Repair of the steering rack of the Porsche Macan 2014
The Porsche Macan is a compact premium crossover that has occupied a key position in the German brand's lineup since its debut in 2014. The model combines Porsche's sporty DNA with the practicality of an everyday car designed for both urban use and active travel.
The Macan is equipped with powerful petrol turbo engines (2.0, 3.0, 3.6 litres), and later – 2.9 V6 in the S and GTS versions. There are also diesel versions (on the European market). All-wheel drive, 7-speed PDK, active air suspension, adaptive chassis, optional sports packages – all this positions the Macan as a ‘compact Cayenne’ with a focus on driving.
Macan steering rack – type, typical problems, causes
The Porsche Macan is equipped with an electromechanical steering rack with electric power steering (EPS) without a belt drive, with an electronic control unit and a CAN data bus. This is a modern solution – steering effort is generated by an electric motor, without fluid or pumps, depending on the speed of the car, the position of the steering wheel and road conditions. The use of EPS makes the steering mechanism light, compact and adaptive, which facilitates control and allows the use of additional functions such as driver assistance systems.
Main problems:
- Knocking or play in the steering wheel. Wear on the bushings or guides causes squeaking or slight jamming, especially when turning the steering wheel to its extreme positions.
- Extraneous noises when manoeuvring. These are usually associated with wear on the tie rod bushings and occur when parking or driving in tight spaces.
- Damage to the mechanism after an impact. Due to its low-profile tyres and fairly stiff suspension, the Macan is sensitive to kerbs or potholes – this can lead to damage to the rack or deformation of the gear shaft, which will manifest itself in the form of knocking and play.
- Damage to the mounting bracket of the steering mechanism to the front axle beam (life-threatening). Such defects usually occur after road accidents, but recently there have been more cases of them being detected after repair work carried out by unqualified personnel or amateur mechanics, particularly during the dismantling of the steering rack. It is critically important to adhere to the correct tightening torque for the bolts that secure the steering rack to the front beam: 80 N·m with an additional 180° turn. Exceeding this torque significantly increases the risk of damage to the steering mechanism housing. The use of welding to repair such damage is strictly prohibited.
- Power loss, EPS error messages. Sudden loss of power is a common problem with cars equipped with electric power steering. In most cases, the driver will see a message such as ‘Power Steering Fail’ or ‘Steering Support Fault’ on the instrument panel. In some cases, resetting the errors using diagnostic equipment – a professional scanner, and sometimes even a simple ELM 327 adapter – helps. But this is only a temporary solution that does not always work. If the cause lies in an internal defect (corrosion, short circuit, EPS electronics failure), the malfunction returns after the errors are cleared.
- Corrosion and failure of the EPS control unit. This is a key design problem with the car's steering mechanism. On the Macan, as on many similar cars (primarily on related Audi models), the electronic control unit for the rack is located at the bottom of the car, almost at road level, which is almost the lowest point of the car. Because of this, even minor damage to the seals leads to moisture and dirt getting in, causing oxidation of the board, short circuits, and complete loss of EPS function.
In most cases, official service centres or even specialised service stations do not undertake the repair of such racks – they immediately offer to replace them. However, such a replacement can cost several thousand euros, which is financially burdensome for most owners. Moreover, such faults are actually repairable if you have the appropriate technical base, experience and necessary knowledge. Therefore, it is more economically viable to repair the unit, but this must be done to a very high standard.
How to repair the Porsche Macan steering mechanism
Official services usually do not carry out in-depth repairs of the steering rack, offering only replacement with a new unit. This is significantly more expensive than repair and is often unprofitable, prompting owners to sell their cars.
Alternative workshops sometimes offer partial restoration (bushings, leaks), but electronics are a weak point. Most services simply do not have the equipment or parts to repair them.
Clearing errors with a scanner, even a professional one, can only restore the amplifier's operation if the failure was accidental and not related to serious malfunctions. But in most cases, this is only a symptomatic treatment, and the problem returns because its cause is deeper, for example, in a damaged board or insulation failure.
If you want to avoid replacing the unit, but still want to solve the problem and save money:
- contact specialists who work specifically with EPS electromechanical racks;
- choose a service with an exchange fund (you don't have to wait for your rack to be repaired);
- ask for a warranty on the work and parts.
How professional workshops repair Macan steering racks
Most service stations only repair the mechanical part of the rack. Cases where the electronics are damaged usually end with the verdict: ‘replace’.
While some service specialists simply reset the errors, hoping that the amplifier will work again, professional workshops, such as STS, perform in-depth diagnostics: checking the electronic unit, measuring currents, testing the steering module on a test bench. This approach allows us to not just hide the symptom, but to actually eliminate the cause of the failure.
Repair process: main stages
- Removing the rack from the car
- Complete disassembly of the mechanism
- Diagnostics of electronics and mechanics
- Diagnostics of the EPS control unit
- Replacement of worn mechanical elements
- Replacement of faulty electronic components
- Sealing, testing on a test bench
- Installation of the steering rack on the car
- Adaptation of the electronic control unit
If necessary, the control unit can be replaced with a refurbished one, and the field transistor boards can be replaced with elements of our own design. We install new bushings, bearings, drive belts, ball-screw pairs and other consumables, if necessary.
What usually changes and why
- Bushings and guides – wear out, cause knocking and backlash
- Bearings – ensure smooth shaft operation
- Gaskets, seals, and seals – responsible for tightness, especially important in the Macan
- Contacts, electronic boards, EPS connectors – fail due to moisture
- EPS microchips (field-effect transistor boards) – often suffer from short circuits and/or corrosion, requiring replacement or soldering
Why STS Warsaw is the best choice for Porsche Macan owners in Poland
STS is the only specialised company in Poland that:
- repairs even EPS unit electronics that others consider beyond repair;
- uses its own equipment and MSG Equipment electronic modules;
- has a large stock of already refurbished rails (which speeds up the repair process as much as possible; the car can be repaired in 1 working day);
- provides a 6-month warranty on all parts and work;
- uses only high-quality repair kits and components – does not compromise on quality.
We are not just a service – we use an engineering approach to solving complex problems and specialise in high-tech tasks. That is why Macan owners, like owners of other cars, choose STS if they want a real repair, not just a replacement with a new part.
