Power steering failure

[Natasha_Young]

Everything else seems to work when the power steering doesn’t operate- lights, radio etc.
The only other unusual thing is the alternator which is faulty (low voltage) when tested in the car but works fine when bench tested.

[Hell Razor5543]

I wonder if anybody has checked the various cables and their connections?

[GiveMeABreak]

Everything else seems to work when the power steering doesn’t operate- lights, radio etc.
The only other unusual thing is the alternator which is faulty (low voltage) when tested in the car but works fine when bench tested.

From what you've just said, it's possible that your wiring may be faulty from the alternator to the battery, or the battery terminal connections, which would make sense if it is working on the bench but intermittently on the car. Another good reason to have an auto electrician check the circuit out thoroughly.

[Ami93]

Hi Sorry to jump on to this post 3 years later, i currently have a 2014 Citroen DS3.
I have an issue where when its cold my power steering comes up faulty upon starting the car and it also says the ESP/ASR system faulty.

It used to be that i would start the car the faults would come up and after running the engine for 5mins i would turn off and restart the car and it would go away.
I had an issue on Monday where the car would not start RAC came out and got the car back up and running and told me to charge the battery for 24 hrs which is what i am doing.

I however one year ago had a new alternator fitted as my belt snapped after owning the car for one month. since the alternator has been replaced these issues started but they only happen when it is cold such as below 10 degrees C.

This is now taking 1hr for the fault to go away and I am unsure where to start. so my question is did you ever get this issue fixed and if so what was the fault?

[Hell Razor5543]

Hi, and to the Forum.

How old is the battery? It is known that Citroens can be sensitive where the electrics are concerned, and a failing battery can cause all sorts of weird issues.

[Ami93]

The battery is the one the car was fitted with the date stamped on it is 19/07/2013

[Ami93]

This also never happened untill after i hd the alternator changed. and it only happens in the cold not when the weather is hot

[JohnD]

Twice when I've started the car after standing for a week when the engine has just staggered into life, I've found the power steering not working. Each time, I've let the engine run long enough to build up a small reserve of voltage. Then I've disconnected the battery and done the BSI reset programme. Each time everything has been back to normal after completion.

[Ami93]

I will try a bsi reset once I have tried just charging the battery

[Ami93]

It wasn’t the battery and I did a BSI reset and that also doesn’t work. RAC believe the fault lies with the alternator as the issues only began after it was replaced.

[GiveMeABreak]

Get a full diagnostic done and put all the fault codes up here along with the VIN for further pointer. Please post your VIN in full without spaces - it will be automatically masked from public view after submitting your post & will only be visible to staff.

[Ami93]

VIN VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

FAULT CODES ARE AS LISTED

Engine faults
P1AA2
P11AB
U0131
P0500

Built in system interface
040A
05FF
003D
0062

Anti-lock break system
U1321
U1121

Multifunction display
P0062
P08F0

Electric power steering
P0606
C1644

Just to update I have bought and fitted a new battery today.

[GiveMeABreak]

P1AA2 means you have a fault with the voltage maintaining device.

Fault Code:	P1AA2
Description of Fault:	Voltage retaining device: Internal electronics fault. Internal fault.
Conditions for Fault to clear:	Ignition on
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	Automatic restarting impossible following stopping of the engine (Requires restarting of the engine using the ignition key). Switching on of the warning lamp and/or warning message: "SERVICE" warning lamp
Symptoms:	Absence of automatic stopping of the internal combustion engine Problem with automatic restarting of the internal combustion engine Malfunction of the Stop and Start switch or its LED
Suspect Areas:	Voltage retaining device

Fault Code:	P11AB
Description of Fault:	Air circuit: Turbocharging pressure below the maximum threshold. Possibility 1: Incoherence between the measured position of the turbocharger electrovalve and the measured turbo air pressure, as detected by the turbo pressure being lower than 0,9 bars for 3 seconds at idle. Possibility 2: Incoherence between the measured position of the turbocharger electrovalve and the measured turbo air pressure, as detected by the turbo pressure being lower than 1,3 bars for 3 seconds under load. These thresholds are weighted according to the atmospheric pressure
Conditions for Fault to clear:	Driving for 5 minutes with several full load accelerations
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	Closing of the EGR (exhaust gas recycling) valve Irreversible deactivation of the vehicle speed limiter Irreversible deactivation of the vehicle cruise control Deactivation of taking account of the tight spot information Switching of the turbocharging pressure regulation to controlled mode Switching to fuel "normal reduced flow" mode Deactivation of the request for regeneration of the particle filter from the diagnostic tool Sending of the information "torque uncertain" on the CAN network Switching on of the warning lamp and/or warning message: Warning lamp MIL & "SERVICE" warning lamp
Symptoms:	Lack of power Smoke from the exhaust Noise
Suspect Areas:	Manifold air entry pressure sensor turbocharger Turbocharger variable geometry control solenoid valve Turbocharger variable geometry position repeat sensor Electrical harnesses Connectors Vacuum circuit leak

Fault Code:	U0131
Description of Fault:	Intersystems CAN: Communication with power steering ECU missing. Faults in communication between ECUs on the CAN network.
Conditions for Fault to clear:	Driving for 5 minutes
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	-
Symptoms:	Loss of power steering
Suspect Areas:	Engine ECU Intersystem CAN network

Fault Code:	P0500
Description of Fault:	Intersystems CAN: Speed information incorrect or absent. Information not received or received invalid by the engine management ECU on the CAN.
Conditions for Fault to clear:	Driving for 5 minutes
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	Irreversible deactivation of the vehicle speed curbing function Irreversible deactivation of the vehicle speed limiter Irreversible deactivation of the vehicle cruise control Sending of the information "torque uncertain" on the CAN network Switching on of the warning lamp and/or warning message: Warning lamp MIL
Symptoms:	Jerking/stalling Lack of power
Suspect Areas:	Engine ECU Intersystem CAN network

Fault Code:	U1321
Description of Fault:	Electric power steering operating fault. Reception of invalid information. Information from the power steering ECU absent for more than 500 ms
Conditions for Fault to clear:	After switching the ignition off and then back on
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	Cutting of all ESP operations Switching on of the warning lamp and/or warning message: Warning lamp ESP
Symptoms:	The indicator light ESP comes on
Suspect Areas:	Supply of electric power steering CAN network Electric power steering ECU

U1121 - Similar to above: No communication with Power Steering ECU, same suspect areas.


Multifunction display
P0062
P08F0

No data for these codes.

Fault Code:	P0606
Description of Fault:	Electric power steering ECU fault. Electric power steering internal faults. At least one of the following conditions must be fulfilled: - Vehicle stopped, engine running, with movements of the steering wheel - Vehicle moving, with movements of the steering wheel The difference in force measured between the torque sensor input and output is greater than 2,5 Nm
Conditions for Fault to clear:	Ignition switched off and on again
Downgrade Modes whilst Fault is active:	Loss of power steering assistance (Mechanical failure) Deactivation of all the power steering functions Switching on of the warning lamp and/or warning message Possibility 1 - Lighting of the power steering warning lamp Possibility 2 - Lighting of the ESP warning lamp
Symptoms:	Possibility 1 - Assistance not operational - Steering stiff Possibility 2 - Deactivation of the function ESP
Suspect Areas:	Battery Electrical harnesses Connectors Electric power steering ECU

C1644 - No Data.

[Ami93]

Thank you for this, I had the battery changed however the weather dropped below 5 again and now the fault is back. Not sure where to go from here.

[xantia_v6]

My random guess is that there is a faulty soldered joint in the power steering ECU that fails when the metal contracts in the cold. I don't know where that ECU sits, but if you could find it, you could try gently warming it (perhaps with a hair dryer) to see if it fixes the symptoms on a cold day.