When I turn the steering wheel to the right, even slightly, I get a subtle chirping, cricket, sound. If the wheel is dead straight, or turned left, there is no sound at all. This not a wheel bearing, and the sound seems to be in the car. Any ideas?

After 6 years of ownership, I just look at this maintenance as my hobby now.

2000 atw 190,000 miles

 

Probably the bearing in your blower fan for the HVAC, see if it goes away when you turn the blower fan off. If not check your power steering fluid and your belts.

 

Big D, I originally thought it was the blower motor, too, because that is how subtle it is. Plenty of good ol' german mineral fluid in there, also. very odd. I would never have heard it except I'm listening to another pulley noise up front and I have been turning the sound system off periodically while driving to keep an ear on how that sound is progressing. I'll just turn the tunes up until it gets worse or goes away.

Isn't that the audi way, ie, ignore as long as possible (and wait on something worse)?

 

I have these symptoms too. I also have the blower fan symptoms too when I drive and turn right, when the car slightly leans.

 

damn, I thought I could start a thread 'Things that only happen to my Audi.'

 

You could try partially bleeding the power steering. I think the procedure calls for turning the wheel from lock to lock a number of times, at least 15 to 20 if I remember correctly.