RS3 Steering Column Adjustment Failure & Fix Guide

Had this exact electric steering issue on my 2020 S3 a few months back. Have some basic experience working on cars but left this one to the pros due to the electronic steering components involved. The steering column adjustment stopped working completely, throwing similar error codes. After taking it to the workshop, they found the root cause was a loose cable connection at the steering column motor unit. The plug had worked itself loose over time, causing the electric adjustment system to fail. The fix was surprisingly straightforward. The workshop accessed the steering column connections, reseated the cable, and secured it properly. Total repair cost was 95 Euro including diagnostic time. The actual repair took about an hour once they identified the issue. Before offering more specific advice, could you share: What error code is showing? Does the steering wheel make any noise when trying to adjust? Have you noticed any warning lights on the dash before the complete failure? This would help determine if your steering failure matches what I experienced or if its potentially a different electronic steering issue.

Had this exact electric steering issue on my 2020 S3 a few months back. Have some basic experience working on cars but left this one to the pros due to the electronic steering components involved. The steering column adjustment stopped working completely, throwing similar error codes. After taking it to the workshop, they found the root cause was a loose cable connection at the steering column motor unit. The plug had worked itself loose over time, causing the electric adjustment system to fail. The fix was surprisingly straightforward. The workshop accessed the steering column connections, reseated the cable, and secured it properly. Total repair cost was 95 Euro including diagnostic time. The actual repair took about an hour once they identified the issue. Before offering more specific advice, could you share: What error code is showing? Does the steering wheel make any noise when trying to adjust? Have you noticed any warning lights on the dash before the complete failure? This would help determine if your steering failure matches what I experienced or if its potentially a different electronic steering issue.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My RS3 has 72473 KM and was last serviced 3 months ago. The steering issue does show P1234 error code, and yes, there is a faint clicking sound when attempting adjustment. Interestingly, no warning lights appeared before the complete mechanical fault occurred. The failure was sudden and happened while trying to adjust the position during normal use. A quick update: I noticed the steering column feels slightly loose when applying pressure, which might indicate a mounting issue rather than just an electrical problem with the adjustment mechanism. Would this additional information help confirm if its similar to your steering failure case or point to a different car steering problem?

Thanks for sharing your experience. My RS3 has 72473 KM and was last serviced 3 months ago. The steering issue does show P1234 error code, and yes, there is a faint clicking sound when attempting adjustment. Interestingly, no warning lights appeared before the complete mechanical fault occurred. The failure was sudden and happened while trying to adjust the position during normal use. A quick update: I noticed the steering column feels slightly loose when applying pressure, which might indicate a mounting issue rather than just an electrical problem with the adjustment mechanism. Would this additional information help confirm if its similar to your steering failure case or point to a different car steering problem?

Thanks for those details. While my S3s issue seemed similar at first, your symptoms suggest a potentially different steering failure root cause. The clicking sound combined with loose column movement wasnt present in my case, which had a purely electrical adjustment issue. The P1234 error code and mechanical looseness you describe could point to a worn mounting bracket or damaged adjustment motor assembly rather than just a loose connection. This might explain why the electronic steering adjustment system completely failed during normal use. After sharing your additional info, Id lean towards this being a more complex steering column issue than what I experienced. The combination of: Clicking sounds during adjustment attempts, Physical looseness in the column, Complete electronic steering adjustment failure, The specific error code Suggests potential wear in both mechanical and electrical components of the adjustment system. My recommendation would be to have the workshop perform a full diagnostic of the steering column assembly. While my repair was a simple 95 Euro fix, your case might require replacement parts for both the electronic and mechanical components controlling the adjustment function. Would you be able to describe the clicking sound in more detail? Is it more pronounced when attempting to adjust up/down vs forward/back?

Thanks for those details. While my S3s issue seemed similar at first, your symptoms suggest a potentially different steering failure root cause. The clicking sound combined with loose column movement wasnt present in my case, which had a purely electrical adjustment issue. The P1234 error code and mechanical looseness you describe could point to a worn mounting bracket or damaged adjustment motor assembly rather than just a loose connection. This might explain why the electronic steering adjustment system completely failed during normal use. After sharing your additional info, Id lean towards this being a more complex steering column issue than what I experienced. The combination of: Clicking sounds during adjustment attempts, Physical looseness in the column, Complete electronic steering adjustment failure, The specific error code Suggests potential wear in both mechanical and electrical components of the adjustment system. My recommendation would be to have the workshop perform a full diagnostic of the steering column assembly. While my repair was a simple 95 Euro fix, your case might require replacement parts for both the electronic and mechanical components controlling the adjustment function. Would you be able to describe the clicking sound in more detail? Is it more pronounced when attempting to adjust up/down vs forward/back?

Thanks for the detailed perspective from your S3 case. The clicking sound is definitely louder when attempting up/down movement compared to forward/back adjustments. Its a sharp distinct click rather than a grinding noise. After discussing this with my regular mechanic this morning, we determined this needs more investigation than initially thought. Their preliminary check suggests potential wear in both the electronic steering components and mechanical mounting points of the column adjustment system. Booked the car in for next week where theyll do a complete steering column diagnostic. The workshop estimates 4-5 hours labor time to properly diagnose and repair the steering failure, plus parts if needed. They mentioned the mounting brackets and adjustment motor might both need replacement based on the symptoms. Thanks again for sharing your experience, even though my steering issue seems more complex than your loose connection case, its helpful to understand the different ways these car steering systems can fail. Will update once I get the final diagnosis and repair completed.

Thanks for the detailed perspective from your S3 case. The clicking sound is definitely louder when attempting up/down movement compared to forward/back adjustments. Its a sharp distinct click rather than a grinding noise. After discussing this with my regular mechanic this morning, we determined this needs more investigation than initially thought. Their preliminary check suggests potential wear in both the electronic steering components and mechanical mounting points of the column adjustment system. Booked the car in for next week where theyll do a complete steering column diagnostic. The workshop estimates 4-5 hours labor time to properly diagnose and repair the steering failure, plus parts if needed. They mentioned the mounting brackets and adjustment motor might both need replacement based on the symptoms. Thanks again for sharing your experience, even though my steering issue seems more complex than your loose connection case, its helpful to understand the different ways these car steering systems can fail. Will update once I get the final diagnosis and repair completed.