Topic

Nothing related to F's or TFs this time. Does anyone happen to know an MOT tester they could ask about passing an MOT with the electric power steering disabled ?
The electric power steering on my daughter's K12 Micra annoyingly has gone again less than a year since i changed the electric column. This model of Nissan Micra are notorious for these failures, far more fragile than any other electric steering setup. To top this they are built as one unit, cant separate the sensors, brain and motor. Oh and they code themselves to the car which means replacement has to be a virginised recon unit or brand new from Nissan. 2nd hand ones have coded themselves to another car and cant be economically reset. . Last year there were a couple of sellers doing recon steering columns for less than £ 200 (albeit with short guarantees as i am now painfully aware of). This year the only recon ones available are over £ 400 and although they have 18 months guarantee I doubt it is worth while for the state of the rest of the car.

Fortunately driving a car with failed electric steering isnt anywhere near as bad as driving with a failed fluid filled PAS (though Ive done that and survived) so Im wondering if i should advise her to just get used to dragging the wheel round with both hands when parking until a recon column can be found for an acceptable price. The uncertainty though is whether broken electric steering will be an automatic fail at the next MOT or if taking the warning light out will just ensure it is tested as a car with manual steering

Was there a version available without PS?

Im still trying to find that out.

If the EPAS ECU doesn't communicate OBD port then most testers will not know if the EPAS has failed, in days gone by they road tested the cars but that was years ago. Failing that find out where all the young lads take their Honda Civic's etc, I am told that those testers will turn a blind eye to non dangerous failure items. This is not a route to getting dangerous cars passed but simply a tester passing a car with heavier than normal steering, saves on gym fees as well.

I've tracked down someone who used to work for TRW who made the EPS column who is sending a recon unit wirh 6 months guarantee for £190 plus postage. My daughter was threatening to buy another car if she had to drive the Micra without power steering so hopefully this new column will last longer than the last.

Notanumber wrote:

I've tracked down someone who used to work for TRW who made the EPS column who is sending a recon unit wirh 6 months guarantee for £190 plus postage. My daughter was threatening to buy another car if she had to drive the Micra without power steering so hopefully this new column will last longer than the last.

That’s probably £190 more than the Nissan Micra is worth

I’d be taking her up on that threat and asking her to make it a promise

I did wonder if she would take over the 115 but she felt the insurance would be too high.

How much is the insurance compared to keeping the shitbox Nissan running?

I take it that if you are prepared to pass the 115 over to your daughter, you are suited with the 135. I have to say, from the little I could see, you got a good deal.

She didn't say other than it would be noticeably more per month. Il see how the steering column transplant goes this week but will have another try at seeing if she could be interested in the 115. It would seem a shame to sell it after the work Ive put in

Is the cost of difference between the Nissan insurance and the MG insurance more than forever replacing the steering on the Nissan?

A key part of negotiations is to discourage her from taking out a car loan until she finishes her training and lands a permanent job so she can then afford to pay back a loan on something reasonably ok. . She nearly bought a Fiat 500 the other day almost as old as the Micra and i could just see myself having to fix that a few months down the line as of course she wont have any money to pay garage bills. Against that unknown the Micra is pretty reliable apart from the EPS steering, It cost peanuts to buy from a mate's daughter,it sailed through its last 2 MOTs and the most ive had to do to it aside from the steering was £ 40 for a new radiator which took me all of half an hour to change.