What happened, yesterday?

[HHGTTG]

Yesterday (Sunday) I decided to clean my car, It hadn't been used since Friday and as usual I use my hose-fed brush and then a pail of warm water and a leather - the car wasn't very dirty. However, as the hose is a trifle short I had to start the car and reposition it on my dog-legged driveway.
I started the car but then heard a warning sound I hadn't heard before and on the instrument panel a red warning light showing a steering wheel was illuminated and my power steering wasn't working! I turned off the ignitions and after a few seconds turned it back on again and everything was OK.
I moved the car as necessary and then proceeded to clean the car which took about an hour. I then restarted the car and everything was now OK however instead, I now had a warning in the central display telling me 'ESP Fault' and there was a flashing yellow car symbol in the right hand instrument dial. I drove the car around the block and this then corrected the warning and it has not come back since.
I suppose that a dreaded visit to the dealer should be arranged although I would do anything to avoid this béte noire of mine.
Your comments might be welcome
:(

[phil miller]

did the car start ok? normally after disconnecting the battery the steering and esp lights can come on, and a short drive resets it, i think it may be worth a trip to the dealer just to make sure it was a one off

[johnloaderuk]

Might pay to check the tightness and cleanliness of the battery terminals.

[HHGTTG]

Might pay to check the tightness and cleanliness of the battery terminals.
Yes, I'll do that. Thanks for the information, however the car started instantly like it always does.

[Keithuk]

Your comments might be welcome

Might be, it depends on what you say guys. :zx11:

[vwcabriolet1971]

When you started it and found the problem the first time was the cars' steering on full lock ?

[percymon]

The ESP light is purely it needing a steerign angle reset - probably as a result of the earlier fault.

Made some electrical glitch, but best get it checked - the last thing you want is to lose power steering halfway round a corner.

[HHGTTG]

When you started it and found the problem the first time was the cars' steering on full lock ?
No, the steering was practically dead ahead. Today I have checked all the battery connections and they couldn't, safely, be tighter.

[WeegieBob]

I wonder if its the excessive condensation on the windscreen you were complaining about in your last thread running down into the back of dash-board area and effecting the electrics underneath?

WeegieBob. ;)

[HHGTTG]

I wonder if its the excessive condensation on the windscreen you were complaining about in your last thread running down into the back of dash-board area and effecting the electrics underneath?

WeegieBob. ;)
I would imagine that nothing ran anywhere but following your argument I would imagine that the windscreen was not the only 'component' in the car on which there was condensation!

[WeegieBob]

I would imagine that nothing ran anywhere but following your argument I would imagine that the windscreen was not the only 'component' in the car on which there was condensation!

But sadly it isn't imaginary to you, however I'm sure you'll eventually resolve this problem - good luck. ;)

Just a thought - when you washed the car did the windscreen steam up?

WeegieBob.

[HHGTTG]

But sadly it isn't imaginary to you, however I'm sure you'll eventually resolve this problem - good luck. ;)

Just a thought - when you washed the car did the windscreen steam up?

WeegieBob.
Thanks. The car misted up on that evening following the morning's washing of the car with copious water.
I would imagine that water does settle in the Plenum chamber (if cars still have these) - I'm sure they do otherwise fresh air wouldn't enter the car!
For now I'm treating the other matter as a glitch just like you do when perhaps your heart misses a beat or you get sudden cramp in your body for no particular reason.

[bassmandan]

I had my power steering die on me once. I had parked up and left the engine running, dropped off a letter and then got back into the car to drive off. As I pulled away, a whole host of lights popped up on the dash and the steering went exceedingly heavy. Turning off the engine and restarting solved the problem, the light went out shortly after.

Interestingly I have just got a vag-com and it is showing a fault code that has existed with the steering assist module since the cars 'birth'. My boss's A3 shows the same error.

[HHGTTG]

I had my power steering die on me once. I had parked up and left the engine running, dropped off a letter and then got back into the car to drive off. As I pulled away, a whole host of lights popped up on the dash and the steering went exceedingly heavy. Turning off the engine and restarting solved the problem, the light went out shortly after.

Interestingly I have just got a vag-com and it is showing a fault code that has existed with the steering assist module since the cars 'birth'. My boss's A3 shows the same error.
And so what subsequently has happened, if I may ask? Do we just carry on a though nothing happened on that occasion.
My car seems to be throwing up the occasional glitch what with my aircon not always working from a 'cold' start just when you need it. By the time you have taken the car to the garage and turned off the ignition and managed to get someone to come out with their VAG-COM there invariably is no fault logged (not with my aircon anyway)

[bassmandan]

I couldn't be bothered to take it to the dealers, I decided to just see whether it happened again, and so far it hasn't. The vag-com shows nothing as being logged for that occasion, so maybe it's a good thing I didn't bother wasting my time!

[HHGTTG]

I couldn't be bothered to take it to the dealers, I decided to just see whether it happened again, and so far it hasn't. The vag-com shows nothing as being logged for that occasion, so maybe it's a good thing I didn't bother wasting my time!
My feelings as well. I detest VW dealerships, I'm sorry to say (as you might already know!)