'Screech' noise when pulling away

[pretzel]

Buddy, I am only too happy to name and recommend the OPC - it is the Porsche Centre in Cardiff. They have always been very good in my experience. In the past they have also done their best to locate and isolate a creaking sound in the hatch area, continuing their investigations well after the original warranty expired and I had chosen not to renew it. Even now a year or so on from the original diagnosis they have enquired if it is still sorted (I still get the noise occasionally) and have offered to take another look, free of charge. I did once use a local independent for a minor service at 20K miles and when the OPC knew of this they asked that before I used the indy again that they have the opportunity to offer a competitive quote for the same work. Since that offer I have always returned to the OPC. Their competitive pricing has never matched the indy but has been close enough to keep me going back. I think their approach to customer service is exemplary and can only surmise that it is because they want to maintain customer loyalty, and potentially repeat car sales. It works for me. Pete B.

 

[Motorhead]

ORIGINAL: BrianJ Over the years I have seen posts on various forums (fora?) about the eventual discovery of mysteriously low power steering levels on Boxsters so I suspect it is not uncommon.  

Unfortunately Brian, one of the problems of not having direct access to the PAS reservoir on Caymans and Boxsters. A design oversight I think - perpetuated on the 981 series too - which could have been addressed by providing a third cap adjacent to those for the oil and coolant. Jeff

 

[Buddy]

Well Jeff, there is a top up point for the brakes/clutch hydraulics in the conventional position at the front but none there either for power steering. BTW the 981 has electric PAS. But, the fact that you have to open the engine cover to check steering fluid is bad.

 

[uknick]

I'm sure somebody on here also had their Cayman steering rack replaced at a relatively low mileage. But, why replace the rack if the pump has gone? Is it a complete non serviceable unit? Anyway good (ish) result for the OP.

 

[pretzel]

Just to clarify uknick, the rack had developed a leak whicn in turn starved the power steering system of sufficient fluid as far as I understand it, hence the rack replacement. Have yet to have a full discussion with the OPC as the work has taken longer than expected but will update here with all the info when known. Pete B.

 

[Motorhead]

ORIGINAL: Buddy Well Jeff, there is a top up point for the brakes/clutch hydraulics in the conventional position at the front but none there either for power steering. BTW the 981 has electric PAS. But, the fact that you have to open the engine cover to check steering fluid is bad.

Oops.! How could have I forgotten Kevan, given the publicity over this. However, back to my original point, it does seem odd that although Porsche choose to flag up warnings for low oil and coolant levels (and even low washer fluid level!) on our cars, they've not provided a warning for low PAS fluid level, particularly since the reservoir is buried - rather inaccessibly- under the engine cover. No doubt this would have prevented many failures of the type described by the OP. And although the electric PAS is much simpler than the hydraulic type, you can bet that a replacement steering rack - incorporating a sophisticated electric motor - will be significantly more expensive. Jeff

 

[Buddy]

Most definitely an omission to have no level indication of the steering fluid as you say after all there used to be a dipstick on the cap in the front engined cars. And I'd hate to think what the cost of an electrically assisted rack will be in the 981!