So been thinking to myself of some time now, "Right Nino, the golf has been fine for almost 6 months something is due" So coming home today and pulled up outside my house (I live in a culdasac) so I drive in, turn right, full lock left and reverse and stop right outside my house.
So... I turn right and hear a whine, into reverse and turn left, with that I hear a whine that can only be discribed as a whineing gearbox... at this point my heart sunk!
Then I turn the car off and pop the bonnet, to find everything looks normal, I glace to my right and right where I stopped and turned right there is what can only be discribbed as small oil patch rainbow splat, about the size of a dominos pizza.
I start to think oh god my gearbox is dead
Then I start the car again and move it forward and back abit to which there is no noise, I even move the steering about abit and nothing.
So then I rang me mate to which he said his company van (VW caddy) did the same thing a few weeks ago and it turned out to be a split power steering pipe.
When he got here we moved my car and spotted a bigger rainbow splat, looks like its directly below the back end of my engine at a rough guess.
So we checked the level of the power steering fluid and it was empty
With that we jumped in his van and off to halford as there were the only place open
£14.99 lighter for halfords special (I know its cheaper from VW don't go there lol)
So filled the fluid up which strangely enough didnt take much at all
started the engine and proceeded to turn the steering wheel left and right for about 2 mins, each time I was getting close to the full lock I could hear the pump working and the fluid level was dropping but then the level went back up when I took the pressure off. Same happened when I full locked the other side. This just repeated for awhile then my friend said he saw a massive air bubble pop out then my steering went a tiny bit lighter.
After that we took the drive for a 2 mile ish drive and the car drove perfectly fine infact my steering felt alot lighter than I remember it. Got back home no noises, no problems, checked the fluid level and there was no change BUT I did notice some small spots of the fluid on the floor again in a line where I pulled in on the right, and there is a small spot under the car again.
The smell of the stuff on the floor is almost the exact same smell as the replacement fluid I just sourced but oviously its abit different because its mixed in with the old fluid.
I am worrying now because I need my car for work, I travel 40 miles a day for work and I am worried if I should drive or if its safe to drive or not plus I cannot afford to take time off work.
Also i am not 100% certain is is the power steering ratelated hence why I am posting here, in your opinions guys would this point to the power steering or do you think its something else and the fact that my fluid level was empty was just a coincidence and bad luck.
In all fairness I have owned my car since april last year and never thought to ever check my power steering fluid.
I am booking my car into my garage for saturday (earlyest I can do it) Do you think it will be safe to use the car for work until then? my plan is to check the fluid level in the morning and top up if needed, then drive to work and check the fluid when I get there and in between that just ensure the levels are topped up..
Poor GTI_James just had me in his ear for like 30mins giving me advise but being me I wanted to check with you lot as well
Sorry for the essy but think of it as your reading for the week done
