Depressurising and Draining the System
Initially, the power steering system has to be depressurised and drained. For this purpose, the lock is turned several times with the engine switched off. Afterwards the power steering fluid is drained from the reservoir. It must be noted that if there is any remaining fluid in the lines, this will lead to serious spillage and possible damage when removing the old parts.
Removing Components to Reach the Pump
The power steering pump is located behind the auxiliary drive belt and also behind some additional components like brackets, etc. All these components have to be removed in the correct sequence to avoid any damage or strain on any of the parts. In some cases, the engine undertray has to be removed first to gain access to the power steering pump.
Unbolting the Old Pump
Next, the hydraulic lines are removed from the old power steering pump and plugged to prevent any contamination of the steering system. The mounting bolts for the pump are removed and the old pump is lifted off and removed from the engine. A failed Seat Ibiza Steering Pump will typically show signs of leakage from the shaft seal or wear on the bearings around this area.
Fitting the Replacement Unit
Once the new Seat Ibiza Steering Pump has been bolted into position it is to be torqued to the required manufacturer’s torque setting to prevent under or over-tightening which can cause the pump to become misaligned or even worse still be damaged. The hydraulic power steering lines are then to be reconnected and the auxiliary belt(s) to be re-fitted and correctly tensioned. Finally the reservoir is to be replenished with a good quality power steering fluid.
Bleeding the Hydraulic Circuit
If air has entered the power steering system it must be bled from the hydraulic lines. Air in a hydraulic system causes excessive wear to seals and components and can result in very unusual behaviour of the power assisted steering system. A groaning noise when steering and a ‘spongy’ feel when turning a corner are typical characteristics of a system that contains air. Once the power steering pump has been replaced it is usual to bleed the hydraulic lines to remove any air that may have entered the system during repair. To do this start the car’s engine and slowly turn a locked wheel from lock to lock repeatedly topping up the reservoir with power steering fluid as necessary until no bubbles are visible emerging from the return lines.
Final Checks Before Return
The level of the power steering fluid is checked and any leaks in the system checked for when the car is loaded. After these checks a short test drive is undertaken to check that the steering is smooth and quiet.
As every stage of the process has to precede the following, the risk of problems occurring by hasty implementation of a stage is large.