More power steering fluid, less power steering...

My power steering fluid was low so I filled it to the normal level but all of a sudden I have little to no power steering.

I had no notable difficultly before, the brake indicator had started flashing a few days earlier and the brake fluid level was fine, but power steering fluid was a little low so I topped it off and the light went away. Drove fine, then that evening I started it up and had no power steering. Checked the level and it was low again, but no signs of a leak. Topped it off again and it improved a little but not much. Now the level is remaining consistent but I don’t have any power steering!

The a/c works so it isn’t the serpentine belt, and I don’t hear any whining or anything from the pump so I don’t think it seized. There’s no play or dead areas in the steering wheel so I don’t think it’s the rack, either. It does seem that occasionally there’s a little power assist but it’s intermittent and hardly noticeable at best.

Could there be air in the system? Or perhaps a defective fluid, if there can be such a thing?

Thanks y’all!


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I recently read here that the PS fluid level is a bit confusing to check.
When cold: level should appear below MIN.
When hot, level should appear between MIN and MAX.
Hope that helps.
You could always do a flush. There's a good how-to somewhere here.
Or, if you have a Pella/MityVac you could pull as much out as possible and re-fill with new (high-quality VW blessed)... Then to you'll want to drive and do several full-range turns back and forth. Can be low speed. Then re-check level.

what kind of oil did you add?
better be petroleum oil based and not glycol-ether or silicone based brake fluid

sometimes pumps' pressure regulators stick open, making the pump internally bypassed.
Try giving the P/S pump a smack (with a hammer) on the casting along the lump where the outlet fitting is inline with, as this bore is also where the regulator piston rides.

I added a petroleum PS fluid for sure! Will tinker with the pump after work today, hopefully add it to the list of “things on a tdi you can fix with a hammer,” otherwise it’s on to purging and repriming... thanks for the suggestions!


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