What is included in a steering system check?

Our free car steering check covers all major parts. Our top-rated mechanics will check your power steering fluid levels, the condition and quality of the power steering fluid, steering geometry, steering wheel and more.

Audi

Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, established over 100 years ago in April 1910, and has been owned by the Volkswagen Group since the 1960s.

How popular is Audi in the United Kingdom?

This marque design and engineer luxury vehicles and distributes them worldwide. In the UK alone, there were over 1.7m Audi vehicles on the roads in the final quarter of 2018; a number that is continually growing year after year, and has more than doubled in the past decade.

Audi’s success can be attributed to its ability to move with the times, retaining its reputation as a prestige manufacturer and as part of the ‘big 3’ German marques responsible for high sales throughout the world market, alongside Mercedes and BMW.

Luxury executive vehicles for every type of driver

Audi’s current range features predominantly luxury executive and family cars of varying sizes: with compact to full-size saloons, coupés and sportback models, complemented by a growing range of SUV and sports car models.

Vorsprung durch Technik

The Audi brand is easily recognisable by their 4-ring logo—originally representing the four car companies to create Audi’s predecessor company, Auto Union—and their world famous slogan that ran for over 30 years, translated as ‘Being ahead through technology’. Despite no longer being used in their mainstream marketing, the meaning behind it still stands true of the brand today.

Audi: A sensation in rallying motorsport

Throughout the 1980s the Audi Quattro was famous for dominating rallying worldwide. The introduction of their four-wheel drive turbocharged model went on to win the World Rally Championships in both 1983 and 1984 and amassed a number of podium finishes and titles throughout the decade, all across the globe.

Audi’s reliability and reputation

Audi ranked 20th place out of 30 car brands in the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2018. Audi’s reputation for creating reliable running vehicles has steadily improved over time to become a strong contender to some of the Asian brands that have continued to dominate in this area.

How does car steering work?

The steering system of your car includes everything from the steering wheel to the steering shaft, rack and gearbox, all the way to the linkage which connects to the wheels themselves. All these components are used to control the direction of a vehicle’s motion.

Almost all steering systems in modern cars contain a hydraulic booster, which supplies most of the necessary force when the driver turns the wheel. This is often called power assisted steering.

How do I know if my steering system needs repairing?

Some common signs that your steering may need repairing are:

• Very difficult to turn the steering wheel

• Uneven or premature tyre wear

• Power steering fluid pump is making a whining noise

• Power steering fluid looks black or brown

• Car pulls to one side when driving or your steering seems to be “wandering”

When do you need to replace your power steering fluid?

The rule of thumb suggests that you should change your power steering fluid anywhere between 30,000 and 100,000 miles of driving. The main reason to replace your power steering fluid is that it has become contaminated or dirty. Further tell-tale signs that you need to take care of a flush are if you're having problems steering, the fluid has turned black or a dirty brown colour (it's generally red when it's new), it smells like it's burning, or you hear squealing noises as you turn the steering wheel.

##Is it OK to drive with low power steering fluid?

Without the correct amount of power steering fluid, the handling of your car will be affected. It can be difficult to control at low speeds and be dangerous for you and your passengers. We'd recommend topping up low levels as soon as possible. If you drive without power steering fluid for extended periods, you can damage the pump, which would deliver a far costlier repair or replacement than a simple top-up.

##Is it necessary to flush power steering fluid?

It's not always necessary to flush the power steering fluid, but we'd suggest it's a best practice you should engage in—recommended by almost all good mechanics. Over time, build-up can occur in the power steering fluid, which not only makes it harder to turn your steering but can also deliver increased wear to your steering pump, causing damage that could easily be avoided.

How long does it take for power steering fluid to circulate?

If you're giving your steering system a full flush, you can expect it to take 5 minutes of turning the steering from wheel hard left to hard right to get the power steering fluid into the system properly. Keep an eye out for air bubbles releasing from the reservoir. Once everything feels normal again, take the car out for a drive. Check the fluid level on your return and over the next few days, and top it up to the full level if it drops at all.