Steering Occasionally Going Heavy... Is This The Crappy Hicas?

[Dean_HR31]

Hey guys, quick simple question..

when it feels like it, my steering suddenly goes heavy.. can be any time eg going into a round about

at slow speed, coming into a bend fast.. basically whenever the car feels like it...?

Im hoping this IS the Hicas cos my lock bar goes in this week...

Thanks!

Edited May 23, 2007 by Dean_HR31

[racsov500]

could be the pump or the valve body in the top of the rack, does it do it turning in one direction? are there 'hills' you have to get over when turning the wheel (a spot of resistance that you have to push hard to get past)

[ZENNON]

This happened to me a few time on the skidpan on the weekend (and i have a lockbar) but i think

its a bit different - seemed to happen when i was spinning the wheels in 2nd so the car must have been thinking

we were doing 80 odd kms/h so the stearing goes heavy at higher speeds? does anyone know if this is true?

[R33GOD]

i always get the heavy steering issues with my hicas. light goes on...no power steering. i have the smallest of power steering leak which is causing it. topped up the fluid and it comes good after 10 mins. the hicas is sooo sensetive. have a look for the smallest.. i mean smallest of power steering leak.

[GTAAAH]

Most annoying thing ever.. Goes from light to heavy..Always intermittent, and topping up fluids and recharging battery doesnt help at all. turning car off then on seems to fix it... for about 5 minutes..Cant do the hicas diagnostic either because it's too damn difficult to get started... Then suddenly it's gone and replaced by the steering wheel that jumps around, a loud clunking and the hicas light flicking, whenever your at lights with stereo or your lights on..

[B0oStEr]

Most annoying thing ever.. Goes from light to heavy..Always intermittent, and topping up fluids and recharging battery doesnt help at all. turning car off then on seems to fix it... for about 5 minutes..Cant do the hicas diagnostic either because it's too damn difficult to get started... Then suddenly it's gone and replaced by the steering wheel that jumps around, a loud clunking and the hicas light flicking, whenever your at lights with stereo or your lights on..

It sounds exactly like my 32 when the alternator was dying.

It never brought the charge warning light on but struggled to make 12.5 volts when tested with the motor running.

A new alternator and the voltage never goes below 14.2 volts and the hicas light, clunking and heavy steering never returned.

I think hicas might need more than 13 volts to work properly.

Check your output voltage and be aware that as alternators die they can work intermittently for a while so it might be 14.2 volts for at first then drop to 12.5 volts and your problem returns.

[GTAAAH]

Yeh, it's ok on idle but once lights are on and it's idling it starts to do that, i've tried a new battery and that didnt help (which confused me because you'd think a fully charged battery would at least run sufficient voltages until it is flat)

Been told it could be power steering pump (which i dont agree with) so now it's either new alternator or try a capacitor or something (has expensive stezza, but problem happens even when stereo not on soo yeh)

[Dean_HR31]

But the thing is my HICAS is being disconnected this week along with my lock bar...

Wont this fix the problem????

[THENIG]

I know this sounds bloody obvious and im sure you have checked.... Could the power steering belt just be loose/worn? It won't necessarily squeek either, as soon as it slips whilst your driving it will have the same symptoms as you have described, goes heavy all of a sudden under load, then slips, which creates friction which creates heat and then works fine for a bit before slipping again? Not saying that thats def. what it is put i'd be checking that first, its a bit of a prick to do if you still have stock FMI pipes in the way, otherwise its a 15min job.

[captain_jonno]

its a real pain I get the same thing as described.. it happens by itself regulary and usually when going over 80kph on the freeway the steering goes off center.. but now often if I flick high beams on the hicas light will flash on and my stereo turns off and back on.. have intermittent issues with the steering because of it also..

but my starter motor is now making bad noises when i turn on the car so im getting that fixed next week as well as a new clutch.. thinking now maybe i should get them to check for power steering leaks and maybe replace my alternator.. hmm its a 93 r32 GTR

Edited June 1, 2007 by captain_jonno

[Sexual_32]

I reckon powersteering pump is on its way out mate.