Yet another power steering problem
08-26-2009, 11:16 PM
#1
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Yet another power steering problem
So after doing what has been recommended by nearly everyone on here (cleaning the connectors) my PS works anywhere between 3 days to 2 weeks. Sometimes it comes its working then out of no where off. Ive come to the point of just saying screw it take it to a stealership, get it fixed then get rid of it. To much headache over something so simple. Anyone have any last minute hints of help or ideas? Im trying to avoid paying $2,000.00 for some **** part that may not even be the actual problem. (I.E- the first time i took it in to the stealership they took a look at it and cleaned the connectors)
any help would be much appreciated.
any help would be much appreciated.
08-26-2009, 11:22 PM
#2
I had the same problem... people say to just clean the contacts and it'll work just fine.
I would clean mine 3 times a week and had to carry a can of contact cleaner in my trunk.
I ended up just splicing the wires together, leaving enough wire in case I needed room to remove something.
I've been running the past several years without any PS issues since the splice.
I would clean mine 3 times a week and had to carry a can of contact cleaner in my trunk.
I ended up just splicing the wires together, leaving enough wire in case I needed room to remove something.
I've been running the past several years without any PS issues since the splice.
08-26-2009, 11:29 PM
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so you just removed the connector totally and spliced em together? Im sort of curious as to what you did with the connector and or what if for some reason the problem came back. I understand it may not be the problem but im just wondering if it isnt the problem should i hold onto the connector.
08-26-2009, 11:33 PM
#4
Yup... just cut the wire and spliced them together permanently.
Been running a few years now without any problems.
I recall when I was looking into this issue at first, the contacts in the harness seemed a little thin (memory is coming back to me now
)
I also recall taking a flat head screwdriver and bending the contacts up so they made better contact when inserted into the other harness.
And after I did that, I went over a week without any PS issues.
But not trusting this "fix" I decided to just splice the wires anyway.
Really wish I would have saved the harness to refresh my memory, but I recall doing that.
Been running a few years now without any problems.
I recall when I was looking into this issue at first, the contacts in the harness seemed a little thin (memory is coming back to me now
)I also recall taking a flat head screwdriver and bending the contacts up so they made better contact when inserted into the other harness.
And after I did that, I went over a week without any PS issues.
But not trusting this "fix" I decided to just splice the wires anyway.
Really wish I would have saved the harness to refresh my memory, but I recall doing that.
08-26-2009, 11:36 PM
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alright well i know for sure i am DONE! cleaning the connectors every couple of days. So hopefully this works im gonna give it a try tomorrow. Thanks for the help dude. I used to live in Columbus before i got stationed in Cali
08-26-2009, 11:44 PM
#6
FYI... I ended up splicing both the 8ga (power) and 14ga (torque sensor) wires.
MazdaManiac told me that he thought the issue was with the torque sensor harness and I shouldn't have needed to splice the 8ga wires.
What I thought was interesting was that I was only cleaning the contacts in the harness for the 8ga wires.
I never touched the harness with the 14ga wires.
Either way, I spliced them both and have never had PS issues since so I'm happy
MazdaManiac told me that he thought the issue was with the torque sensor harness and I shouldn't have needed to splice the 8ga wires.
What I thought was interesting was that I was only cleaning the contacts in the harness for the 8ga wires.
I never touched the harness with the 14ga wires.
Either way, I spliced them both and have never had PS issues since so I'm happy
08-26-2009, 11:53 PM
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ok so the smaller connector and the bigger one right next to it is what you are talking about? (in the picture the smaller one is the one im holding with 3 wires coming out of the female end, and the bigger one is the one between my fingers right below my index) hopefully we are talking about the same thing here.
08-27-2009, 12:08 AM
#10
forget that connector on the left (smaller one), your PS connector is the one you are holding and thats all you need...so if your gonna do anything it has to do with the bigger one
also hope you get that **** fixed, it worked fine for me...sorry if my method didnt work, but good luck
also hope you get that **** fixed, it worked fine for me...sorry if my method didnt work, but good luck
Last edited by dozer; 08-27-2009 at 12:10 AM.
08-27-2009, 12:12 AM
#13
And I agree... but MM seemed to think that the 14ga one was the suspect.
So try one and if it still continues, splice the other!
I would be REALLY curious if just splicing the 8ga wire works because that is what I really thought the problem was.
So try it!
So try one and if it still continues, splice the other!
I would be REALLY curious if just splicing the 8ga wire works because that is what I really thought the problem was.
So try it!
08-27-2009, 12:14 AM
#15
ummmmm no, you mate em up exactly the way they are supposed to go, as if they were connected...
OHHHHHHHH no wait, you disconnected the wrong connectors....the one next to it (thicker cables) is your PS wires/connector....the one with the red and yellow/black belongs to your PS
OHHHHHHHH no wait, you disconnected the wrong connectors....the one next to it (thicker cables) is your PS wires/connector....the one with the red and yellow/black belongs to your PS
08-27-2009, 12:20 AM
#16
the connector you are holding, i assume belongs to the other connector of the green wires, right??? if soooo, that, i honestly dont think has anything to do with your power steering....your PS is the one i mentioned in my previous post the red and yellow/black connector
08-27-2009, 12:28 AM
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ok so i uploaded them. But for some reason i remember actually cleaning this one out at your place dozer (btw i found your black 10mm socket under my hood the other day just chillin above my passenger headlight)
08-27-2009, 12:59 AM
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for sure im gonna either do it tomorrow or Friday. Will keep ya updated. Thanks again for the tips. Sort of excited to see if this will fix my problemo.
08-27-2009, 01:02 AM
#23
Now one thing I forgot to mention, there is very little slack in the wire once you cut it.
I spliced extra wire so I had plenty of slack.
If you notice in my pic above, I have the wires looped because I spliced/added a good foot (probably more) extra wire onto it.
I spliced extra wire so I had plenty of slack.
If you notice in my pic above, I have the wires looped because I spliced/added a good foot (probably more) extra wire onto it.
Last edited by Jon316G; 08-27-2009 at 01:04 AM.
08-27-2009, 02:05 AM
#24
i am just going to throw this out there before anyone cuts anything, and i have no issue if you want to spice them.
if you have not cleaned both of them with contact cleaner, you dont really know what the issue is.
after 115k miles i had this start to act up.. took both out cleaned both. bam! issue over. but i also added some tubing to route the rad overflow away from this area..
and btw, i live in humid fla, the issue would be likely to come back quick..
beers
if you have not cleaned both of them with contact cleaner, you dont really know what the issue is.
after 115k miles i had this start to act up.. took both out cleaned both. bam! issue over. but i also added some tubing to route the rad overflow away from this area..
and btw, i live in humid fla, the issue would be likely to come back quick..
beers