Leaking Power Steering Pipe

[Billroot]

The power steering suddenly failed with no warning. I was just coming off the M3 and went to turn at the roundabout and got quite shock. At first I thought the steering had seized: I could not move the steering wheel. Then I realised I could turn, but it was very, very stiff. I put 2 and 2 together and concluded I'd lost the power assist and this was confirmed by grinding noises from power steering pump.

So into the dealer it went who said the hydraulic liquid cooler (apparently just a section of finned pipe) had started leaking. Easy to fix and covered by my warranty (although 7 years old I'm covered by a 1 year used jag warranty - I bought the car last July). The dealer thought it very unusual to get such a big leak develop so quickly. My only thought is that a street I travel down frequently has got these very annoying rubber speed bumps - could they have caught the underside?, I've felt nothing.

[GrandTourer]

I have had my XK8 for over 3 years now (MY2000, 77.5Kmiles) and have never heard for that to happen. Maybe you have just been unlucky. I am not sure where exactly the offending part is fitted, but I would have a word with the dealer and ask if that was a possibility.

[Billroot]

Karl, I didn't like to ask as I was worried the dealer would say accidental damage is not covered by the warranty. The leak was cetainly spectacular. I filled the power steering reservior to get me home and it emptied itself in minutes! I now have bigger arm muscules than I used to!

[mike020150]

Just think, all cars used to have steering like that. In the good old days, men were men and women were passengers. Some things change for the better... Mike.

[MisterB]

I recently acquired my first Jaguar in over 40 years' motoring, MY 1997 (Jan), 73800 miles. A search revealed that the steering rack had been replaced under warranty in Sep 1997. Prior to buyng the car I had a dealer inspection carried out; this identified a small seeping propshaft seal and one boot lamp not working.

After about 250 miles of subsequent driving (mixed motorway and Dorset lanes), a demented pipe band started playing under the bonnet - related to steering input. A quick check showed that the power steering reservoir was down about 300cc and tell tale oil spots on the ground under the rack.

On taking the car to the nearest dealer, it transpired that a high pressure pipe had been chafing against the supporting cross member (presumably since the fitting in Sep '97) to the point of a small split and an ever increasing rate of leakage.

I therefore had a new (reconditioned) rack fitted and brought the car home yesterday.

I may have developed a degree of paranoia or heightened sensitivity to the steering characteristics, but it seems to me that at slow speeds the steering is quite heavy, becoming increasingly lighter and jiggly with increased speed. I would expect the opposite effects. On questioning the dealership service manager, he assured me that this was normal as the belt-driven power steering pump produed hgher pressure with increased engine rpm; I'm no engineer, but this does not sound convincing

Can anyone give me some guidance as to what the feel of the steering should be at low and high speed?

[Billroot]

Like you I find the steering somewhat heavy at low speed and stationary but light and quite dead at speed. In idle moments I have wondered whether the power assist should automatically adjust to give less assist as the car goes faster - I know some cars do this. If that is the case it does not work on my car!! Perhaps someone who knows might comment. My only other thought is that with those great big fat tyres, the power assist does have its work cut out at low speed; as you can see from my original posting on this topic, you know all about it when the power assist doesn't work at all! You could check the front tyre pressures - low pressure would make matters worse.

[D_Doran]

At low speed, my car could be steered by fingertip... as speed increases, the steering becomes gradually 'firmer' which I believe is the design intent so that you don't oversteer at high speed. (Although I stand to be corrected on that, not being very mechanically minded)

[MisterB]

Thanks Bill and D_D

My expextations are aligned to the latter posting; light at low speed and more weighted at high - dare I say this is how my lowly company hack (Citroen C4) behaves.

If there is a technical explanation I would like reassurance that it is not possible to schedule the steering laws to reverse the weight of steering input at lowe/high speeds

Kind regards

MrB

[GrandTourer]

At low speed, my car could be steered by fingertip... as speed increases, the steering becomes gradually 'firmer' which I believe is the design intent so that you don't oversteer at high speed. (Although I stand to be corrected on that, not being very mechanically minded)
That is exactly as my car steering behaves as well, very light when slow and more weighted when fast, but never heavy.

[MisterB]

Thanks to all who responded, confirming my thought that all was not as it should be.

The Master Technician at the dealership took the car for a drive and immediately took it into the workshop. The explanation was that the speed sensor terminal block had "backed out" after fitting of the replacement steering rack. Plug refitted, problem solved.

Regards

Harry