need some electric power steering help

[redneckjoe69]

vehicle; my daughters 2003 saturn vue. 4 cylinder, 5-speed, FWD.

problem; no power steering unless,..get this,...its 40 degrees or colder outside,...which doesnt happen often 'round here. IF, it works, it works the whole time until you shut the car off, ...then nothing.

she had no power steering for a long time and the headlights werent working right. (kids dont mention these things). finally she told me that smoke had came out of the turn signal arm. OK,....so i put a used column in it. headlights work fine now. the electric power steering motor is on the end of the column. i find it hard to believe both motors are bad, especially since it works when cold out.

anybody have any ideas?

why does it only work when cold out?

thank you fellow bangshifters,
Joe

[Beagle]

The issue of intermittent electric power steering I had with my Ford was a software driven problem. Given all of the GM / Saturn ignition switch problems, which you seem to have had, I'd get it into a dealer.

There was no rhyme or reason to the intermittent PS I had on mine, except most of the time you could start it and it would have power but the wheel would shake back and forth like it didn't know which way you were turning. You could turn it off, the start it right back up and the PS would be gone. I let it sit for several months while contemplating having Flaming River just build me a manual rack for it. When I went back to move it, it was fine. Has been for a while now... still needs to get the Recall done for the software update.

They need to be "calibrated" when you replace the sensor that tells it which way you are turning based on what I read. If you can swing a spare car for her for a couple of days, the dealership can check it out and will probably be less than a bunch of dickheads they usually are given all of the recalls. It's just the steering... and your daughter. Nobody ever sued a manufacturer over that.

[redneckjoe69]

well, this unit has a power steering motor on the colulumn. its about the size of a starter motor. theres some heavy 10 gauge wiring going to it. could i run my own power wires with a fuse in line to it? i dont understand why it works when cold. bad ground?

my brother-in-law works at the local chevy dealership and i wouldnt let him work on my lawnmower.
she actually took it up there behind my back about a month ago and they recommended a new ignition control module. i was like, wtf? if the module didnt work, i dont think the car would run. i might be dumb, but i aint stupid.

[Beagle]

Apparently you aren't the only one. GM extended the warranty on them for that issue but there doesn't seem to be a formal recall. This is ridiculous - it's not like the car won't start, it's like it becomes uncontrollable while driving. I saw this on Edmunds -

"As the ECM replacement and programming did not resolve the issue, we're available to help you continue working through this with your dealership. Please send us more information at [email protected] (including your name, Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and mileage, and the name of your dealer). "

So I'm wondering if you might hit up [email protected] and ask them "WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT" and see what they respond with. I get recalls because the parking brake fails to stay locked on my car, which I'm nowhere near as concerned about as not being able to steer it out of a wreck.

meanwhile, there's a 70.00 control box available on Ebay since that is one of the columns that is apparently easy to retrofit into hotrods. On mine, it was 1400.00 for the column from the dealer, or several months later, they'd say "Oh, it's a software update..." amazing. It's no wonder they get the shit sued out of them all the time.

The cold thing is beyond me. I can't see it overheating above 40* but who knows. Most electronics are more likely to flake further from room temperature than at them. Maybe it's less humid at 40* ? Dad worked at TI and they sent him to Midland TX (Desert) once because the test machines were failing with alarming regularity. He gets out there and says "Why is this room so humid?" They were humidifiying the lab and he put a hairdryer on one of the failing board - started working. One day trip... the car junk is not supposed to be that sensitive obviously or they would quit in the rain, but who knows.

[redneckjoe69]

a few people told me to try a new "bcm" ,(body control module). others say its a shot in the dark and it will need to be programmed at GM.

1/2 the problem is i rarely get a chance to work on it as shes always ripping and running.

i think im gonna solder in some new grounds, then report any changes.

the electric motor only has 2 wires going to it. im thinking its either not getting power or a ground? really weird stuff, that e-power steering.