I was getting a loud noise when I turned the steering wheel even when stationary, and also the more revs the louder the noise would get. I put the car (2008 2.0 tdci 140)into the dealer, turns out there is a brass filter in the reservoir that was clogged up with crap. Low and behold they say you can't take the filter out to clean it so it was £181.51 supply & fit for a new one.

Is this true that you can't clean out the reservoir/filter? seems extremely strange and bad design if true.

I was getting a loud noise when I turned the steering wheel even when stationary, and also the more revs the louder the noise would get. I put the car (2008 2.0 tdci 140)into the dealer, turns out there is a brass filter in the reservoir that was clogged up with crap. Low and behold they say you can't take the filter out to clean it so it was £181.51 supply & fit for a new one.

Is this true that you can't clean out the reservoir/filter? seems extremely strange and bad design if true.

a good way of preventing this from happening in the future is to tape a strong magnet, using electrical insulating tape to the base or side of the reservoir tank, this will keep any metal particles from circulating through your system and clogging the filter,

Magnetic sump plugs are also available for your oil sump

If your prepared to get dirty you can take the tank off and back flush it, got to be worth a go if the tank is £180

I'm still angry about an intercooler hose at £55

Good idea, I done this on my old starlet I got an empty 2ltr coke bottle took the return pipe off the reservoir and put it in the top of the bottle,

The return pipe is the higher pipe on the reservoir; if you look at the tank one pipe will be at a higher level to the other. Disconnect the higher one and insert to the bottle.

Tilt the reservoir so as not to spill the fluid from the open connection hole

got my mate to start the car and stop it over and over in short bursts, to jolt the power steering fluid through the system from the reservoir tank in to the bottle on the return.

as the reservoir got low I topped it up with fresh fluid keeping a minimum amount of the old fluid in the reservoir.

then reconnected the system as normal topped it up to the correct level, run the engine properly for 5minutes turning the steering wheel to fully left and fully right a couple of times,

then rechecked the level of the fluid.

when you have this done leave the contents of the old fluid in the bottle to stand for a few hours then have a look at it, you will see a separation in colour with all the gunk in the bottom of the bottle, you can then dispose of the old fluid in the correct environmentally friendly manor,

And also have minimum fluid spill in your engine bay.

Steering felt a lot freer after changing the fluid, although the car was a 1997 and i changed the fluid in 2009 so it was well due.B)