HELP!! Power steering fail and battery drain!!

[joeyboswell 0]

Sorry for the new thread but I'm properly ****ed off and was hoping for some advise. A while ago I got a new battery because mine was dying. It has worked fine for about 2-3 months but the last fortnight the car has not been kicking in 100% on ignition. Today it wouldn't start so AA came out and tested it saying it was goosed and I had a small drain. After a jump I was on my way but cut out (including elec) on a roundabout on a motorway exit. Luckily I quickly started it and it played kangaroo for a bit (the ISV needs a bit of attention so maybe that).

 

All was fine until off the motorway the power steering gave way and all electricity went off and then the car cut out (maybe I dropped revs whilst wrestling the steering!). Luckily it started again and worked fine. Anybody got any ideas what could do that. The car started again so it can't be that the battery was flat.

 

In order to work out were I take the car to get sorted (garage, auto electrician ?) what do people think is the culprit? The drain? The battery? The ISV or something else linked to revs for the cutting out? All three?

 

The annoying thing is I need my car every day to get to work and I'm moving flat in a couple of weeks so I need it sorted asap. Being busy in work and being skint doesn't help too!

[joeyboswell 0]

anyone?!!

[Wullie 1]

Total guess, but as the alternator and power steering pump run off the same belt is it properly tensioned or is it slipping. Worth a check at least.

[Supercharged 2]

When were the ignition switch and ECU relays last changed?

[davidwort 0]

not the dreaded fuel pump relay again :( why is it VR's seem to suffer so much from this, it's a part common to all C's???

I remember crazydave saying that the electrical tracks in the relays themselves corrode.

Edit: p'raps I've got the wrong end of the stick here, electrics wouldn't all go on the fuel pump relay would they, perhaps it is the ignition switch then...

[joeyboswell 0]

belt and tensioner have been replaced and working fine. Haven't a clue when ignition and ECU relays were changed but will have a look. I'm stuck for time at the minute so I will probably have to take it to a garage and go through the motions of the car behaving when they look at it! Well cheers for the responses and hopefully it won't be anything too bad. Cheers

[joeyboswell 0]

Garage it is at hasn't filled me with confidence. Straight away said to replace the ISV but with no reason so I have told them to clean it. They tested the drain and have put it down to the alarm / immobiliser, saying the drain increased drastically when the alarm was turned on. I've asked them to look into other causes (relays, MAF etc) and clean the throttle body but I'm not confident that they are taking it on board! I have had to remind them about 3 times to do stuff and each time they forget so won't be using them again. ****es me off not having the time to do stuff yourself and it being a daily.

[joeyboswell 0]

Update on my starting and cutting out problems... Picked car up from garage and it cut out at lights a few times straight away. After a bit of driving and a bit of red-lining it didn't do it again. Decided not to put the alarm / immobiliser on over night and the next morning it still had a bit of trouble starting...a couple of seconds before it kicks in (which has never happened). Drove London to Liverpool with no stalling at all (actually idling very nicely at 650) but put the alarm on after the drive up. Getting back in the car it stalled about 3 times at lights before settling in.

 

Does anybody know what could cause this to happen and be worse when the alarm / immobiliser has been on? Nothing has changed in the car other than a flat battery. I'm thinking the ignition or the alarm / immobiliser now.