Strange Power Steering Issue

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
05/01/2020 at 11:58 • Filed to: Chevy Cruze, #PowerSteering

Yesterday, I hopped in my car, a 2012 Chevy Cruze with the 1.8 NA engine. I had just pulled out of the driveway into the street when the power steering vanished, leaving me blocking the road, fortunately in the way of exactly 0 cars.

At first, I though maybe the steering lock had engaged, so I shuffled it from park to drive to neutral a few times and turned the car off. When I turned it on, it just didn’t even try to crank at first. After poking around with the gear selector, it started again. I then laboriously backed up my driveway, making a 30 point turn to get under the car port.

After I got back from my appointment 3 hours later, borrowing a different car of course, I poked around under the hood. My first thought was to check the belts, which were all intact. Then, the fluid levels, but somehow there just doesn’t seem to be a reservoir for power steering fluid. I can’t even trace a line from the pump

Diagrams show a reservoir behind the airbox for the 1.4 turbo, but nothing for the 1.8.

Then, strangely enough, I cranked the car and the power steering worked. Eventually, I noticed that the electric compass in the digital speedo simply said CAL, or calibrating as I presume. This seems to indicate a sudden electrical fault rather than a fault with the pump itself.

The battery is over 6 years old, which seems to indicate it may have been an intermittent charge issue? It had been sitting a while, but it also cranked up after only a few minutes of idling and shut off, so what on earth happened?

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EDIT: This guy seems to have had a similar problem with an old battery, but his power steering didn’t start working again. Any ideas? The Real Bicycle Buck posted this at the same time, so shout out.

EDIT: It seems confirmed as a battery issue, thank goodness. Looks like I need to replace it in the immediate future.

DISCUSSION (18)

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:02

I would think this car has electric power steering.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:07

https://www.cruzetalk.com/threads/service-power-steering.238691/

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > cmill189 - sans Volvo
05/01/2020 at 12:07

I guess I just never thought about that, but it probably does.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/01/2020 at 12:10

OK somehow I found this and updated it into the post seconds before you posted the comment. I will still credit you though.

But this guy’s steering didn’t function after a restart while mine did, though both have really old batteries. Perhaps this was just a taste of the possible pain?

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:10

If the battery and or alternator is crapping out there may have not been enough electrical energy to work. Or the motor is dying.

jimz > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:15

circled is the electric power assist motor:

Kinja'd!!!

if your battery is getting weak and/or dragging down the system causing electrical faults, the EPAS may be going offline. the EPAS motor draws a lot of power.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > jimz
05/01/2020 at 12:27

Thank you. All signs seem to point towards aging battery, which is much better than replacing a pump and still having an old battery. I figured the car ran mostly out of juice and cut unnecessary stuff to keep the engine going.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:28

My guess is that Geoff is having a nervous breakdown because of quarantine. The steering issue is perhaps symbolic of Geoff’s uncertainty of where his life is headed. This is completely understandable and nothing to be ashamed of, and I recommend communicating with him during this difficult time and assuring him that everything will be okay because through all of this, he will always have you. And pollen.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:28

It could be some corrosion on a connector that’s causing an intermittent problem.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:30

cmill is right, it’s got electric power steering. Beyond that, I can’t help you, never had that issue on my Cruze.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/01/2020 at 12:31

The terminal points looked pretty clean, but I’ll look into it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/01/2020 at 12:33

So far all signs point to a failing battery, which has a right to fail after almost four years out of warranty. That means the original battery lasted less than 2 years, which seems to be common. Gotta cut costs somewhere I guess.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 12:34

Race cars don’t have power steering. Your car is now a race car!

Also, while on the topic, one of the funniest things that ever happened to me rega rding a malfunctioning vehicle, was when my XJ Cherokee had it’s high pressure power steering line fail. I noticed wisps of smoke coming from under the hood (luckily I was at home), so I popped the hood. When I had the hood open, I stood beside the Jeep and turned the wheel. The line then proceeded to squirt power steering fluid out in 5 different directions, with the longest flying ten feet away from the vehicle. I laughed so hard I couldn’t even be mad.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
05/01/2020 at 12:34

Those strumpet bees can get out and stay out. Maybe he needs a vacation. To recharge his batteries, so to speak.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
05/01/2020 at 12:39

Maybe without that power sucking power steering, I have gone from 138 hp to maybe even 140 hp! Because racecar!

One time, I cautiously did a half pump on a shaving lotion bottle to check for a clogged pump , only for a tiny pinprick whole in the congealed lotion blocking the flow to douse me with an enormous quantity of the stuff at great pressure. I just stood there and laughed.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 13:59

You know, now that I think about it, I don’t think my original battery lasted all that long. Maybe 3 years?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/01/2020 at 14:05

Yeah, this seems to be a widespread issue with poor OEM battery longevity, which spurred the original owner to buy a very expensive battery in my case.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/01/2020 at 14:17

I bought whatever Autozone had available at the time. Knock on wood, it’s still holding up! Hopefully it stays that way till I sell the thing.