berlingo steering

[rainydays]

Hi all, great forum and always very helpful.
I have a problem with the steering on my Berlingo 1.9 Diesel, 53 plate.
When cornering it seems to fight you and tries to correct itself especially on roundabouts. I have put up with this for about a year but lately the steering has become heavy and unresponsive, does not correct itself after turning, you have to pull it round.
I have checked the power steering fluid and it was a brownish colour and had a toasty aroma to it. I have replaced this with some new but it has had little if no affect.
Do you think that it could be the pump failing or have you any other ideas or suggestions.?
Kind regards and a merry xmas to all

[oneday]

are you saying that you dont have any assistance on the steering. have you had your tracking checked. i had thi with a peugeot expert had new tyres fitted and tracked went to glasgow and back had to fight the steering all the way took it back to garage they had put the wrong settings in.
check track rod ends ball joints bushes

[rainydays]

There is some assistance, but at times you have to pull it back round when coming out of corners if you know what i mean. I will have to have a good look at the track rod ends etc, it is not long through its MOT and nothing was mentioned about these areas.
What do you make of the brownish power steering fluid?

[oneday]

age probably. did you give it a good flush when you replaced it. what sort of milage has it done.

[rainydays]

I just siphoned out what was in the tank and put new in. I have done this about 4 times. I have not give it much time to see if the new goes brown. It`s done 130,000.
Got to go get some food in for christmas dinner but will respond when i get back in. Thank`s again

[oneday]

i used the slick 50 power steering fluid on one of mine. it may be a bit of sludge caught somewhere.
there is a product on ebay wynns power steering flush and refill

[rainydays]

I will just have to see if it gets any better with the fresh fluid in and a bit of use.
I have managed to source another pump so i might try fitting that tomorrow, weather permitting

[oneday]

on christmas day like your commitment

[rainydays]

Better than watching the crap on tv and it gets me out of cooking

[oneday]

ah so there is an ulterior motive to this then lol

hope the pump sorts it for you best xsmas pressie youl get

[rainydays]

Your spot on there mate, every year i get less and less and seem to give more and more

[oneday]

sounds very familair

[addo]

I'd be jacking it up with the steering unlocked and swivelling left to right (full radius) by hand. Could well be something like a snapped coil or seized top bearing. Note too, when a control arm (wishbone) bush is completely shagged, it does have the tendancy to not self-correct - the arms are cheap complete, so this is easily sorted.

Usually the fluid condition is a symptom of pump overloading; again what happens in Australia is quite different as we don't suffer rust-induced suspension failures and our PAS pumps will run fine for the entire life of a car.

[rainydays]

Some good points there addo, i will give it a good going over. When you say seized top bearing, could you elaborate on this some more please.

[addo]

There is a very thin needle roller bearing at the top of your van's strut, that helps the strut swivel:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290821093142" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also sometimes the strut mount fails:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370706489802" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyway, if you can't swivel it full lock easily with both its front legs off the ground, the strut tops are binding. If it does swivel easily, then you're looking at geometry/wear in the lower part of your front suspension. If money is really tight you can get away with a rebushing and new balljoints, else look for the complete arms and simply swap in.