I have a steering creak that developed lately. It's only once the car gets warm up, but it occurs at all speeds - whether creeping through a parking lot or turning along a sweeper. It's the same volume inside the cabin as out.

Also in the video you can hear a slight engine rattle. I could definitely make a better recording of it with the hood open and camera near the SC/tensioner...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Eg2r...ature=youtu.be

 

No one, really?! CV joints or steering pump? It's driving me a bit bonkers, and worrying me a bit too... Any help from someone knowledgable or who has experienced this before would be greatly appreciated!

 

The whine sounds like your power steering system is cavitating or is very low on fluid. The sound that you were asking about, the grinding/rubbing noise, may be the system pumping air. The dealership sounds like a good bet. Good luck.

 

Bringing this up again... It's not the PS pump cavitating. It's topped up on basically fresh fluid (8k km), though I do suspect it's reaching the end of its life.

Thing is, the steering creaks (as can be heard, I think, over everything else going on in the video) when the motor is not running and the PS pump is inactive. The car is lowered about 20-25 mm on unnecessarily harsh Bav Auto springs (for about 5k km now). Could this have done some harm to the steering or front suspension components??

 

Sounds like a bushing is resonating thru your springs in the front....spray all of your suspension and bushings with a quality silicone then drive around a bit then test out stationary....as for the steering whine thats normal....my 03 s did that for about 8 yrs untill I had to replace pump ...now for some reason it dosent do it anymore, probably slightly different pump I guess...

 

That's the kind of answer I was looking for! Thanks. I'll give the silicone a shot and see what happens...

And as for the pump whine, I'm at peace with that. I'll drive it until the pump explodes. It's just that the current noise sounds harmful to something MORE than just the pump...

 

how did this work for you?