Steering Position Sensor & now Yaw Rate Sensor

[boinzy]

2002 EuroVan MV Weekender.

My ABS and triangle dash warning lights came on some months ago and had a shop diagnose it as a failed steering position sensor.

Just turned over 120,000 miles and was getting the 120k service done at a new shop and they confirmed the previous diagnosis, so I had them replace it.

Now that they have it in, those same dash warning lights came back on, they took a look and they're saying the yaw rate sensor is reporting as bad.

"Which seems really weird to have TWO rarely failed items fail together!" as Cole says.

Anyone with experience with this? Any guidance?

I have half a mind to just live without it and ABS due to the expense.

Thanks all.

[jakehenes]

try to clear the code with vag com. if the sensor is actually good in needs calibration which is also something you do with software. check out ross tech website there are directions there.
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Owner and mechanic - riverwest auto.

[jakehenes]

there is a guy in silverthorne who helped me out while i was on vacation with my eurovan a few years back.. chiefs autohaus his name is jason.
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Owner and mechanic - riverwest auto.

[boinzy]

Thank you for this, I'll look into this further, much appreciated.

[boinzy]

I'm too far away to visit, do you think he'd chat with me over the phone? I don't want to bother a guy who's busy with paying customers.

[boinzy]

After sleeping on it, I have some specific questions around all of this.

Why would the steering position sensor affect the ABS?

Would a bad ABS module throw a code for the steering position sensor?

If the ABS module went bad, would that also result in the steering position sensor not outputting any data on position when hooked up to a computer, even if the sensor was actullay working fine? (note: after replacement, it's now outputting data as expected.)

Is it true that the yaw position sensor wouldn't throw a code until the steering position sensor was fixed?


Thanks all.

[jakehenes]

do you have access to vag-com? if so go into abs module for codes, there is an adaption because abs uses the steering angle sensor to make driving compensations.
_________________
Owner and mechanic - riverwest auto.

[Xtremjeepn]

You are welcome to use my VAG-COM.
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http://www.cavevan.com

[boinzy]

I'll definitely take you up on that if I find myself down in your neck of the woods! Thank you!

[Jonwid]

Boinzy,
Wondering how much your clock spring with steering angle sensor cost you?

[boinzy]

Hey Jonwid,

The part itself was just under $600 + about an hour of labor to put in. There is a place you can buy online for $590 if you're DIY.

[Itsamoto]

That is steep!

Any thoughts on whether this part can be poached off another VW in scrapyard?

[d-9]

Not according to vagcat, T4 only

If anyone has a slipring with a broken steering angle sensor they want to sell, please drop me a PM, I have no need for the ESP functionality but am desperately after the ring!

[Jonwid]

[Itsamoto]

Steering wheel sensor just died over the weekend on my 2002 GLS. Dashboard lit up like a christmas tree. Van seems drive-able despite the failure -- its just that the traction control isn't working. Perhaps some ABS effectiveness is reduced (I'm not sure).

The item's housing seems unique to the Eurovan - it nestles into the back of the van's steering wheel. Other similar vintage VW's that I looked at the sensor is covered by the steering column covers. If I had more time I would explore that type of swap -- as I have MK4 leather steering wheel (flat on the back) that I want to employ.

I used VAG-COM to check the codes from the ABS brake module:

P1628 - 35-00 - Missing Message from Steering Angle Sensor

Measuring blocks showed no angle data being transmitted.

Luckily I have second van on hand (Lucille's not going anywhere this month) - so I was able to swap in a known good clockspring/wheel-angle-sensor to verify the part was problematic and get everything back up.

Part (7D0959654) is expensive, although I did find it quickly at ECS tunning for $427.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/clockspring/7d0959654/

I would like to repair first before replacing. I took the suspect unit apart -- ribbon cable intact and continuity (this is the clockspring portion) -- but the wheel angle sensor looks to have board level damage. I will try and get a picture and upload it to update the post.

[jjvincent]

With a steering angle sensor, the stability, traction and diff lock will not work. As for the ABS, it works just fine. In racing the common thing we do is unhook the steering angle sensor to keep those systems off all of the time. ABS still works like a champ. You can accomplish the same with unhooking the yaw sensor.

[Itsamoto]

[Itsamoto]

Some details of the failed steering wheel sensor:

Here is the failed unit -- I have separated the clock spring (left) from the wheel sensor components (right) - -there is little spring washer ring that rides in between.

The steering angle sensor reads the posting of the steering wheel based on the coding of this brass disc/ring. You can see where the ring passes through the photoelectric reader. Very cool!

What's not cool - is that somehow the sensor disc/ring has been rubbing on the board beneath -- removing traces. No smoking gun of something loose in there - just plastic dust from the components wearing down on their own friction.

I don't know if this failure is all that common - but I do know that on this van the previous owner had replaced the ignition switch and perhaps the re-assembly put more pressure on the clock spring and wheel sensor -- thus causing failure. Anyhow - something to watch for.

[jjvincent]

That's a common unit. They wear out quite often on older vehicles today.

[Itsamoto]

@JJV Do you think the board is common then among other VWs? I see the form factor on other VW's of this generation is larger and more square - makes me think the components are spread out a bit more - perhaps saving itself from this wear-down.