All Things Mk5 > How to Guides / Troubleshooting
Gen 3 Steering Rack (MK6/Scirocco) into MK5
kasabbas:
After a long day I finally seapped out my worn Gen2 steering rack for a Gen3 from a mk6.
Everything drives fine but cant get the amber steering light to disapear!
But no luck!
Somebody help please i’m stuck lol
pudding:
Did you follow the instructions to use the clock spring instead of the sensor in the rack?
Have you scanned it for fault codes?
kasabbas:
Hi managed to sort it by doing a basic setting for steering angle adjustment in vcds.
Thanks all.
smilespergallon:
Firstly, thank you for the great tutorial. It has been a big help.
I had a faint clicking noise coming from the front/centre of the car when dry steering or steering at low speeds, and I assumed it was the steering rack. So I replaced it over the last two days with a Gen 3 steering rack from a Mk6 Golf GTI.
Everything went well and the clicking is now gone. And this VCDS tutorial helped to clear the fault codes and lights on the dash.
Fault Code 03803
I just wanted to add that I had the same problem as @kasabbas where I had an amber steering light remaining on the dash:
--- Quote from: kasabbas on April 05, 2023, 10:19:27 pm ---After a long day I finally seapped out my worn Gen2 steering rack for a Gen3 from a mk6.
Everything drives fine but cant get the amber steering light to disapear!
But no luck!
Somebody help please i’m stuck lol
--- End quote ---
I thought it would disappear after driving the car for a bit, but it didn't. I scanned the car and I had a 03803 fault code of "no or incorrect basic setting/adaptation" for the steering angle sensor.
I thought a "basic setting" would just be a quick button click in the "Basic Settings" section of VCDS, but when I entered the drop down menu for an "Adjustment of Steering Angle Sensor (G85)", all I got was "Error: Group 060 Not Available".
Anyway, here's a link to the full instructions on how to do it properly: http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/VW_Golf_(1K)_Steering_Assist#Sensor_for_Steering_Angle_.28G85.29
To summarize the steps:
--- Code: ---1. Start vehicle.
2. Turn wheel one turn to right then one turn to left.
3. Drive a short distance in a straight line, no faster than 20kmph.
4. Stop and make sure the steering wheel is straight and keep it there.
5. Keep the engine running.
6. Enter VCDS...
* Select Control Module > Steering Assist
* Sec.Access - 16 > Enter 40168 to enable > Do it!
* Basic Settings - 04 > Group 060 > Go!
It should say something like "Possible" if I remember correctly, if not, toggle ON/OFF/Next until it's looking good.
--- End code ---
After that the amber warning light should disappear. If it doesn't work or you press ON/OFF/Next too many times and it gets stuck on "Impossible", start over again.
Steering Rack Replacement
When it comes to dropping the subframe and replacing the steering rack, I found these two videos the most helpful:
* Subframe Removal:
* Steering Rack Replacement:
I did the job over the course of two days (one for removal, the next for fitting). Took about 10 hours in total, but I'm very slow. However, overall the job isn't that bad at all. Would much rather do this than replace the thermostat.
To be honest the most annoying part was getting the foot well trim off to access the universal joint on the top of the steering rack.
These are my notes for removing the steering rack:
--- Code: ---1. Remove foot well trim: 1 x flathead plastic screw cap, 1 x H5 plastic pull-out screw.
* The H5 just unscrews a little so that the retaining plastic clips inside can be pulled out more easily. If it doesn't unscrew, you can just yank the whole thing out using a large pick.
* Push the trim upwards first to get it off.
2. Disconnect universal joint connecting steering rack to steering column below pedals.
* Tie up the steering wheel to keep it straight and prevent it from moving.
* Take a picture of the universal joint, or mark it with a pen to help with refitting later.
* Remove 13mm bolt holding steering column to steering rack [20nm + 90 deg]. Pry off the universal joint.
3. Disconnect steering rack harness.
* Remove battery: 1 x 13mm battery bracket
* Remove battery tray: 3 x 10mm screws
* 1 x steering rack connector
* 1 x 13mm ground wire bolt
* 1 x 10mm steering rack wire to fuse box nut (second from the left on the fuse box)
* Pull the harness up out from the plastic runner and feed down on top of the rack.
4. Disconnect exhaust bracket from subframe: 2 x 13mm
5. Disconnect oil sump connector.
6. Remove front 2 dog bone mount bolts (2 x 16mm) [40nm + 90 deg]
* Front = short, Middle = long
7. Remove control arm bolts: 3 x 16mm (on each side) [60nm]
* Disconnect to the control arm from the steering knuckle
8. Remove track rod ends: 1 x 18mm (on each side) [70nm]
* May need to use ball joint removal tool to pop them out.
9. Remove top drop link bolts: 1 x 18mm (on each side) [65nm]
10. Loosen (or mostly remove) 4 x 16mm steering rack bolts on subframe [50nm + 90 deg]
* These are central on the subframe. It's fairly obvious which ones are for the steering rack.
11. Remove 6 x 18mm subframe bolts [70nm + 90 deg)
* 2 x 18mm going through the control arm console (outermost ones) [PIN]
* 2 x 18mm slightly in from the ones above going through the body of the subframe (slightly longer) [PIN]
* 2 x 18mm up through the control arm holes at the front of the subframe.
* NOTE: You can use subframe pinning bolts on the 4 bolts at the rear of the subframe. Replace each bolt you remove with a pin bolt as you go to help with relocating the subframe later on. Tighten to 20nm, or just use Allen key.
* NOTE: The 2 x rear-middle bolts (second one down above) are slightly longer than the other 4 bolts.
12. Drop the subframe using a trolley jack.
* Do it slowly to make sure it's coming down cleanly.
13. Disconnect steering rack from subframe.
* 4 x 16mm bolts [50nm + 90 deg]
* 1 x 10mm harness bracket bolt.
* 3 x T30 heat shield bolts.
* NOTE: Gen 3 rack will only have 3 x 16mm bolts.
NOTES:
* Probably best to start with cracking off the subframe bolts early on. You don't want to disconnect everything else first to only end up snapping a subframe bolt and have to put everything back together.
* Switch over track rods from old rack on to the new one (inner track rod is 100nm, use pipe wrench to get off/on)
* Use locking pliers (very lightly) to twist the position of the top of the new steering rack to be in the same position as the old one.
* Reattaching the universal joint in the foot well at the end can be a bit tricky. You may need to jiggle the steering wheel to get it to line up with the new steering rack.
--- End code ---
2stroke:
--- Quote from: pudding on October 22, 2021, 03:31:17 pm ---
This info is based on a manual transmission car with a standard non-MFSW steering wheel.
Background
Two flavours of steering rack were fitted to the Golf-5 during its production cycle ---> Gen-1 and Gen-2.
* Gen-1 was pretty much unfit for purpose from the get go, so most cars should now be on Gen-2,
either under warranty, factory fitted or replacement later on.
* Gen-2 suffered way less from the red light of expense on the dash,
it does suffer from mechanical wear which causes the infamous clunk of irritation over bumps.
* Gen-3, along with an updated wiring harness, was fitted to several VAG vehicles from 2009 onwards,
the most common one being 1K0 909 144 J.
( There a couple of other part numbers, but to keep it simple, I'll just focus on the common one. )
Gen-1 and Gen-2 are no longer available, and neither are parts for them.
If you need a new steering rack, Gen-3 is the only choice you have.
Hardware & Fitment
When it comes to choosing a rack, it's preferable to get one from a similar car, i.e. from a MK6 GTI, Golf 6 R, Scirocco R etc.
The reason for this is because of the 'Steering Characteristic', which is vehicle specific.
Several cars may use the same part number rack, but the software for the motor controller varies enormously across the different cars.
That should be the basics done and the car is ready to drive.
Whilst you're in there, you might want to turn this on as it works really well.
As well as helping with torque steer, it also helps keep the steering straight in heavy cross winds.
...Now this is where it all gets convoluted and quite messy,
but isn't strictly necessary if you are happy with how the steering feels post fitment.
If you are happy with it, the below can be ignored :happy2:
But if you're interested, read on.....
The mess I am referring to, is of course the Steering Characteristic, or Steering Profile/Curve as some folk call it.
This is the flavour of firmware uploaded to the rack to govern the amount of power assistance.
If the steering is too light, too heavy, vague/weak self centering or too linear for your tastes, you may want to change it.
If you do want a different profile, it's not a bad idea to establish which one is already in the rack
There's 2 ways to find it:
1.)
In the box labeled Component
you will see the text EPS_ZFLS KI. 69 3001 as per the example below, which is from my car.
The bit we're interested in is 69, That is the steering characteristic uploaded to the rack.
There are LOADS of different ones !
The rest of the fluff just means Electronic Power Steering, made by ZF,
KI is an abbreviation for characteristic index and at the 3001 bit at the end is the software/flash version, iirc.
2.)
Measuring block 009.
Here we can see the characteristic curve is Normal 3, what ever that means.
My rack came from a recon supplier and to me it feels pretty good.
Weighty and direct, so I haven't bothered changing it to a GTI/Sports specific curve.
I don't even know if a GTI curve is called that,
or Sports or what ever, but I think Normal 3 will suit most people.
So....applying a curve is straight forward......providing you buy a new rack through VW.
The process is - You buy a new rack from VW dealer. New rack arrives with an SVM code.
Their VW ODIS software connects your car to VW's servers,
which then cross references the vehicle VIN number to the rack part number and then downloads the curve appropriate to that vehicle.
The SVM code is the most important part of this process because without it,
ODIS will say bugger off, the vehicle VIN and rack p/n don't match.
In other words, why do you have a Golf-6 rack on a Golf-5 VIN ?
The SVM code is essentially an over-ride to say, yes I know the parts don't match but just download it anyway.
It is also essential in terms of a brand new rack because they usually ship with no profile at all,
which would show as EPS_ZFLS KI 000 3001 in the 44 Steering Assist module.
Steering curve 000 is linear, and will be horrible to drive.
Applying a curve to a new or used/refurb supplied rack is the biggest problem, and affects the majority of us because
A.) No one is going to pay VW £2500 for a new rack.
B.) We don't get an SVM code with a used/recon rack, so we have to hope the curve on the rack we buy works out!
So in summary, it's all easy apart from the steering curves bit,
and the info provided will at least get you moving again with no fault codes.
--- End quote ---
Q: How to change/adjust the amount of servo action ?
( Steering Characteristic, or Steering Profile/Curve )
Apparently my car has the Gen-2 steering rack.
Car is an 2007 and the steering is far too light/vague and insensitive for my liking. :confused:
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version