I've done some searching and haven't found anything exactly like my problem. I have a situation where my power steering groans when I turn the wheel, like it's low on fluid. It's not low, and it's not leaking anywhere. This first started in December 2007, I took the car into an Audi shop where they bled the system and the problem went away. Fast forward to December 2008 and the problem returned, a year to the day. I checked the fluid and it was actually over the full line a little. I took the car back to the same shop and asked them to bleed the system again, hoping that it would cure the problem for another year. This time the solution lasted only about a week. We continued to drive the car because we had snow and it's about all we have to get around in such conditions, once the snow had melted, I parked it for about a week, over which time the weather warmed considerably (from about 20-35 prior to 45-55 now). What I immediately noticed was that in the warmer weather the groaning was almost completely gone. Over the next few days I've paid very close attention to the weather temperature and the amount of noise coming from my power steering. What I've concluded is that in temperatures above 50 it's almost completely non-existent. Between say 40-49 it lets you know there is a problem, and below 40 it groans like a dying animal.

All said, what could be causing this problem? When it's cold outside, even driving long distances doesn't make the problem go away. I've noticed that my fluid is pretty dark, not the nice yellow color the new stuff is. Do I just need a flush?

 

Year? Engine? Mileage?

 

2002, A6, 102k miles.

 

Interesting. I have a 2000 A4 and I think I have the same problem going on with my power steering. Mine makes a noise when I turn the wheel either way, but mostly to the right and in reverse. The noise can be described as the noise you'd hear when the pads on a car's brakes are worn. Or at least that's what I hear.

Could it just be the fluid? I did see a yellowish leak under the car earlier. I also noticed the noise only since I've been driving in the colder temperatures. I'm getting it looked at this Friday, but my question is: Is it okay to drive the car? It sounds really bad and I'm afraid to drive the damn thing.

 

This probably won't help, but I did notice a groaning noise last winter when my car was outside in -6o weather all night and I started it the next morning. It went away after a short while. I have not heard it since, and the car has been out side at temperatures below 10o and driven at -4o this winter. I think the PS fluid thickens and it's a little tougher to pump.

When I'm forced to do hard work in the cold, I groan, too.

 

Either way, I think the PS fluid is leaking and I will have that fixed. If cold temps continue to make it groan than so be it. I'll have to wait til Spring if that's the case.

 

Sounds like the Power steering pump.

Temp will affect the amount of noise you hear. Tempature has a big impact on the oil/fluid viscosity.

 

I have an 03 A6 84,000 miles and it groaned terribly for during the very cold days, now that its gotten a little warmer my car is quiet as a mouse. So I think it is jsut the weather.

 

Mine does the same but only when it's hotter than 90 degrees out. Is my power steering pump?

 

The power steering fluid is designed to have little temperature dependance.
It is bad to have either low or high level .
Aging of plastic parts inside the pump and mainly the steering unit are most likely to blame.