It sounds like it needs to be lubed, & my PS fluid is slowly depleting. No difference in steering feel though.

From the steering rack! ;-)
Happens only in the morning, and I attribute it to condesation on some parts. The squeaking goes completely away within a few minutes of driving.

What exactly is the rack & pinion? I've never known. I just went & bought some PS leak stopper, & it says it rejuvenates the R&P. I'll give it a shot before replacing the pump.

The steering wheel rotates a small pinion gear which slides the rack to the right or left, turning the wheels.

Be careful what you put in there. I think that Audi hydraulic fluid isn't exactly compatible with other products.

Audi's hydraulic mineral oil is very proprietary stuff--no automotive industry standards similar to the oil and brake fluid standards that I know of.

I would first look under the car and check all of the PS hoses and tubes for leaks where a metal tube and rubber hose come together. I replaced all of my factory pinch clamps with screw clamps to solve my PS system leaks.

I even found another leak this weekend which a couple of turns on the good ol' screw clamp fixed.

You should also look under the coil packs to see if the power steering pump has begun to "sweat"--i.e., leaking fluid from the seals on the pump itself indicates that the pump has begun to go bad.

Happy New Year!

I'll check a few place & see if the numbers match up for ya.

the part #'s are the same for all 3 years. Just for good measure, I'd suggest calling your dealer's parts dept. & ask them. Hope this helps!