[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Need help!

From past two days, I have started noticing that the power steering isn't responding the way it should. In normal cases, the steering would go light as soon as the vehicle is started.

But since last two times, whenever I drive my car, the steering wheel is totally heavy at parking speed with no power assistance.

Is this sign of power steering conking off?

Any suggestions regarding what could go wrong? Repair estimates?

Air Pressure is right? If so, park on a flat and smoother surface and test it again with the Engine on and by turning both ways.

Secondly, and most importantly, ensure the ground cable is secured to the chassis. The one running from Negative terminal to the the body below the Engine.

Also check with multimeter if your battery is showing anything above 13V when your car is running at idle speed or little around 2000 RPM mark. That should tell us if your alternator is healthy.

As a first thing, check that same belt which you recently tightened. A loose belt = Alternator motor running weak and in turn your power steering not getting enough Voltage for that motor.

Lastly, I will suspect the steering Ball joint ends and finally the steering rack itself.

From Ball Joints to Damper to Rack should be your troubleshooting with the steering system alone after checking everything else before.

Also get the steering rack greased by opening the rack boot and fixing it back securely with a clip.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Air Pressure is right? If so, park on a flat and smoother surface and test it again with the Engine on and by turning both ways.

Secondly, and most importantly, ensure the ground cable is secured to the chassis. The one running from Negative terminal to the the body below the Engine.

Also check with multimeter if your battery is showing anything above 13V when your car is running at idle speed or little around 2000 RPM mark. That should tell us if your alternator is healthy.

As a first thing, check that same belt which you recently tightened. A loose belt = Alternator motor running weak and in turn your power steering not getting enough Voltage for that motor.

Lastly, I will suspect the steering Ball joint ends and finally the steering rack itself.

From Ball Joints to Damper to Rack should be your troubleshooting with the steering system alone after checking everything else before.

Also get the steering rack greased by opening the rack boot and fixing it back securely with a clip.

Surprisingly, As I started the car in the morning, everything with steering was fine.

May be it is showing sign of some sort of attention & maintenance.

Will keep a watch if the problem again crops up.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Surprisingly, As I started the car in the morning, everything with steering was fine.

May be it is showing sign of some sort of attention & maintenance.

Will keep a watch if the problem again crops up.

Time to check the ground cable then. Possible intermittent loose contacts suspected here. Please remove the cable, clean the Ring Terminal and the location where its bolted on Engine/Chassis to get rid of corrosion/dust and fix it back for once.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Time to check the ground cable then. Possible intermittent loose contacts suspected here. Please remove the cable, clean the Ring Terminal and the location where its bolted on Engine/Chassis to get rid of corrosion/dust and fix it back for once.

Is this the same cable running from the negative terminal of the battery?
Might be loose at the battery end itself.

Will check the concerned cable.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Is this the same cable running from the negative terminal of the battery?
Might be loose at the battery end itself.

Will check the concerned cable.

Yes, check this cable at both the ends. A bad ground can cause a lot of pains like these .

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Yes, check this cable at both the ends. A bad ground can cause a lot of pains like these .

Checked the cable. From the negative terminal, there are two splits, one is connecting to the body, one is connecting somewhere down the engine.

Cables are tightly secured, fan belt tensions seems to be ok. Yet the occasional deactivation of power steering happens in once a while. It mostly stops working when the engine is restarted/starts for the first time and starts working again when I switch off and restart the engine. But sometimes it still doesnt starts working and after 5-6 restart attempts, the power steering is back in action.

Please see the pics.







PS - Meanwhile, WagonR celebrating Diwali - Happy Diwali all

[bluevolt]

Was going through old service bills etc and thought of summarising the total cost involved in servicing my WagonR including repair jobs, tyre/battery/windshield replacement/dent/mechanical repair etc.

My WagonR is 8.5 years old, will turn 9 in April next year and at the time of writing this text, the odometer reads - 55,100 KMs.

-> Total servicing costs till date(including all regular interval services, clutch/ac overhaul and parts like brake pads, radiator replacement, general repair) - Rs. 55,000

-> Battery replacement(twice)&maintenance - Rs. 7000

-> ice upgrade - Rs. 13,000

-> New tyres - Rs. 10500

Total cost = Rs. 85,500

This cost excludes insurance/fuel/waxing polishing/pollution cert/other misc expenses.

Costs seems to be ok? I guess so - WagonR experts can comment.

Also did a Delhi-Mathura-Vrindavan-Goverdhan-Delhi road trip yesterday in WagonR with some 350+ KMs clocked by odo for the trip.

Car performed perfectly, power steering working ok as of now, I drove the car mostly below the speeds of 100 but it ran fine even at 100/105//110(max).

A lot of discussion keeps happening in the family regarding WagonR replacement time. But the way I am attached to my car, I am extending the selling decision by at least two years ever since the car turned 5 years old.

As of now I am planning to celebrate my WagonR's 10th birthday with me only!

[bluevolt]

Got the car checked from a local mechanic regarding ongoing power steering issue.

He cleaned the fuses by spraying some cleaning material and fixed wires back.

As of now it is working ok, but if the problem persists - as per the mechanic either the electronic power steering box or the power steering motor might be at fault. The Box is priced at Rs. 3500 and motor at Rs. 6500.

[bluevolt]

^^^

Again started the car in the evening and power steering was not responding. Looks like 100 bucks given to mechanic this morning gone wasted.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Time to check the ground cable then.

Originally Posted by bluevolt

^^^

Again started the car in the evening and power steering was not responding.

Got the car checked from nearby Maruti service center (Not DD motors - my usual service center).

They suspected the power steering control box to be the culprit. Part was not available. Estimated repair price Rs. 7-8k.

I also let the true value guys evaluate my car and the they quotes 95k + 25k (exchange bonues for new Wagonr), total amounts to Rs. 1.20 lacs.

No other problem in my car - recently serviced, new tyres, new battery, good speakers, suspension is still decent, paint and gloss is excellent. Little bit of rusting on the edges of the front doors, but I have controlled it with regular touch up painting and waxing.

Not sure what to do. Whether to go ahead with the repairs or get a new one.

Though I love my WagonR!

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Got the car checked from nearby Maruti service center (Not DD motors - my usual service center).

They suspected the power steering control box to be the culprit. Part was not available. Estimated repair price Rs. 7-8k.

I also let the true value guys evaluate my car and the they quotes 95k + 25k (exchange bonues for new Wagonr), total amounts to Rs. 1.20 lacs.

No other problem in my car - recently serviced, new tyres, new battery, good speakers, suspension is still decent, paint and gloss is excellent. Little bit of rusting on the edges of the front doors, but I have controlled it with regular touch up painting and waxing.

Not sure what to do. Whether to go ahead with the repairs or get a new one.

Though I love my WagonR!

Unless you have a compelling reason to go for a new car, minor hitches like this should not deter you from holding on to the car. In my case, the Waggie will complete 15 years in 6 months! And I have no plans to sell it, despite suggestions from the family. I know I'll need a new fitness certificate after it turns 15.

And yes, I am aware that the Union Govt is mulling over a new law that mandates 15 + year old cars to go off the road. But I read that they will give excise duty concessions on new cars to lure people to buy new cars while disposing of their old cars. Fingers crossed till then.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Unless you have a compelling reason to go for a new car, minor hitches like this should not deter you from holding on to the car. In my case, the Waggie will complete 15 years in 6 months! And I have no plans to sell it, despite suggestions from the family.

That's what the reason I am unable to part ways with my car. WagonR is such a wonderful car that is very difficult to be replaced with anything else.

Often I find reasons to sell and get something else, but the kind of emotional attachment I have with my car makes it even difficult to part away from it.

My WagonR will be turning 9 years old this April, and though I had almost made my mind to replace WagonR with Brezza/Duster, I will, however, postpone the new car purchase for practical reasons.

My office provides me transport and I have to drive to nearest metro station (around 3 kms from my home) to catch the office bus. So in weekdays I will be driving for around 6-8 kms and for the whole day it will be left unattended at the parking. Buying a new car worth 8-9 lacs, using it for 6-8kms a day and leaving it unattended doesn't seem to be a very wise idea.

I have a City as well, for the long distance highway travelling needs. And hopefully for couple of more years, WagonR will stay.

I am going tomorrow to DD Motors to get the power steering issue rectified.

[bluevolt]

Took the car to DD motors, they were asking for Rs.1500 for scan and diagnosis, mostly it is the power steering control box which is malfunctioning. It costs Rs. 7500 + another 1000-2000 labour charges but the device is not available with them.

Also took it to another Maruti SVC but they too don't have part in stock.

The power steering control box is not available at any of the authorized Maruti service center.

Shall I go for after market device available at neighborhood garage?

Also got the car evaluated at Maruti TrueValue - Quoted 1.15 max after exchange.

[scorpio118]

Wagon R is really an amazing car. A true companion on Delhi roads. I have purchased my Waggie during the same time - Apr-07, and my car will also complete 9 years in few months with an odo reading of 1.1 lac KM. Never gave me trouble. Now a days I drive it a lot less, as got into the touring job. Even after doing 1.1 lac KM, I don't want to sell it. It feels like my own extension. Luv u.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Took the car to DD motors, they were asking for Rs.1500 for scan and diagnosis

Ideally, they shouldn't be charging for a scan, but the Suzuki-Diagnostics-Kit ( a rebadged Tech-2 ) costs ~ 3.6 L, so most service centers that have them pass it on to their customers.

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Mostly it is the power steering control box which is malfunctioning.
It costs Rs. 7500 + another 1000-2000 labour charges but the device is not available with them.
Also took it to another Maruti SVC but they too don't have part in stock.
The power steering control box is not available at any of the authorized Maruti service center.

Since your Wagon is a post-2002 car, the PS-Controller is most likely the one with part number '38720M83B10', costing ~7,393.
It's also unlikely for service-centers to stock this part since it's not what you would call a 'fast-moving' spare.
Since this controller is common to many cars ( Alto, Zen, Wagon-R, Baleno, Versa ), your service-center or nearest MGP store should be able to order it for you.
There's even an option where you can get parts shipped the next day if you pay for the shipping charges ( GATI ).

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Shall I go for after market device available at neighborhood garage ?

I would advise against this unless you know it's from a written-off Wagon-R or something - power-steering spare parts are not something one should skimp on.