idosubaru Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 The XT6 has the crazy cybrid electric power steering so response might be small but i've posted at XT6.net and i'm baffled so.... Steering doesn't work and the Power Steering light comes on immediately after start up. Replaced the pump - no change. Pump tests fine, if i give it 12 volts directly the steering works. Replaced the power controller - no change. Checked the fuses - all good. Replaced the signal controller (computer) - no change. Ran the diagnostic test - no help. The steering column sensor wouldn't cause this because the steering will work fine while moving even if this sensor fails. I unplugged it and tried and nothing changed. Everything else in the vehicle works. On the pump, with the engine On, I get 3 volts between the positive terminal and ground. And I also get 3 volts between the negative terminal and ground. Not sure if this is right, the FSM doesn't say. I'm hoping someone can tell me what they get. any ideas? At this point i think i'm going to swap another power controller and signal controller and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 ...On the pump, with the engine On, I get 3 volts between the positive terminal and ground. And I also get 3 volts between the negative terminal and ground. Not sure if this is right, the FSM doesn't say. I'm hoping someone can tell me what they get. ... I don´t think 3 Volts are Right, ´cos Everythin´ on a 12 Volts based car, Might be 12 Volts to Work Properly. I Suggest to Check the Part that send those 3 Volts... Maybe that´s bad. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 i think those numbers seem off as well. problem is i replaced the power controller and signal controller and still no dice. i have other spares though, maybe there's a strange chance that i replaced it with a bad one? but i have the feeling i'm just missing something. the FSM has some strange talk about a relay and control of the sub-fan motor. i'm not sure why or when the radiator fan comes on with the power steering pump. and i'm not sure if that relay fails if the power steering is rendered inoperative or not either. FSM is vague about the integration of the subfan and power steering system...but mentions it briefly. still scratching head.....i need to start scratching something else soon, this is getting old! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 You pretty much diagnosed the problem yourself when you cite that 12 volts directly applied makes it work correctly. Wiring issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 i'm wondering how long the pump/brushes will last if i wire it to run continuously! i'll try swapping the power controller and computer again with yet another one. and find out what the subfan relay is all about. hopefully i can test that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Search for a Bad Relay, it must be the Cause of the Dim power on Wires. Maybe it´s Located near the ECU. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 this is a wild-assed idea, but it might work..... what about trying to find a relay that will take a 3 volts switching signal, and use that to switch fused 12vDC from the battery into your pump?? kind of like the starter relay fix? I normally try to keep the silly ideas like this to myself, but this one is just crazy enough to work (if you can find the magic relay i describe) and the XT6 steering system is crazy enough to necessitate it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 that would work, but the pump will fry in short order if given full access to the 12 volt system. i'll have to somehow lower the voltage or amps to the motor. i'll try replacing the controllers one more time. after that i think i'm hosed. can't see me tracing every single wire in the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 please help enlighten me a little.. this system only powers the pump (or varies the power to the pump) when you turn the wheel?? in other words, it does NOT get a steady, constant 12 volt supply? interesting.. Interesting, but over engineered. Well, I hope you get everything figured out.. if all else fails, you could always just fill the rack with fluid and bypass the power steering, giving you manual steering :-\ but I am betting you already know that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 i have manual steering now, and it's really hard. harder than a manual steering rack would be. not a huge deal, but in town driving is less safe i feel and more importantly my wife can't drive it like that. it's not constant power. it varies power assist based on driver input (4 different modes) and speed. but i could choose a constant power assist..i would need to reduce the amps or something though. 12 volts straight from the battery all the time would ruin the pump in short order i am told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 i have manual steering now, and it's really hard. harder than a manual steering rack would be. not a huge deal, but in town driving is less safe i feel and more importantly my wife can't drive it like that. it's not constant power. it varies power assist based on driver input (4 different modes) and speed. but i could choose a constant power assist..i would need to reduce the amps or something though. 12 volts straight from the battery all the time would ruin the pump in short order i am told. Hrmmm... something COULD be mocked up, but it is beyond my knowledge and skills. It really sounds like either the power controller or signal controller have a problem, but I am in WAY over my head and knowledge on it.. so I oughta bow out. I'll keep reading, but any more posts from me arent likely to be helpful outside of the discussion value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Definately keep this thread up to date please. I am close to getting the XT6 on the road and registered.. one of the issues is the power steering is out.. light comes on right away etc etc.. i was going to dig into that last... i hope i get more info out of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 You could bypass the stock power steering wiring harness if you had to. Make an intermediate harness. It might be less of a pain than disassembling the car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Do you know if this car received the Crbrid steering fix that was part of the recall/TSB? A single wire coming from the power module is an indication that it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 Yes it did receive the power steering recall. i can almost garauntee that cleaning out your pump will get your steering working. a better bet is to clean it and replace the brushes ($15). if that's not the issue then the next most likely item is the power controller....but 9 out of 10 times cleaning and replacing the brushes is the fix. as for my issues - fusible link. it appeared together, but as i wiggled it, it fell to pieces. steering now works perfectly. thanks for the help all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 as for my issues - fusible link. it appeared together, but as i wiggled it, it fell to pieces. steering now works perfectly. thanks for the help all. Is it one of the links in the main f-link box near the battery or does it have a seperate one? Color? Could you show us a pic? Thx for the advice, who's connie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 whoops, i was talking to connie about her cooling and other XT6 issues, i was reading and typing too fast this morning. yes it was the fusible link, in the box next to the battery. the fusible link for the power steering is the closest one to the front of the engine bay. definitely the first thing to check, and the fuse in the fuse panel box as well. for the fusible link, be sure to pull it out and look. sometimes they look and feel fine sitting there but fall apart when you go to remove them. i had glanced it over and did a quick check first thing when i started looking into this but made the mistake of not actually removing it. but if you haven't looked at anything else yet, do not expect to find your steering issues here. 95 times out of 100 the brushes need replaced or the internal pump housing needs cleaned out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 i had glanced it over and did a quick check first thing when i started looking into this but made the mistake of not actually removing it. I made that mistake one time diagnosing an ignition problem and didnt look at it again until i had half the dash apart.. now i always take them out and "pull" test them I figure checking the f-link is the best first step in tracking it down. If the link is okay then I will go on to test voltage, clean pump, replace brushes, power controller, etc, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 I made that mistake one time diagnosing an ignition problem. like me, you won't forget to check that real good next time, grr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 good to hear you found the problem, and come to think on it.. I am gonna go pull all my fusible links right now, just to make sure that they arent the source of MY problems on my GL-10.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 not a bad idea to check, mine never had anything go wrong that i would expect to burn the fusible links, was random as far as i could tell. all the wiring was green and nasty. crumbly bits and green stuff on the wires are bad. the outer colored sheaths don't mean anything, try to get a peak inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 not a bad idea to check, mine never had anything go wrong that i would expect to burn the fusible links, was random as far as i could tell. all the wiring was green and nasty. crumbly bits and green stuff on the wires are bad. the outer colored sheaths don't mean anything, try to get a peak inside. I am having running issues (ie, TOTALLY different from what you actually experienced) but everything seems more or less fine.. the black plastic insulator that covers the transition from colored braided insulation, to the terminal, is cracked on one end of one link. Thanks for reminding me that I hadn't ruled that out yet.. its time for me to step back and start out again from square one, because I must have missed something on my car... but thats irrelevant for the purposes of this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 because I must have missed something on my car... but thats irrelevant for the purposes of this thread. sounds relevant to me, "missing something" was what i was doing over and over and over..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 sounds relevant to me, "missing something" was what i was doing over and over and over..... Thanks, I'm beginning to get self conscious on how "on-topic" some of my posts are... I mean, I've been a member for less than a year and already have a post count close to 2000!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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