Q: Revs drop when steering is turned
Ok so i have a mk4 1.4l golf and it tends to lose revs when i turn the steering. Car does have power steering. This tends to happen after 15-20mins of driving. Also the steering tends to harden. Also if i leave the steering straight and turn the lights on the revs also drop. The revs sometimes drop to the point of stalling the engine. Ive checked the ps cam and no noticeable differences occur. Could this be the battery/alternator or the power steering pump/rack? Thanks in advance.
My car has 80000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
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You are correct on both actually. It is likely a failing power steering pump. When the pump binds up and creates an extra load on the drive belts. This puts the extra stress on all of the other components driven by those drive belts. This includes the alternator, and of course the battery as a result. The lack of battery power is noticed more so in the headlights, but all other electrical components will likely be strained as well. You will want to replace the power steering pump. When doing so, you will want to verify that no other parts involved with the drive belt were damaged during this failure. If the power steering pump is not the issues, then another component that is driven by the drive belt is the issue. Due to the symptoms you have described, the power steering pump should be the first you check.
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