Mac D Beats

Hello again,

so on my drive to the office today i was on the highway going about 60mph, all the sudden the ABS lights came on and then there was a "Parking Break" message on the HUD. i've had this happen once before so i did the same thing that fixed it the last time, i pulled over and turned off the car for a min and then restarted it. the lights went off but then i noticed the power steering was not working...?

i've been reading for about an hour and i've decided i should start with checking and adding power steering fluid correct? also which power steering fluid is most common, i'm assuming it hasn't been changed since it's been serviced by audi mostly, and the info on the exact fluid to get is hard to grasp, there is one original one but another that may have replaced it??

next, i'm assuming i should take it to have a diagnostic done which i do plan on doing but it seems like this is a common issue with the D3 A8L so i'm just curious what could most likely be going on here?

thanks

MP4.2+6.0

You can use either type 11S or 202. Often sold under Pentosin brand name if not by Audi, and then will say CHF11S or CHF202. Car came with 11S, but 202 has been superseding it for some reason in Audi specs. Interchangeable.

Do not use old 7S from earlier Audi days. All of these are hydraulic fluids and fit the Audi labeling as "Mineral Oil" (or sometimes Mineralhydraulik) which confuses some people, but the 11S and 202 will be synthetics, have better operating characteristics, and is what Audi is trying to say with its poor reservoir bottle labeling. Whatever you do, do NOT ever but in normal classic power steering fluid sold for American and various other cars--the red stuff that is very much like classic Dextron and other older American ATF's. Doing so will ruin the pump, the seals, the rack, everything.

Besides all this though, if it's only low fluid, great. But be sure the serp. belt driving the pump isn't broken and/or pump locked up [happened to me on an old Audi when a steering hose blew and pump and dry just briefly]. And if it needs fluid, it doesn't just evaporate so look for leaks. If the car is older it may leak in the steering rack seals some, which I tend to just live with unless it gets really bad. But of course if it is a hose or a connection, that should be dealt with.

kgd_007

I was getting some noise in my steering so thought I would check the fluid level. It was full, actually about a 1/4 inch over the max mark on the dip stick. Still a lot of empty space in the resivor. Would it being a little over the full mark cause problems that might damage the system?

MP4.2+6.0

The power steering fluid being high would not cause loss of steering assist or ABS or similar lights to come on. At most, when the fluid got hot, it might overflow the reservoir a bit. BTDT. If steering loss is felt and your serpentine belt is good, it would probably come down to a shot power steering pump.

Separately check your brake fluid. That can be the easy fix for some of the brake related lights coming on. As the pads wear, it can get low enough the fluid level sensor turns on the warning lights probably most often with sudden speed changes. If it's low and pads worn, still don't fill too much or all the way up, or it will spill back out when pads are replaced and caliper pistons pushed back in.

Mac D Beats

Just a lil update, i got to my office and let the car sit for about 3-4 hours before i went to a local auto parts store that carried the "11s" power steering fluid. when i was at the store asking for the power steering fluid for my car the guy brought out the "202" blend, and said that was what was in the system for my car. since i hadn't read any of these posts yet, i asked for the "11s" because my quick initial research said that was the one for my car.

Anyways, upon starting it up to go get the fluid, the power steering was working fine... i got back to my office and checked the level, it was a lil below "Min" on that little dip stick cap thing. i added enough to be the slightest above "Max", cleaned everything up, restarted the car for a min (thought this might start circulating more fluid or something, w/e)

Since then i haven't had any problems with the steering or the "ABS" lights, although after reading up on the "ABS Control Module" my understanding is that it controls the speedo too, and i just noticed that my speedo is 4-5Mph off, so i'm thinking about ordering the module from the audiusa online parts site and replace that just to be safe, and while im already working on the car i'll go ahead and flush and replace the power steering fluid along with what looks like a filter of some sort..?

MP4.2+6.0

1. The ABS controller module is likely pretty expensive. They go out on older Audis, but you know it from the instrument panel light show that won't go out, plus the errors seen in VAG COM. On my C5 4.2, it was much cheaper to send to one of the places that repairs them. I would not replace it absent specific codes from a scan that tell you it is messed up.

2. Speedo error should be unrelated. The one data point I have on 18's and 19's at 27.0" in diameter was on old W12 test by a German magazine, in German. The data tables said at 100kph (62mph), there was a 5% error (optimistic) with a W12 fit with baseline 18's; translates to 3MPH at 60. You can try a GPS app on a phone, or a GPS w/ a speed reading. Mine is pretty close, but then with the 20" tires, the diameter goes up to 27.7", or a bit under 3% on the circumference. Said another way, expect more speedo error if you run 18's or 19's in the stock tire size. Don't know which wheels you have though.

3. Set PS fluid to the min mark when car is cold. Should then come higher up when it is warmed up.

4. There may be a filter in your reservoir. On my W12 the reservoir is integral with the pump and almost impossible to reach. On my old A6 4.2, it is separate. There I can just unclamp the reservoir and dump it out, cleaning the inside with brake cleaner. I have also figured out how to open the lines that go to the cooler set up on that A6 so I can pump fresh fluid through from a clean can. No luck so far figuring out a similar line opening point on the A8 W12. In lieu, I'm just turkey bastering out the reservoir every time I pull the air boxes for service (where a W12 or S8 reservoir is); over time I will get a lot of it.