Flat battery & now the steering is heavy

[brad]

I flattened the battery the other day due to an issue with the front parking lights - I'll address that once I've sorted this.

Battery was at 10v (according to VCDS) when I tried to start the car. After recharging the battery the steering wheel & ESP warning lights were on.

Drove the car & the steering felt normal. Both warning lights disappeared but the Check engine light came on.

Cleared the CEL & the steering & ESP lights re-appeared.

Checked in the Ross tech infobase & did a Sensor for Steering Angle (G85) basic setting & a Steering Limit Stop Adaptation & cleared the fault codes. VW Golf (1K) Steering Assist - Ross-Tech Wiki

The steering wheel & ESP warning lights are gone but now the steering is very heavy at low speeds & doesn't return to centre at all - you have to steer it all the time. It's like driving a '70s Bedford truck. It is beautifully weighted at 80kph+ though.

Could it be that it's "lost" the characteristic curve?

Thought I should ask here & try & get a logical plan of attack for diagnosis & repair rather than blindly proceed.

PS: would I be better posting this in the VCDS section?

[Transporter]

Try the steering angle sensor adaptation again. Maybe it didn't adapt properly when you did it and the fault came back. Other than that try driving 20-50km and see if it clears up.

[brad]

I'll try it again but did 200km in it today. The steering is beautifully weighted until you have to park it.

thanks

[Umai Naa!!]

Yep, try over 20km/h full lock left, full lock right, back to centre, then stop.

Also, clear all related faults in all systems.

I don't know if VCDS does it, but VAS-PC will walk you through a full re-adaptation of the electric power steering.

EDIT: Disregard

[brad]

So the full lock left & right while moving? I read it as left & right while stationary & then get it to drive straight.

Happy to try anything - will proceed to the carpark up the road

[Golf Loon]

Did you check the brake and abs systems too? It's all related.
Yellow lights on dash can self heal, red ones need some vcds love..
Can you run auto scan on that thing?

[brad]

Problem solved.

By driving in a left & right circle (rather than static turning) it must have pushed the rack a bit further over.

Did the steering angle G85 & all the lights came back but the steering went normal (kind-of).

Then did the limit stops & the lights went out & it was back to what it used to be.

I just wish I could adjust the weighting like you can in a Polo.

Thanks for taking time out of your Sunday to help.

I have another issue with the front parkers (trying to fix caused the flat battery). I'll post a new thread later. I think I might have been a bit of a f-_k-knucl;e (should stick to brakes & suspension).

All good for the moment

[k_rider]

Just curious...

Is this "normal" behaviour when a battery goes flat - that is, for one or more of the control systems to lose their settings? I'd have thought that an attempt to start the engine on a flat battery to be a fairly common occurrence and something that was considered and accounted for during the design process. I certainly wouldn't expect my car to "lose its marbles" simply because the battery went flat! Or was brad just unlucky and happened upon a reasonably unlikely set of conditions?

[brad]

I have no idea.

My battery was pretty fubar when I tried - wouldn't even turn the engine over. I assume it's on the way out as it's now 6 years old. I really should get a load test done.

[woofy]

Ours hit 5yrs old in Nov, I just put a new one in for future insurance. Its only done 50k in that time so not high milage, but batteries don't seem to care about kms.

The RACV here did it, and they plug a device into the lighter socket to keep all the electrics alive so you don't get any surprises. Car behaved like normal afterwards.