EPS failure affects safety and can go unnoticed. Speed sensor faults, voltage problems and battery or alternator issues are among the main causes.
Electric power steering (EPS) is now fitted to almost every car, making driving easier and safer. It is reliable, but a failure directly affects safety and may go unnoticed if no warning is displayed.
A simple check helps: turn the wheel with the engine off and then running and compare the effort; if it is heavy in both cases, further diagnostics are needed.
- If EPS drops out together with the speedometer, the shared speed sensor or its wiring may be at fault.
- Undervoltage can shut EPS down, so the battery, alternator and circuits should be checked regularly.
- Unexpected behaviour, such as the wheel pulling to one side on a straight road, is a serious warning sign.