Ford Focus Mk1 Power steering

EdGasketTheSecond

diz79 wrote: »

I do need to go mechanic I agree but a leek in a pipe surely isnt as bad?

Personally I wouldn't eat it but each to their own.

Seriously if you have run the power steering pump dry, it will be toast. On the Focus there is a steel pipe at the front underneath that goes right across the front of the car that rots through; check there.

Jackmydad

It's an MOT fail unless the power steering is "optional"
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/m4s02000301.htm
So I'd assume that'd mean the car should be taken off the road until repaired if the standard fitted power steering fails.

BeenThroughItAll

Jackmydad wrote: »

It's an MOT fail unless the power steering is "optional"
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/m4s02000301.htm
So I'd assume that'd mean the car should be taken off the road until repaired if the standard fitted power steering fails.

Never even raised an advisory on the MX5. Probably because there were many tens of thousands of them made without power steering, and apart from a rack ratio change, there was no difference at all in those that did have power steering beyond the actual fitting of it... I don't think that's really 'optional', but none of the three tests it had while we owned it ever queried it.

Jackmydad

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Never even raised an advisory on the MX5. Probably because there were many tens of thousands of them made without power steering, and apart from a rack ratio change, there was no difference at all in those that did have power steering beyond the actual fitting of it... I don't think that's really 'optional', but none of the three tests it had while we owned it ever queried it.

Fair enough, and TBH not knowing about the MOT manual thing I might well have done the same if the car drove OK. I've been lucky enough not to have PS fail myself, but I've known a couple of people who did who said the car was pretty bad to drive without. It's going to depend on the car. . . The problem would come if there was an accident or something of course.

BeenThroughItAll

Jackmydad wrote: »

Fair enough, and TBH not knowing about the MOT manual thing I might well have done the same if the car drove OK. I've been lucky enough not to have PS fail myself, but I've known a couple of people who did who said the car was pretty bad to drive without. It's going to depend on the car. . . The problem would come if there was an accident or something of course.

Well, I disconnected the system on purpose, the car was much nicer to drive without PAS, but I knew that from owning a pre-PAS Mk1.


I think the question of illegal/unroadworthy/MOT fail may come down to whether the car is drivable without PAS. A lot of more modern tin is simply impossible to drive at low speeds without the assistance thanks to clever suspension, aggressive geometry and increasingly silly fat tyres, but I've had plenty of cars in the past where a PAS failure is an irritation rather than a problem.

Richard53

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Well, I disconnected the system on purpose, the car was much nicer to drive without PAS, but I knew that from owning a pre-PAS Mk1.

Serious question - in what way is it 'nicer'? I have a Mk 2 with PAS and the steering is very good; light and precise without being over-assisted. I've heard of people running without PAS, but always wondered why. If it failed and it didn't add enough to be worth fixing, I could understand, but why go to the trouble of removing it when it's working? Does heavier steering improve the car?

stockton_2

The PAS failed on a friend of mine's car a few weeks ago. (Apparently it is a design fault). Her regular mechanic sent away for a new unit and said it was safe to drive for a few days while she was waiting.

She only drove close to home but it was very heavy going. I have had a few cars without PAS but this was something different. There was no close control at all, reverse parking was very difficult and she could have had a real problem if she had been caught up in a tight situation.

There was no way she could have driven the vehicle long term without the PAS.

Edit

She drove with no PAS until the garage was able to do the job. They removed the old unit and sent it to be refurbed.

Jackmydad

It's easy for a garage to say "You'll be OK with that"
I wonder if they'd put it in writing.
I'd hate to have to stand up in court and argue that the car wasn't really faulty with the PAS out of action after reading what the MOT manual says.
"Something wrong" would be an immediate "out" for insurance surely.
Maybe I'm over cautious.

stockton_2

Jackmydad wrote: »

It's easy for a garage to say "You'll be OK with that"
I wonder if they'd put it in writing.
I'd hate to have to stand up in court and argue that the car wasn't really faulty with the PAS out of action after reading what the MOT manual says.
"Something wrong" would be an immediate "out" for insurance surely.
Maybe I'm over cautious.

No! I don't think you are being too cautious. By "safe" I think he meant it would not do any damage to the car. But, in retrospect I think that driving it without PAS was a bad idea.

diz79

I since found out it was the power steering pump that needed replacing, ive done that but its still slightly leaking and I beleive its the pipe that runs from pump to the steering rack.

Can anyone advise if I have to get this part from ford only as ive been quoted £190 from them is this correct the pump already cost me £160.

Could I use a secondhand pipe or buy from ebay?

I also started another thread as this one looked as though it deviated please advise if I was wrong to do this.

Thanks in advance