G85 fault Steering angle Sensor

**Pamchico** · 15-01-2012,03:15 PM

Folks
My 2006 A3 2.0 TDI sportback power steering and Esp warning lights came on recently. I am told both lights are connected. I recently hit a deep pot hole on the front nearside which damaged an alloy and destroyed a tyre and suspected it may be connected. The power steering is fine with no loss of assistance.

The car was connected to a diagnostic system which showed a g85 fault , steering angle sensor, the steering rack has been checked and seems ok. The tyres have been replaced on the front and the tracking done, however the steering wheel is now sitting off about 15 degrees(when straight car goes right).
The car is going into a audi garage tomorrow, what is the likely outcome, anyone experienced this before?

**phil miller** · 15-01-2012,08:28 PM

The tracking needs to be set up, which will aline the steering wheel then after a good drive it should reset if not you will have to reprogram it, iirc start car with wheel straight ahead turn full lock and hold then other lock and hold, straighten up and drive forward that should reset the angle sensor

**Pamchico** · 15-01-2012,08:55 PM

The tracking was done however the steering wheel is still off, I suspect they havent done it properly now, is the G85 fault a fault with the sensor or a fault with the steering wheel alignment?
I hope it is just a case or realigning the wheel and the sensors and not a replacement sensor.
Thanks for the info

**phil miller** · 15-01-2012,10:35 PM

the steering angle sensor could be behind the steering wheel or could be built into the rack, now when tracking is checked and adjusted you should be able to line the wheel up (as it was prob lined up before the pothole) so as the angle sensor is seeing the wheel is out it no longer knows where the straight ahead is so throws the fault code and turns off your ESP, im fairly sure lining the wheel up and reprogramming the steering sensor will sort the fault

i know its for a golf but follow the link and that will help explain what i mean

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index...teering_Assist

**Pamchico** · 15-01-2012,10:42 PM

Thanks, we wil see what they say tomorrow. The sensor is within the steering wheel under the airbag. Hope it just need reset as opposed to being replaced.

**phil miller** · 15-01-2012,10:45 PM

Originally Posted by Pamchico

Thanks, we wil see what they say tomorrow. The sensor is within the steering wheel under the airbag. Hope it just need reset as opposed to being replaced.

TBH as its behind the wheel i cant see it has broken, my money is on a reset mate, post up how you get on

**Pamchico** · 16-01-2012,07:56 PM

The experts had a look and said that the steering bushes were worn and that the steering wheel wasnt sitting square so they couldnt attempt to reset anything, so off it went to a more reasonable mechanic who has changed the bushes, it will go back tomorrow to get the tracking checked and then I will do the checks with the steering whee l(lock to lock then straight ahead slowly) before it goes back to the experts.
If I am lucky maybe the above will put the lights out. Basically I think the car believes it is doing one thing while it is actually doing another, heres hoping. TBC

.

**alankru** · 16-01-2012,09:24 PM

An expert correct me if I am wrong, but when I spoke to someone they told me that the steering angle sensor was for the steering wheel being out of alignment (as you are experiencing) and not the wheel alignment/tracking itself.

I had an old Volvo that I had tracked 3 times. On each occassion, the steering wheel was not straight. After one adjustment the steering wheel was steering to the left, the next adjustment it was steering to the right - it just wasn't accurate enough. It just didn't seem to ever be done correctly.

If you have had a big jolt like that, I would recommend that you get proper 4 wheel alignment done using a computerised system: http://alignmycar.co.uk/
I have used http://www.tyrepros.co.uk/ myself and they give an exemplary service. You need to explain what has happened and see if they can do a test (I think it is called a rolling test) that checks to align the steering wheel straight with the wheels. I didn't pay a huge amount more than I would have done for the "laser aligned" tracking. They found that I required both my front and rear axles adjusting on my A3 so that it was aligned correctly. I have noticed on my A3 that the ride is smoother, the handling has improved and it steers dead straight.
My father has my old Volvo now and he has also had 4 wheel alignment done on it - he says that it is correct now. Just something for you to consider...

**trioptics130** · 16-01-2012,09:33 PM

i drove over a rock that had fallen out of the hedge and put the steering angle way out, put the car to audi and half hour later and the tech driving the car in making an adjustment and so on all in all cost me about 30 quid and job done, getting the tracking done i beleive wont do it so let the experts instead do it

**phil miller** · 16-01-2012,09:44 PM

TBH when i had probs with the rack on my golf i replaced the rack one night, all the lights reset themselfs but the wheel was left hand down by a fair amount when i was driving in a staight line the esp was giving it the big one because it knew i was going fast but the steering angle sensor was saying i was turning left, the reason the tracking needs checking is because i take it the wheel was spot on before and now its not, that tells me something is bent or the tracking has been knocked out, so by setting the track is bang on if the wheel is still out a little the wheel can then be removed and lined up

as for the Volvo the V70 can be a total nightmare to get the wheel spot on i work for a Volvo indy and i try and avoid being given the tracking jobs lol