TraderAlex

For my '00 Avant: I am back to having another blown hose, after after just aa few weeks. That was the third (and last) hose. This is an event that has been going on, since New Year's. So with only 72k miles on the damn car, its pretty clear that the over-pressure valve in the P/S pump as failed. I am going to have the local shop ordered a rebuilt pump. I already know what those are worth. Can anytime hazzard a guess as to what the labor charge should be, to change out the pump? How difficult (or easy) is the access to swap out teh pump. Not one of these deals, I hope, where they have to take apart the front end of the car, to get at the p/s pump. I don't have really heavy miles on this car, but now it is starting to cost real money to fix all the things that are failing. I guess now I know why VW/Audi has rated as the worst for all the major manufacturers, regarding how well the car ages past Year 6.

Kris Hansen

Find a good indy, or some friends whom you can bribe with beer to help you. It's not that hard to get the nose off if you are required to.

TraderAlex

The hose that has been blowing is the one that runs over the top of the engine. It has happened three times, now. It has to be a failed valve, at this point.

Kris Hansen

Is the steering effort really really light?

TraderAlex

Yeah, the hose is $200. I paid the first time, they replaced it twice more, at their cost. The indy's hope was that it was only a case of bad hoses. But it seems very unlikely, now. Has to be a failed over-pressure valve.