V40 D4 Steering noise

[Exponent]

Hi,

I am hoping someone might have come across this one before:

Have a MY17 V40 D4 - great driving vehicle and have no real problems to date. Had since new. Now at 40,000km and still feels as tight as new. Been very very happy with it.

Wife complained about hearing a noise when steering in a corner. No problems on straight. Of course it has to be the intermittent thing - but apparently likes to do it a bit more when hot.

I understand the steering is an electric based system.

I gave it a little run to check it out. Nothing when cold. But had it a couple of times turning right into side street at about 30kph. Less than 1/2 turn on wheel. It sounds like a cross between a whine and a rubber scraping. I initially thought it might be the callipers sticking - but it is just not the right noise for that. It only happens every while and again.

Last service was 8 months ago - so nothing has been messed with and it hasn't had any incidents.

I can see nothing to be scraping and no evidence of such.

If it had hydraulic steering I would be tempted to say it was similar to a distressed steering pump in its early stages - but not quite exactly the same. But whatever it is - it has only just started - it is faint and it is intermittent with a long go between having a whinge. Maybe more of a sound like when steering to full lock (but no where near it) crossed with a slight grating sound. No vibration, no steering feedback and otherwise all operations normal. No warning lights.

Thought maybe the sound could have been a little similar to squealing belt - popped the lid open and not a belt. And not the PCV either.

So until it really starts to give off more systems - I have to admit I don't know what it is and need to ask for help.

Has anyone come across this one before? Or anything similar? Or any ideas?

Appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers

Exp.