Power Steering Pipework (1 Viewer)

[chopper602]

Hi,

Took my TEC Rotec for it's first MoT today (it passed!) and whilst the tech was under the front of the van he noticed a small amount of oil where it shouldn't have been. He pinpointed this to a power steering pipe, a tiny pinhole where this pipe attaches to a clip on the chassis. It can't have been leaking for long or very much as I've not had to top up the fluid.

This is part with the pinhole, when it's removed from the clip

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This is the bit and the finger pointing to the defect, when it is put into the clip.

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He reckoned that due to it's position and the hole being where it goes into a clip/bracket that it's a design fault.

Good job I decided to get the first test done early as I still have some warranty left! Took it to North East Van & Truck (Fiat Commercial dealers) and when I pinpointed the fault, they've ordered the part and will get back in contact when it comes into stock - result!

On another note, I can really recommend 'A66 Test Centre, Southbank, Middlesbrough'. Test was only £40 and there was no problem with me going down the pit to check out the underside of the van.

 

[pappajohn]

May be worth asking the fitter to insulate the new pipe on fitting.

A piece of thin rubber (old inner tube etc) around the pipe to prevent it happening again.

 

[Deleted34567]

Agree with PapaJohn,
Those pipes are manufactured from quite thin sidewall aluminium and not uncommon for them to fracture (usually fracture rather than pinhole) ... Still, you got it in time.

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[chopper602]

Hoping to have it fixed this week after a stalled attempt at the weekend (they ordered the wrong part!).

 

[Peter A Forbes]

Buy stainless steel pipe clips with rubber lining.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271200589061

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Peter

 

[chopper602]

Picked van up this morning, all done and they have also fixed a faulty ABS sensor on the rear axle (I'd mentioned we'd had a warning message about hill holder / ESC previously). Warranty is now over, so I don't think it will be too hard to do perform simple servicing myself (oil & filters etc)

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[chopper602]

To add further to this thread, I got a phone call from the garage last night to tell me Fiat have rejected the warranty claim as the motorhome warranty is only for 24 months. So I'll have to pay for the parts & labour! Naturally I'm not too happy about this as they haven't actually told me how much it's going to cost. It's not as if it's done a lot of miles either - less than 10k in three years . . .

 

[GJH]

To add further to this thread, I got a phone call from the garage last night to tell me Fiat have rejected the warranty claim as the motorhome warranty is only for 24 months. So I'll have to pay for the parts & labour! Naturally I'm not too happy about this as they haven't actually told me how much it's going to cost. It's not as if it's done a lot of miles either - less than 10k in three years . . .

I got caught similarly with a Berlingo we had. The camshaft fractured (which led to the belt breaking and an engine rebuild) when it had only done about 35,000 miles. Citroen didn't want to know because it was nearly 7 years old. It would have been in warranty on mileage but not on age.

 

[chopper602]

It all went quiet after my last post. Finally on Friday when I was with the motorhome in a field at Newby Hall, I got a call from NE Van & Truck. They had badgered Fiat and they had agreed to pay for half of the parts & labour and NE Van & Truck had made a 'dealer' contribution. The final bill *should* have been around £370. I paid £61, so more than happy with that.

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