the serpentine belt, if that has broken you’ll have no drive to the PS pump

Ok thanks I'll have a look, is it easy to access?

 

[Perfectos]

Put your hand down the side of the engine (without it running )
left hand side (drivers side uk) plastic cam belt cover end
you should feel a ribbed belt below the end of the plastic cover ends.

alternatively remove the under trays and look up

 

[jonnysouth]

Put your hand down the side of the engine (without it running )
left hand side (drivers side uk) plastic cam belt cover end
you should feel a ribbed belt below the end of the plastic cover ends. (The ribs face upwards )

alternatively remove the under trays and look up

I'll check tomorrow, thanks

 

[Dellmassive]

Got a pic of the dash lights.

 

[Sackmycook]

Oh god, not another belt to worry about !

 

[jonnysouth]

Put your hand down the side of the engine (without it running )
left hand side (drivers side uk) plastic cam belt cover end
you should feel a ribbed belt below the end of the plastic cover ends.

alternatively remove the under trays and look up

Good call, the belt is loose and feels partly shredded.

Did some more online research and found description of the belt and tensioner and also a video and some threads about fitting it on a T5, supposed to be fairly straight forward apart from acces to the bolt that holds the tensioner in place.
Trying to decide whether to have a go at it or just drop it down the local garage.

Got a pic of the dash lights.

The fault warning came up temporarily but not showing any lights now.

 

[jonnysouth]

Oh god, not another belt to worry about !

Seems like it yes

 

[Grim Reaper]

Be aware that should you continue to drive with the belt in the state you suggest it is in, that it has been known for them to fail, snap and get caught up in the bottom pulley where it proceeds to take out the cam belt and even more (expensive) damage can occur.

 

[jonnysouth]

Be aware that should you continue to drive with the belt in the state you suggest it is in, that it has been known for them to fail, snap and get caught up in the bottom pulley where it proceeds to take out the cam belt and even more (expensive) damage can occur.

Thanks for the advice. It's just parked up at the minute until I figure out what to do.
If I do decide to take it in the garage I'd likely use is only a couple of miles away, was planning to drive it down there really early when it's quiet and I can take it steady whilst wrestling the steering wheel!
If I'm going to do this would it be better to remove the belt completely before taking it down there (assume I'd have no PS, alternator or Aircon) but would it still drive otherwise?

 

[Grim Reaper]

I changed my belt and tensioner last year, did it on the drive, the most difficult thing was tightening the bolt in the tensioner up, there's very little space for the required star/triple square bit and a bar substantial enough to get the required torque on it.
Latest version of the tensioner is an M as far as I know.
See Poly V belt running off to one side [Resolved]

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[DXX]

Thanks for the advice. It's just parked up at the minute until I figure out what to do.
If I do decide to take it in the garage I'd likely use is only a couple of miles away, was planning to drive it down there really early when it's quiet and I can take it steady whilst wrestling the steering wheel!
If I'm going to do this would it be better to remove the belt completely before taking it down there (assume I'd have no PS, alternator or Aircon) but would it still drive otherwise?

You might make it with the belt off. I certainly wouldn’t drive it with a shredded belt as you are risking the timing belt getting wrapped up.
Do you have breakdown cover that will cover it and get you to the garage?

 

[jonnysouth]

You might make it with the belt off. I certainly wouldn’t drive it with a shredded belt as you are risking the timing belt getting wrapped up.
Do you have breakdown cover that will cover it and get you to the garage?

Not sure exactly what my cover includes but good suggestion, will check that one out.

Definitely not going to drive it anywhere in current condition now.

 

[Perfectos]

Not sure exactly what my cover includes but good suggestion, will check that one out.

Definitely not going to drive it anywhere in current condition now.

glad you found the issue.

edit: put a new belt tensioner on when you replace the aux belt

The potential damage that can be caused if the aux belt shreds , snap and take out the timing belt will be about £10k to fix.

you should fully inspect the timing belt to determine if it has already been damaged, if there is even the slightest bit of damage to the timing belt replace it immediately.

report back to help others

certainly do not drive it anywhere

do you have AA etc, get it to a garage as suggested above ?


note main dealer will be extortionate in comparison to an Indi garage.