F10 530d Power Steering Failure
Discussion
Having an issue with my 2012 F10 530d, just ticked over 90k miles.
Drove home Wednesday night in heavy rain without any issues. Parked up and left the car for an hour, got back in and fired it up and was greeted with a warning about the power steering and to drive moderately to service. I can't actually drive it anywhere as the steering is ludicrously heavy - almost as if the steering lock has not disengaged.
I did try and drive off quite quickly after starting the car (Electronically adjustable steering wheel was still moving down as it does when you start the car) but can't think of why this would cause an issue?
I have had zero issues with the car and to go from driving fine to complete PS failure seems quite sudden - are there any sensors that could be affected by water ingress? Anyone have any ideas?
Drove home Wednesday night in heavy rain without any issues. Parked up and left the car for an hour, got back in and fired it up and was greeted with a warning about the power steering and to drive moderately to service. I can't actually drive it anywhere as the steering is ludicrously heavy - almost as if the steering lock has not disengaged.
I did try and drive off quite quickly after starting the car (Electronically adjustable steering wheel was still moving down as it does when you start the car) but can't think of why this would cause an issue?
I have had zero issues with the car and to go from driving fine to complete PS failure seems quite sudden - are there any sensors that could be affected by water ingress? Anyone have any ideas?
slicknic said:
Is it worth checking if there is a fuse for the PS that has failed?
I did have a look at the fusebox diagram and noticed it listed quite a few for the PS! I am going to pick up a multimeter from my unit tonight and have a look. Cheers.Mr Whippy said:
Is it ludicrously heavy when moving?
While turned off my Z4 EPS is ludicrously heavy when stopped or very low speed, but once moving it's quite ok.
I can't actually get it up to any speed to try it as I need to do a 90° turn out of the driveway or hit a brick wall, I need to collect my jack (Issues of having a workshop away from home!) and get the front end in the air to see if without any weight on the front wheels it turns easier. While turned off my Z4 EPS is ludicrously heavy when stopped or very low speed, but once moving it's quite ok.
Edited by Pugly on Tuesday 28th November 12:58
Is it electric or hydraulic? If it's hydraulic the first check is fluid level. The warning *could* be a fluid level warning...
The reservoir is on the right side of the engine compartment if you're looking under the hood, right behind the coolant reservoir. Its a circular cap with a hexagon shaped hole, but you can turn it loose with two hands if you twist hard enough. It uses CHF 11S
The reservoir is on the right side of the engine compartment if you're looking under the hood, right behind the coolant reservoir. Its a circular cap with a hexagon shaped hole, but you can turn it loose with two hands if you twist hard enough. It uses CHF 11S
It's EPS on the f10 all models except v8 and m5 IIRC. I had EPS failure once in my f10 and I think it was a momentary wiring fault on a speed sensor. Presumably the EPS takes a feed from abs or wheel speed sensor. Any codes? That's the first thing to check. I found the steering very heavy but not unmanageable so either you need to get down the gym (hehe) or perhaps the steering lock is still on as you suggest - is it a hard stop or just heavy?
Thanks for the replies all. Bit of digging in the dark last night.
- It is indeed all EPS, no hydraulics involved
- Cheapy fault code reader lists no codes
- Steering is not as heavy as I first thought (still very very difficult to get off the drive but the steering lock is not on)
- No visible water ingress around the battery area in the boot
- Fuse box behind the glove box is nigh on inaccessible - piss poor design. Picking up some more tools tonight to try and clear a bit of access
- It is indeed all EPS, no hydraulics involved
- Cheapy fault code reader lists no codes
- Steering is not as heavy as I first thought (still very very difficult to get off the drive but the steering lock is not on)
- No visible water ingress around the battery area in the boot
- Fuse box behind the glove box is nigh on inaccessible - piss poor design. Picking up some more tools tonight to try and clear a bit of access
Just to post to say sorry to hear this mate! Please please keep us updated, my F10 is 2 years older then yours, but similar mileage. Worries me to death the sort of failures an electronically heavy car such as these could carry with them!
Be very grateful if you could update us when you do get to the bottom of it! Good luck
edit: But yes, by the sounds of those messages they seem to be very clear cut. Hardware module has failed, thereby sending no/duff signals to other modules, which themselves flag up as problems.
Time to ring BMW for a replacement module, then a local garage to fit or give it a go yourself.
Be very grateful if you could update us when you do get to the bottom of it! Good luck
edit: But yes, by the sounds of those messages they seem to be very clear cut. Hardware module has failed, thereby sending no/duff signals to other modules, which themselves flag up as problems.
Time to ring BMW for a replacement module, then a local garage to fit or give it a go yourself.
Help! It worked and now it doesn't.
I had checked fuse 43 when it first died and it was still OK.
However, finally got round to looking at it again this evening and worked my way through all the fuses listed for the PS (including 43 again). None were dead.
However, put all the fuses back in after about 10 minutes and boom, I had power steering again.
Test drove it, worked fine. Parked up for half an hour and it's failed again. Anyone any ideas?
I had checked fuse 43 when it first died and it was still OK.
However, finally got round to looking at it again this evening and worked my way through all the fuses listed for the PS (including 43 again). None were dead.
However, put all the fuses back in after about 10 minutes and boom, I had power steering again.
Test drove it, worked fine. Parked up for half an hour and it's failed again. Anyone any ideas?
Got it recovered to a BMW specialist garage yesterday, diagnosed as a broken control module.
New control module not available from BMW as a standalone part, only available as part of a full rack at a cost of (sit down for this bit...) £2441.
So I'm looking at secondhand (and getting the garage to fit and code it) or finding somewhere to repair the control module (have been recommended BBA Reman twice, just struggling to get hold of them!). Anyone have any recommendations/observations?
New control module not available from BMW as a standalone part, only available as part of a full rack at a cost of (sit down for this bit...) £2441.
So I'm looking at secondhand (and getting the garage to fit and code it) or finding somewhere to repair the control module (have been recommended BBA Reman twice, just struggling to get hold of them!). Anyone have any recommendations/observations?
Pugly said:
Got it recovered to a BMW specialist garage yesterday, diagnosed as a broken control module.
New control module not available from BMW as a standalone part, only available as part of a full rack at a cost of (sit down for this bit...) £2441.
So I'm looking at secondhand (and getting the garage to fit and code it) or finding somewhere to repair the control module (have been recommended BBA Reman twice, just struggling to get hold of them!). Anyone have any recommendations/observations?
Yes http://www.ecutesting.com I wont use anyone else inc your suggested New control module not available from BMW as a standalone part, only available as part of a full rack at a cost of (sit down for this bit...) £2441.
So I'm looking at secondhand (and getting the garage to fit and code it) or finding somewhere to repair the control module (have been recommended BBA Reman twice, just struggling to get hold of them!). Anyone have any recommendations/observations?
Just to bring the thread to a close.
Car is now back on the road after a long, long time parts hunting and trying to get the control module refurbished. Eventual resolution was a S/H part bought off Ebay.
When I got the old control module back a not insignificant amount of water trickled out of it, indicating the failure was caused by water ingress. Careful around puddles F10 owners!
Car is now back on the road after a long, long time parts hunting and trying to get the control module refurbished. Eventual resolution was a S/H part bought off Ebay.
When I got the old control module back a not insignificant amount of water trickled out of it, indicating the failure was caused by water ingress. Careful around puddles F10 owners!
Pugly said:
Just to bring the thread to a close.
Car is now back on the road after a long, long time parts hunting and trying to get the control module refurbished. Eventual resolution was a S/H part bought off Ebay.
When I got the old control module back a not insignificant amount of water trickled out of it, indicating the failure was caused by water ingress. Careful around puddles F10 owners!
Where is it located? Where was the water found?Car is now back on the road after a long, long time parts hunting and trying to get the control module refurbished. Eventual resolution was a S/H part bought off Ebay.
When I got the old control module back a not insignificant amount of water trickled out of it, indicating the failure was caused by water ingress. Careful around puddles F10 owners!
What part was it you searched for?
How much for the part?
how much for coding?
Apologies for so many questions, but it could really really help someone out one day!
edit: Also big thank you for coming back here with the eventual update!
Edited by Andehh on Wednesday 24th January 18:52
The part I'm referring to is indeed on the rack itself, it is the silver and black part attached to the rear of the rack in the below image. It's bolted to the rack using 3 torx fasteners and has an electrical connection on the black cap of the module.
I've found it under a few names - EPS Servo, pump, EPS ECU etc. however ISTA refers to it as a Control Module or Unit so I've been calling it that!
The water was found inside the module itself (it has a splined output shaft with a hole through it - the water came out of that hole)
I paid £250 then £245 for two complete S/H racks intending to just use the part I needed. The first arrived and the Control Unit was faulty (think it had been damaged in transit) however the second worked perfectly.
I also tried various remanufacturing options however most I tried were ~£500 and couldn't guarantee a turnaround of less than 10 days.
There are dozens of different part numbers due to revisions etc so if the same part on yours fails it's probably worth checking the part numbers individually. I used a website called realOEM for some guide to what part numbers are interchangable.
My total labour bill (excluding parts) was £396. That included;
- Test & removal of the original unit
- Installation, test and removal of the first faulty part
- Installation (inc. coding) & test of the second part
- There was an initial issue after installing the second part with the steering not self centering properly. This was resolved by relaxing and retorquing all bolts in the steering assembly - again adding to the labour cost.
I'd recommend the garage (Autotecnik in Blackpool) for anyone who has a similar issue. They were patient during long parts searches and kept me informed of progress and worked quickly when they had the parts to do so.
I've found it under a few names - EPS Servo, pump, EPS ECU etc. however ISTA refers to it as a Control Module or Unit so I've been calling it that!
The water was found inside the module itself (it has a splined output shaft with a hole through it - the water came out of that hole)
I paid £250 then £245 for two complete S/H racks intending to just use the part I needed. The first arrived and the Control Unit was faulty (think it had been damaged in transit) however the second worked perfectly.
I also tried various remanufacturing options however most I tried were ~£500 and couldn't guarantee a turnaround of less than 10 days.
There are dozens of different part numbers due to revisions etc so if the same part on yours fails it's probably worth checking the part numbers individually. I used a website called realOEM for some guide to what part numbers are interchangable.
My total labour bill (excluding parts) was £396. That included;
- Test & removal of the original unit
- Installation, test and removal of the first faulty part
- Installation (inc. coding) & test of the second part
- There was an initial issue after installing the second part with the steering not self centering properly. This was resolved by relaxing and retorquing all bolts in the steering assembly - again adding to the labour cost.
I'd recommend the garage (Autotecnik in Blackpool) for anyone who has a similar issue. They were patient during long parts searches and kept me informed of progress and worked quickly when they had the parts to do so.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff