Hi again... accidentally i met a girl who has a B170 about 4 months now.. We discussed about our cars and i asked her about the noise on the steering wheel.
I was surprised when i finished my story, that he had heard also the same noise(!) but never gave attention on this!! I asked her to have her car checked in the service...just in case...
So.. please if you haven't checked yours, do it when you have the time...and state it here... maybe its a common noise on all B's so i won't have my rack & pinion replaced without reason!!! (i am afraid because its a complicated job!)..
ATTENTION: If you like to test your steering system, let the car stopped on a flat road, without handbrake on, stop the music, close all windows and listen carefully when you turning the steering wheel and especially
when you change direction near the left or right end.. (where the system needs maximum force). The noise is like cracking and is very low from passengers side... I would say also that you can "feel" it on the steering wheel.From the engine compartment it hears like when the exhaust system is hot (on older cars) and colds down... this noise tick-tack-tack...(!) but a little bit louder... (of course it has nothing to do with the heat, it is produced independent of the engines temp condition...)
Please give me your results here, i would appreciate this very much!
THANKS IN ADVANCE...
P.S. The noise is also produced with the engine off but it needs much more force to turn the wheel.. with this test its proved that its a mechanical noise and not from the electric motor which on this time is off...