Sudden loss of power steering assist can take drivers by surprise.
Thousands of warranty claims and consumer complaints have prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to upgrade to an engineering analysis its investigation of electric power steering sudden failure on almost 400,000 Saturn Ion vehicles produced by General Motors. GM had previously recalled other vehicles for the same defect.
In a public filing today, NHTSA’S Office of Defects investigation said that the electric power steering (EPS) system may suddenly shutdown, resulting in an unexpected increase in steering effort while triggering an EPS warning light. Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Malibu models may also be affected by alleged the safety defect.
The electric steering – without warning – reverts to no assist, thereby dramatically increasing the effort needed to keep the vehicle under control. Injuries and accidents have been alleged, but no fatalities have been recorded.
GM has already recalled one million of the electric power steering motors.
Complicating matters for General Motors is the EPS system used in those vehicles is the same as that used in 2005 -2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 models. In March of 2010, GM recalled more than 1 million of them – NHTSA recall No. 10V-073 – to fix a defect with the EPS assist motor.
The defect identified at that time was said to be a buildup of brush debris mixed with oil on the EPS electric motor armature, which caused the motor to stop – the same electric power steering sudden failure problem identified in the current vehicles. ODI said it has duplicated this failure in both a Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion.
Given the previous recall and ODI’s upgrade it is likely the GM will be forced to recall more vehicles for sudden electric power steering failures.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
