Stiff Power Steering? Unusual Cause!

[rajivrattna]

Well, my wife complained the other day that her Aygo's power steering had become rather stiff while turning the car at low speeds and during reversing. Naturally the focus was on the "power steering", but there were no power steering problem light that came on in the dash. So what is it? I removed and checked the power steering fuse, pulled it out and put it back. While I was about to take the car out for the test drive, she says, "can you fill the car up and check the air in the tyres, they seem low". While driving to the petrol station I noticed that the steering was on the stiffer side as she had said. Checked the tyre pressure at the gas station. They were very low. The front tyres had 1,6 bar instead of 2,2 bar!! Put some air in the tyres and the steering problem was gone. I wonder how long she had been driving with low tyre pressure and stiff steering!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Bet she felt deflated when you told her ....

[Unklian]

http://www.badum-tish.com/

[rajivrattna]

I'll have to find some kind of cheap tyre pressure monitor/sensor for the Aygo so that she can keep track of the tyre pressure. Any suggestions?

[T.F.S.B.I.G.W.S.]

I don't know if anyone is going to come up with monitor/sensor suggestion but it is probably worth checking the tyre pressures every now and then (weekly or, possibly, monthly)

[eygo]

tpms

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TPMS-Tire-Pressure-Monitoring-System-4-Wheel-Sensors-LCD-Display-Receiver-Alert-/321502165150?hash=item4adb05b89e

[FROSTYBALLS]

A cheap solution may be - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Van-Bike-Tyre-Black/dp/B008SB3RP8/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1440795654&sr=8-16&keywords=tyre+pressure+caps

[rajivrattna]

A cheap solution may be - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Van-Bike-Tyre-Black/dp/B008SB3RP8/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1440795654&sr=8-16&keywords=tyre+pressure+caps

The trouble with these is that they leak air over time and that itself becomes a problem.

[eygo]

the cheapest and most obvious solution would be to get her to check the pressures at the gas station herself

if she doesn't know how to ,then be the gent and show her what to do.

no excuses then.

if you get a tpms system would she take any notice of the display or any bleeps that come from the system ???

if they would be ignored ,you'd be wasting your money buying one

[rajivrattna]

Well, having thought of all the options, I have decided to check the tyre pressure for her from time to time myself. It gives me an excuse to get out of the house now and then.