OMG, the Electric Steering system is a POS.

[ChevyRules]

Okay, for a year now I have driven our families Equinox. All this time thinking, " Why are people ragging on the EPS so much? It isn't that bad." Now I have driven the Suburban and BMW so it isn't like I haven't driven a car with hydraulic steering. So going back and forth between the Suburban, BMW, and Equinox I couldn't figure out why people ragged on the EPS so much. Fast forward to 10 days ago. Where we bought a 2007 Saturn Aura XR. So I have been driving that for a week. So today we took our Suburban and Equinox in for an oil change. First time I have driven the 'Nox since getting the Aura. OMG, the steering was so loose! It barely took any effort to turn the darn thing! It had absolutely no on road feel. Now I see why people rag on the EPS so much. You can add me to the list of people that say it is crap. Because it is absolutely crap.

[mgescuro]

NOW you get it???
You couldn't tell the difference between an Equinox and a BMW????



I find that hard to believe. Unless you were driving the BMW like a granny.

[CRBoyd91]

Well you went from top-of-the line steering in the Aura to bottom of the line cheap steering in the 'Nox. Of course it is crap. Not one reviewer has liked it. Not one.

[suburbanfoo]

okay im confused here, which one is the crap? the Aura or the Nox???

[ChevyRules]

The 'Nox's steering is crap. The 'Nox has the EPS. The Aura has hydraulic.

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Chevy_Rules

Okay, for a year now I have driven our families Equinox. All this time thinking, " Why are people ragging on the EPS so much? It isn't that bad." Now I have driven the Suburban and BMW so it isn't like I haven't driven a car with hydraulic steering. So going back and forth between the Suburban, BMW, and Equinox I couldn't figure out why people ragged on the EPS so much. Fast forward to 10 days ago. Where we bought a 2007 Saturn Aura XR. So I have been driving that for a week. So today we took our Suburban and Equinox in for an oil change. First time I have driven the 'Nox since getting the Aura. OMG, the steering was so loose! It barely took any effort to turn the darn thing! It had absolutely no on road feel. Now I see why people rag on the EPS so much. You can add me to the list of people that say it is crap. Because it is absolutely crap.

Virtually all vehicles with power steering, whether driven by an electric pump or a belt driven pump from the engine, have hydraulic steering. The way the system is designed and calibrated affects how much effort it takes to turn the steering wheel. A vehicle with an electric driven hydraulic power steering pump could be designed to have a "heavy" feel when turning the steering wheel. Some vehicle have a speed-sensitive hydraulic system that changes the steering effort input with the vehicle's speed.

Ever drive an early 70's Monte Carlo with power steering? You could turn the wheel with your little finger and there was little, if any, road feel.

[ohmywrd8]

The Nox needs to be redesigned ASAP!

[69nova]

The only reason for electric steering, electric braking and electric accelerators is the time (money) saved during assembly and the pre-packaging of the sub-assemblies. No bending of hydraulic tubing or leaks, no cables to be run; just thread the wire and plug in the components. Now, somebody is going to chime in and state that, through electric means, the braking can be controlled at each wheel as well as the drive. But does this mean a big difference to the guy going down the asphalt highway? I don't think that he would see the miliseconds in difference. He may see catastrophic failure though if one of the assemblies goes kaput which is usually the case for electric systems- there's no symptom prior to failure.

[Ming]

Originally Posted by Chevy_Rules

OMG, the steering was so loose! It barely took any effort to turn the darn thing! It had absolutely no on road feel.

I got that feel from a Buick Park Avenue I test drove some time back, but it should have just been standard hydraulic. Sounds like the amount of boost is what bothers you, not the fact that its electric-assist per se.

[01cavalier]

EPS is pretty good on some of the cars that I have driven with it, though the Equinox does leave plenty to be desired when it comes to road feel. It wasn't really that long ago that cars that had power steerign lost a lot of road feel because of it, and cars without it were more enjoyable to drive. I've had a couple mid-80's cars, both the same except that one had power steering. I hated driving the one with power steering, took no effort to turn the wheel and no road feel. Power steering has gotten better, so will electric steering if they work on it. Myself, I would prefer they use electric power for the hydraulic steering with all the complaints, still get the same road feel of most cars.

[CobaltSScrazy]

some mags have stated that the aura xr has TOO HEAVY of a feel especially at under 25mph, my family had one for a few months (XR) and it WAS heavy, next to my malibu its like night and day with the EPS. I don't think you are giving it its just deserve, drive EPS in a CobaltSS S/C and you'll see a world of difference. Also, drive the Bu above like 30mph and it'll tighten right up and give you good feedback...It depends on the vehicle, the system, and what you are used to.

There is a purpose for EPS, it just needs to be refined and continuously improved. Don't hate on innovation, constructively criticize it and demand improvements!

CobaltSScrazy

[cfch3399]

The problem is with GM who doesn't know/care to calibrate either hydraulic or electic assist steering to be driver/fun oriented. Part of the "legacy" mentality of GM engineers is that all there is to steering is that is has to be effortless.
EPS isn't all that bad or it would have been obvious to you all along. Anything can be junk in comparison to something else. GM's EPS and hydraulic assist are OK, which is to say average, but just that and nothing more.
More troubling to me is the reports of EPS unreliability to to heat in the engine compartment.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

some mags have stated that the aura xr has TOO HEAVY of a feel especially at under 25mph, my family had one for a few months (XR) and it WAS heavy, next to my malibu its like night and day with the EPS. I don't think you are giving it its just deserve, drive EPS in a CobaltSS S/C and you'll see a world of difference. Also, drive the Bu above like 30mph and it'll tighten right up and give you good feedback...It depends on the vehicle, the system, and what you are used to.

There is a purpose for EPS, it just needs to be refined and continuously improved. Don't hate on innovation, constructively criticize it and demand improvements!

CobaltSScrazy

I agree the Aura's steering is a bit on the heavy side, but I have gotten used to it. I am not hating on the EPS itself really. I am just hating on GM's current iteration of it.

[Triple-X08]

you do realize that the aura - (the z car) and the equinox - (L body i believe)
use electric power steering. its all in the way its tuned and the size of the wheel, if they program it one way it will feel different from the other.

personally the only bad thing i have to say about EPS is that the racks clunk.
only thing that goes bad. and ive only seen this in the z car.

edit- also your trying to compare these cars to a bmw?

[Canyonaro]

Originally Posted by 69nova

The only reason for electric steering, electric braking and electric accelerators is the time (money) saved during assembly and the pre-packaging of the sub-assemblies. No bending of hydraulic tubing or leaks, no cables to be run; just thread the wire and plug in the components. Now, somebody is going to chime in and state that, through electric means, the braking can be controlled at each wheel as well as the drive. But does this mean a big difference to the guy going down the asphalt highway? I don't think that he would see the miliseconds in difference. He may see catastrophic failure though if one of the assemblies goes kaput which is usually the case for electric systems- there's no symptom prior to failure.

I disagree, although those points you made are good ones, I think the main appeal for electric steering is the added mpg with it. Although it may be a small percent, it is something worth noting.

I may be the only one here that actually thinks it is ok. It isn't for the enthusiast, but most of the vehicles it is on, it is fine.