Story :

Nothing special, every weekend I usually just drive to my gf's place, leave the car there, and drive the Mazda3 to go around(city roads are too shitty) and when Im done for the night. I usually park the Mazda3 back into her garage and drive my 8 home(oh yeah)

but tonight, something never before heard/seen happen.

Im 10 feet away from home, trying to park in front of my garage. when I try to turn my steering wheel it seems that it will drain whole car's power !! up to the point that every light dimmed and engine about to die off. I was like wtf just happened and stopped.

Then I try to steer slowly, its still happening(because the P/S unit draw max power at low speed)

I totally freaked out

I guess Im lucky this **** happen in front of my own garage, so I went in and grab the Multi Meter, I thought my Alternator is defective (cuz its new 130 AMP unit from Advance Japan, installed couple months ago),I hook it up and its pumping juice at 14.2-.14.4 at idle, that sounds alright.

I hope back into the car, try to "touch" the steering wheel again, as soon as I try to "move" it, lights dimmed if I move too much, it will kill the radio (shut down due to low power) and gauges (power cycling)

I was like W@)*#!)@##@)E)U#@!$*

Then I shut the car off ...

I said to myself "ok, what the FUXK is going on? I guess I am lucky this **** happens right in front of my doors, if it happens on my way home Im pretty much fucked."

I was pissed and about to move my *** out of the driver's seat, I decided that "Why don't I just start it again and see what happens?"

*crank* ---- Restart ---- *zooommmmmm*

Ok, *steer* *steer* ...

the problem disappeared ! no matter what the I did.



Anybody got any idea what could've cause this? I mean hmm my power steering has been "acting up" lately.

Any below 35 degrees cold start, the steering wheel shakes as I try to turn it.

it stop shaking after its "warm up" I think.

...

ok I am confused, mad, whatever.

Battery 's power is at 12.63 when the engine is off, so I guess the Alternator works fine, and I have Gauges that draw a bit of power so it sounds about right.

Ideas anybody? PS rack going bad? PS wiring dead? PS unit going nuts ? Alternator can't take load ?

Argh.

 

sounds like an offshoot of the power steering issue people have had before.

 

really? so is it the wire going bad or the rack is going bad ?

I never seen anyone had this issue before (or maybe Im blind and missed the post)

 

Likely the rack i'm afraid ..........

 

If this ever happens far from home couldn't you just unplug the motor or pull its fuse?

You'd think the extreme draw in energy would pop a fuse. There's got to be a fuse... right?

 

I can test the rack(torque sensor) tomorrow morning, just pull the airbox out and I should be able to see it ... I forgot.

I think it draws power directly at the battery with a 60A fuse ? (correct me if wrong)

grrrr

 

okie, took the stuff apart, cleaned both connectors, let it sit for a bit, reconnect, and clean the MAF when its raining outside

hmm. plug everything back, start, so far so good.

Will keep an eye on this in the upcoming days ....

 

PS does draw a lot of current when the car is just idling. my S2 would dim the lights a little when just turning the wheel when idling.