Steering rack amber light warning

[gigolo456]

Hi Folks, i have had my Mk V GTi since its birth in 2005, just had my 6th service, as well as front wheel bearing replaced, but VW came back same day and said the amber steering wheel warning light came on on the display in the dash, so they did all the diagnostic checks, which apparently came back with 'sporadic' steering fault codes. They claim they managed to reset it all, so the warning light went off, with the advice that if the amber warning light came on again, my car would need a new steering rack at the discounted price (yes, discounted) of £1450.00. So 2 weeks have just passed and low and behold the amber steering wheel warning light has returned and wont go off!! My car has just had new wheel bearings as i said, 4 new Mitchelin PS 3 tyres, 4 new brake pads, has just been serviced MOT'd, aircon recharge, etc, so already about £1100.00 down; that said that car is running like a dream now, so much more smooth and quiet. Has anybody else had this warning light come on, is that a common fault, and can it really cost £1450.00 to put right, because if it is i will have spent £2500.00 in total in 4 weeks on a car that is perhaps only worth £8500.00?? 

Many thanks in advance for any guidance or information given

Andrew

[winrya]

Have you ever had the rack changed before.  Mine is a 2005 and I had my rack changed on a recall in 2006 due to the creaking noise which effected them up until around 2007. It was much like the coil pack recall, you got it changed if you asked about it but they kept quiet otherwise.  Seems a bit of a coincidence the first time it came on was in their care, maybe they damaged something doing the brakes or wheel bearings?

[Eddie-NL]

Get someone on here with Vag-Com to look at it
Also I would get a second opion before forking out for a replacement rack

[gigolo456]

Thank you for your responses. I am still on my 1st rack, i have only used the local VW dealer religiously since i took delivery back in 2005, but after being quoted £279 for a major service/MOT, i decided to save a £100 and do it through KwikFit. I knew i needed new tyres so also did it through Kwikfit, at a very reasonable price of £484 for 4 new Mitchelin PS3's, including wheel alignment, and also had 4 new brake pads as they had never been changed since new (i've only done 36k miles in 6 years). The car has been very noisey, and has been vibrating, groaning for about past 10 mths, so both VW and Kwikfiit agreed that it needed new front wheel bearings, and as VW were quoting about £80 less (very surprising), decided to to it through them. It was whilst i was out on test-drive with VW that the bloke said there had been a recall on the coil-pack. So as i left VW to do all the diagnostics, it was about 90 minutes later that i received call back to confirm i did need new wheel bearings and it would be done the following day, as well as coil pack been changed. The lady there said as the the bloke was driving my car from the carpark to the workstation that the amber steering wheel sensor light came on but they had managed to reset it after lots of steering faults had shown up. The car has been running fantastically since all the work has been done, especially the bearings, so it did clearly need that work. Never once was it mentioned that there had been a recall reference steering racks, all she said was they would have to change the rack if the amber light came on again, at the discounted price of £1450.00. Are you suggesting there was indeed a recall on this??

Again, many thanks for any guidance given!? As for somebody with Vag-com to do more checks, i wouldnt have a clue where to even begin with this one!?
 
Andrew

[vRStu]

I don't think there was a recall on the Steering Rack but what VW call a campaign.  If a customer had complained of a specific fault the TSB would have directed the technician to replace the steering rack.

[gigolo456]

ahhh, ok, well as the car is now 6 years old to the actual day, can i assume i won't have a leg to stand on at this point in time, ie. i will have to pay the full whack to get it replaced??

 

[vRStu]

I looked into this a little while ago and I seem to remember there were some differences with steering racks depending on chassis number and that also a mod kit may be required.

You could ask the dealer to seek some goodwill from VW but given the age and that you've not kept up the full service history you might be disappointed.

[gigolo456]

Granted, i got my car serviced and MOT'd with Kwikfit a few weeks ago, as they were £100.00 cheaper and had done good work on tyres and brake pads, but then again ive just spent £412.00 with VW getting my front wheel bearings both replaced, so not as if they havent had their money from me this year. This is the 1st service ive missed with them, but i am now gutted, in the space of 5 weeks, i will end up spending more than £2500.00; i will have to look deeper into this, i am not giving up just yet. Should a £21k+ car thats done only 36k miles, need £2000 of work done on it in the space of 5 weeks, somthing just doesnt add up here!! 

Thanks anyway

Andrew

[Jack Frost]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,19895.0.html

[gigolo456]

Thank you for your response, can i assume that you had this replaced through warranty? My car is 6 years old now, so i am assuming that VW will not do this foc!? 

[alexperkins]

On 36k miles, I dont think they can really argue it!

[gigolo456]

well the call to local VW dealer has been made, i pleaded my case (1st installment anyway) and she will get back to me...

Everything i own is now crossed