rimmie Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Hi all, so my girlfriends a140 has been playing up since We left the interior light on then went to have some dinner. We came out the restaurant and it drove funny for a minute then was fine. Then the power steering went for 5 mins then come back. Over the last week it has lost all power steering and the indicators stopped working etc... Then went to start it up and it's dead, so jump started it and just died straight after I disconnect the jump leads, so iv just bought a new battery and all is ok BUT still no power steering !!!!!! What's going on ? Needs power stering fluid ? Something draining it ? The car has been totally fine up until we left the inside light on. HELP !!!!!!!!!! Edited January 19, 2013 by rimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Put a good battery on it see how it goes, chances are the old one is knackered. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krugerandsmith Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi all, so my girlfriends a140 has been playing up since We left the interior light on then went to have some dinner. We came out the restaurant and it drove funny for a minute then was fine. Then the power steering went for 5 mins then come back. Over the last week it has lost all power steering and the indicators stopped working etc... Then went to start it up and it's dead, so jump started it and just died straight after I disconnect the jump leads, so iv just bought a new battery and all is ok BUT still no power steering !!!!!! What's going on ? Needs power stering fluid ? Something draining it ? The car has been totally fine up until we left the inside light on. HELP !!!!!!!!!! Does it have electric power steering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 You could try disconnecting the battery again leave it for a bit and reconnect it and hope that the computter will reset if that dose not work a trip to the main dealers and get them to plug in to there computer and that should say what is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KPV4 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi all, so my girlfriends a140 has been playing up since We left the interior light on then went to have some dinner. We came out the restaurant and it drove funny for a minute then was fine. Then the power steering went for 5 mins then come back. Over the last week it has lost all power steering and the indicators stopped working etc... Then went to start it up and it's dead, so jump started it and just died straight after I disconnect the jump leads, so iv just bought a new battery and all is ok BUT still no power steering !!!!!! What's going on ? Needs power stering fluid ? Something draining it ? The car has been totally fine up until we left the inside light on. HELP !!!!!!!!!! Wow, this is very similar to whats just happened to my sons diesel Renault Clio!! Our mechanic has had to look at the car and has found some wires behind the engine that have shorted and melted (why we don't know), so hopefully now they have been repaired it will be fine. Just waiting for the battery to charge to see what happens!! The battery is new but nearly flat, i initially thought it maybe a fault with the alternator not charging the battery, but after testing its out pit its fine giving out 14volts. Perhaps you need to get an expert to look at the car incase you have the same problem as me, maybe the light being left on has caused the cable to short causing other problems!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Wow, this is very similar to whats just happened to my sons diesel Renault Clio!! Our mechanic has had to look at the car and has found some wires behind the engine that have shorted and melted (why we don't know), so hopefully now they have been repaired it will be fine. Just waiting for the battery to charge to see what happens!! The battery is new but nearly flat, i initially thought it maybe a fault with the alternator not charging the battery, but after testing its out pit its fine giving out 14volts. Perhaps you need to get an expert to look at the car incase you have the same problem as me, maybe the light being left on has caused the cable to short causing other problems!! My cousin had this problem years ago with an Alfa. Left the interior light on overnight and burnt wires out in the engine compartment some where. He had gremlins after recharging the battery but the battery ran flat every journey. Auto electrician and a new battery sorted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hide shooter Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Is it a diesel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hide shooter Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) A diesel will run with a flat battery a petrol wont! Reason is diesel motors run relying on compression to ignite the atomised fuel, where as petrol runs off a spark generated from a coil pack ect, ecu, power steering pump ect will probs fail on a petrol hence the running funny ,unless it runs off the auxilary belt, if it does your looking at a knackered battery or alternator problems or both! as said take it to a mechanic could be anything from a loose earth wire to goosed alternator! Edited January 19, 2013 by the hide shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chr15j Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 A140 is a petrol by default. Try looking at the belts. Also check alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hide shooter Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 fair doos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimmie Posted January 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Thanks for replying lads, I have been advised to check the alternated belt as the power steering is run off the belt, but it's not floppy or come off and runs fine when the engine is on. As can be seen, seated fine, no breaks ! fu@k nos :( I put a brand new battery in it about an hour ago !! Everything works BUT the power steering :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikky Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 http://www.power-steering.co.uk/2009/03/13/mercedes-a-class-loss-of-power-steering/ have a look here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 A diesel will run with a flat battery a petrol wont! Reason is diesel motors run relying on compression to ignite the atomised fuel, where as petrol runs off a spark generated from a coil pack ect, ecu, power steering pump ect will probs fail on a petrol hence the running funny ,unless it runs off the auxilary belt, if it does your looking at a knackered battery or alternator problems or both! as said take it to a mechanic could be anything from a loose earth wire to goosed alternator! Old diesel's perhaps, new ones run on electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedwards1966 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 If you've fitted a new battery you could try disconnecting it again for 10 seconds and see if that resets anything. Assuming that doesn't work you probably need to take it somewhere with diagnostic equipment (electric power steering I think?) as otherwise you can end up running round replacing everything and never finding the fault. Modern cars aren't designed to be repaired by anything other than a computer. A diesel will run with a flat battery a petrol wont! Reason is diesel motors run relying on compression to ignite the atomised fuel, where as petrol runs off a spark generated from a coil pack ect, ecu, power steering pump ect will probs fail on a petrol hence the running funny ,unless it runs off the auxilary belt, if it does your looking at a knackered battery or alternator problems or both! as said take it to a mechanic could be anything from a loose earth wire to goosed alternator! Not these days. Modern diesels use a common rail system where the pump is electric, the injectors are all electrically controlled and the engine has numerous sensors which are also all electric. A modern diesel needs power just the same as a petrol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty138 Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Did you have to jump start the car when the interior light was left on ? If so was the igntion key left in the ignition ( turned on ) . Because it sounds like something has got fried either some fuses or the alternator itself . I would get the charge rate checked to start with needs to be above 13.8v when running . I am pretty sure A classes have electric power steering motors if i remember right there should be a biggish unit down on the offside chassis leg . The worst case is if it was jump started incorrectly it could of blown a SAM unit which is basically a computer that controls most things like lights ,wipers , headlights etc and they are a bit fragile when it comes to things like jump starting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesbanim Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) It'll probably be the crankshaft pulley for the aux belt. the belt drives the alternator, power steering and a/c if you have it. The pulley is a 2 part jobby and has a habit of separating. The belt will look fine but won't be going round properly. see here -http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/mypage.57.htm Edited January 21, 2013 by Lesbanim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockercas Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Is the alternator on the way out?. Get the car running and pop the positive off the battery. If it stops the alternator is duff. Nevermind. I missed the petrol part. ^^^ only works on derv engines. Mabey you power steering pump has gone. Edited January 21, 2013 by cockercas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parapilot Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Did you have to jump start the car when the interior light was left on ? If so was the igntion key left in the ignition ( turned on ) . Because it sounds like something has got fried either some fuses or the alternator itself . I would get the charge rate checked to start with needs to be above 13.8v when running . I am pretty sure A classes have electric power steering motors if i remember right there should be a biggish unit down on the offside chassis leg . The worst case is if it was jump started incorrectly it could of blown a SAM unit which is basically a computer that controls most things like lights ,wipers , headlights etc and they are a bit fragile when it comes to things like jump starting . As above. Power steering will only work when voltage is above 13v. If the Alternator is broke it will run cos you have a new battery, but won't get required voltage to activate PS. Get alternator checked first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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