Power Steering Failure

5193 Views 16 Replies 6 Participants Last post by JCMorrill, May 13, 2015

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · Apr 28, 2015

Hi Everyone, I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on a serious problem I encountered 3 days ago. I will try and be as detailed as possible in hopes that someone can figure it out.

I got my winter tires swapped out last week and had new rubber put on my new summer tires. I still have the low pressure light on but the dealership who changed my tires say that they can't get rid of it... but that was only the start of my problems.

About 3 days ago, I lost all power steering and in fact I was in the middle of a turn and it almost resulted in an accident. I pulled over and turned off the car and let it sit for a few minutes to power off. When I turned on the car again, the light was still there but while I sat there thinking and worrying, in a few minutes the light disappeared and i had power steering back.

The next day it, it happened a few times while driving. It would last for 10-15 minutes and then it would come back on.

Today it was OK for about 20 minutes of driving then it turned off again. I was at my destination so it wasn't a big deal but when I went to turn on the car again, I lifted the hood and took a look. I could hear clicking coming from the power steering pump as if it were trying to prime itself. It did this for a few minutes but then I heard the sound change to a hum. I went back to the driver seat and noticed that the light turned off and I had power steering again. This afternoon it shut off again but this time for much longer periods of time and it only came back briefly for a few seconds before turning off again.

A friend of mine who is a GM mechanic says it might be a failing relay but I can't help but think that changing the tires had something to do with it as all these problems came shortly afterwards.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Harleyguy

· #2 · Apr 28, 2015

I don't think it had to do with the tires the power steering pump is electric so it hums when you turn the wheel. While the car is just sitting still you should see some fluid movement when you look at the pump.
There is a few wires that are attached to the pump bracket the bracket has a edge on it and might of cut one of the wires this was a known issue. Take a look at all the wires that go,to the pump for chaffing

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 29, 2015

just an update...
I couldn't find any chaffed wires so I did one of those 'magical hard resets' and i drove it today with no problems but i can't help but cross my fingers everytime i get behind the wheel.

Harleyguy

· #4 · Apr 29, 2015

I cross my fingers every time perform a road test I've actually only gotten stuck one time in a Karma I had to do a soft reset every 1000 feet and was at least 6 miles away from the shop. I was also on major highways having to cross 8 lanes of traffic at one point wasn't fun.

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 1, 2015

well the power steering failure came back

I didn't drive it much today but this time it didn't correct itself at all. I'll try driving it tomorrow but I don't know what to do now... I couldn't find any chafed wire. I will take it to a friend who is a GM mechanic on Monday who says he can try and trace any possible short and replace the relay but he said worst case scenario is that there's something wrong with the actual computer?

any info that I could relay to him would be useful.

Pat

Harleyguy

· #6 · May 1, 2015

Not a 100% about a relay but it does use a steering computer . It's not a very complex system . When the steering stops is the pump still running you should be able to see into the reservoir and see fluid movement .

Harleyguy

· #7 · May 1, 2015

Also you need to look very careful at the large harness that runs next to the pump . Just don't look grab the harness and move it away from the pump

Antonin

· #8 · May 1, 2015

Usually electric steering also uses torque sensor - could it be that this torque sensor is failing?

Harleyguy

· #9 · May 1, 2015

Antonin said:
Usually electric steering also uses torque sensor - could it be that this torque sensor is failing?

i don't think so some basic diag needs to be done to zero in when the problem occurs . Please join the new Fisker forum

KARMANEWS

· #10 · May 2, 2015

Hey Karma fans, come over to the new forums and website at www.theNewFisker.com. You will find updated information about everything Karma and register on the new owners forum!

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 2, 2015

I took this topic and posted it on the new forums but it doesn't appear right away. Does someone have to 'approve' the post before it goes onto the forums? If so, I don't like it... why would I want to have my post only go up if someone 'approves' it. I'd rather use these forums instead as it seems more independent. I'd be curious if you wrote something bad about the fisker, that it just wouldn't get posted?

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 2, 2015

so basically to update everyone on these forums... my power steering failure is still happening and it was scary because i had to take my son to a football game and drive for over 2 hours on the highway. On the way there, the power steering was off for about 80% of the trip but what's odd is that when going at highway speeds, the power steering was flickering on and off. When I got to city speeds, the power steering remained off. I also noticed that more often than not, the power steering would work when i was going up hill... maybe just my imagination.

But get this...on the way home, the power steering worked for about 90% of the trip home and even at city limit speeds. In fact I parked it in my garage with it still working. I have no idea what's causing this. I tried to wiggle the wiring away from anything i thought might be getting in the way but I didn't want to try and move it too much to dislodge any wires. If it happens tomorrow, I'll keep everyone up.

Stefan

· #13 · May 3, 2015

Hockeydad said:
I took this topic and posted it on the new forums but it doesn't appear right away. Does someone have to 'approve' the post before it goes onto the forums? If so, I don't like it... why would I want to have my post only go up if someone 'approves' it. I'd rather use these forums instead as it seems more independent. I'd be curious if you wrote something bad about the fisker, that it just wouldn't get posted?

+1 :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Harleyguy

· #14 · May 3, 2015

Not sure if you answered this but when you loose power steering and look at the power steering pump do you hear it running or see any fluid movement?

Hockeydad

Discussion Starter · #15 · May 12, 2015

well it happened to me briefly again today... lost power steering but it came back after a few minutes.

When the power steering is off and the warning light is on, the fluid doesn't move and you hear a clicking noise. When the power steering is working properly you see all sorts of fluid moving around.

I thought i saw a chaffed wire so I moved things around a bit and tried to get things to not rub, perhaps I should have taped up the wire again where it was rubbing?

Harleyguy

· #16 · May 12, 2015

You need to remove the wire harness or move it I bet one of the wires is cut and you just haven't spotted it yet

JCMorrill

· #17 · May 13, 2015

And, it appears that the new Karma site no longer waits for posts to be approved. They appear immediately now. FYI.

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