Series 4 TurboII with power steering, japanese import.

The problem is that when its cold turning medium to hard, as your turning the wheel it makes these creaking noises. It still makes noises once you have been driving for a bit, but not as many as when you first get moving.

Putting my head under the bonnet whilst turning the wheel it didnt sound like the noise was coming from there. Putting my head on the outside it was clearer and louder coming from there, so somewhere under or in just behind the wheels I think its coming from, on both sides.

These are some sound recordings from when the car is sitting still - meaning that it only creaks a little at a time because its so hard to turn the wheel.. but when you are driving and its easy to turn the creaking is constant.

(the sound files are tiny.. like 20kb each or less)
http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/88rx7/steering/ncarsound1.mp3

http://rx7.pw.cx/photos/88rx7/steering/ncarsound2.mp3

 

Mine made a gravelly grindingish noise when i turned in teh exact same conditions as you are experiencing, turns out it was a silently slipping belt. replace the belt first, worked great for me.

 

Cheers I will give that a go!