Power steering mod

[Wheelspin]

My best friend needs help, my pride and joy will soon have a hand control fitted so she can drive, as she has a disability, from memory my 05 mk5 has electric steering ? Is there a way to make it easier to steer, while parking or pulling out?
We will fit a spinner to it to help steer, but she’s petite and the mod is expensive as it is
Oh I’m in New Zealand 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Hello New Zealand!

The Mk5 uses a conventional mechanical rack and pinion steering - what differs is the power assistance.  Instead of using an engine-driven hydraulic pump and associated hydraulic pusher rams, it uses an extremely powerful electric motor acting as an additional pinion on the rack.  The actual level of assistance supplied is governed by the specific EPS (electric power steering) ECU, and is variable according to vehicle speed - that latter is what VW Group call 'servotronic' power steering.  Some vehicles have an ECU which can be programmed to supply differing levels of power assistance, but I am fairly sure the Golf Mk5 has just one setting.  It is generally very light, even one handed when the car is stationary.

If your friend does feel it to be too heavy, try increasing her front tyre pressures, as that usually is a big help.

Please keep us updated. 

[SI-R32]

Early mark 5s like yours should be able to have the steering assistance changed with vcds so someone even in New Zealand should be able to do it.

It's not fixed all mk5s can have soft or hard steering, old cars via vcds newer say approx 06 07 onwards via Dealer.

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Early mark 5s like yours should be able to have the steering assistance changed with vcds so someone even in New Zealand should be able to do it.

It's not fixed all mk5s can have soft or hard steering, old cars via vcds newer say approx 06 07 onwards via Dealer.

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist

The Ross-Tech wiki is primarily for US spec motors.  Many of their wiki pages do not always correspond to UK/EU/ZA/Oceania spec vehicles.  IIRC correctly,  no Mk5 GTIs had the ability to alter the power steering.  Some very early Mk5 Golfs (pre GTI) did have this feature, but was dropped following better development of the standard steering map.

I am aware that some SEAT PQ35 platform cars (Leon and Altea) had adjustable steering maps, but these had some fundamentally different components which were not compatible with VW Golf components.

[SI-R32]

Early mark 5s like yours should be able to have the steering assistance changed with vcds so someone even in New Zealand should be able to do it.

It's not fixed all mk5s can have soft or hard steering, old cars via vcds newer say approx 06 07 onwards via Dealer.

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist

The Ross-Tech wiki is primarily for US spec motors.  Many of their wiki pages do not always correspond to UK/EU/ZA/Oceania spec vehicles.  IIRC correctly,  no Mk5 GTIs had the ability to alter the power steering.  Some very early Mk5 Golfs (pre GTI) did have this feature, but was dropped following better development of the standard steering map.

I am aware that some SEAT PQ35 platform cars (Leon and Altea) had adjustable steering maps, but these had some fundamentally different components which were not compatible with VW Golf components.

No harm in getting it checked rather than just dismissing the idea, plus VW can change the characteristic curve for people with disabilities so is actually quite doable

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Early mark 5s like yours should be able to have the steering assistance changed with vcds so someone even in New Zealand should be able to do it.

It's not fixed all mk5s can have soft or hard steering, old cars via vcds newer say approx 06 07 onwards via Dealer.

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist

The Ross-Tech wiki is primarily for US spec motors.  Many of their wiki pages do not always correspond to UK/EU/ZA/Oceania spec vehicles.  IIRC correctly,  no Mk5 GTIs had the ability to alter the power steering.  Some very early Mk5 Golfs (pre GTI) did have this feature, but was dropped following better development of the standard steering map.

I am aware that some SEAT PQ35 platform cars (Leon and Altea) had adjustable steering maps, but these had some fundamentally different components which were not compatible with VW Golf components.

No harm in getting it checked rather than just dismissing the idea, plus VW can change the characteristic curve for people with disabilities so is actually quite doable

I agree with no harm done in getting it checked.  But VW garages can NOT modify power steering profile curves if the ECU does not support it.  VCDS can perform exactly the same adaptations and adjustments as the genuine VW gizmos - so pointless paying stealers money to adjust something which can not be adjusted.

[SI-R32]

Early mark 5s like yours should be able to have the steering assistance changed with vcds so someone even in New Zealand should be able to do it.

It's not fixed all mk5s can have soft or hard steering, old cars via vcds newer say approx 06 07 onwards via Dealer.

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist

The Ross-Tech wiki is primarily for US spec motors.  Many of their wiki pages do not always correspond to UK/EU/ZA/Oceania spec vehicles.  IIRC correctly,  no Mk5 GTIs had the ability to alter the power steering.  Some very early Mk5 Golfs (pre GTI) did have this feature, but was dropped following better development of the standard steering map.

I am aware that some SEAT PQ35 platform cars (Leon and Altea) had adjustable steering maps, but these had some fundamentally different components which were not compatible with VW Golf components.

No harm in getting it checked rather than just dismissing the idea, plus VW can change the characteristic curve for people with disabilities so is actually quite doable

I agree with no harm done in getting it checked.  But VW garages can NOT modify power steering profile curves if the ECU does not support it.  VCDS can perform exactly the same adaptations and adjustments as the genuine VW gizmos - so pointless paying stealers money to adjust something which can not be adjusted.

No worries, whatever you say mate