Hey everyone, how goes it? Been away for a while. Ok, here we go.......

I bought a brand new 2010 Victory red Cobalt SS earlier this year. I had to drive all the way to Escondido CA to pick itup because it was one of the last SS coupes in the whole country.

I got it with 45 miles on the clock. Well, last week, a warning chine went off while I was driving, and "POWER STEERING" popped up in my display, at which point my car developed 1959 Peterbuilt /Frieghtliner big-rig steering.

It happened as I was driving down the freeway. Once I got off the freeway, and had to make slow left and right turns, I had to use my Vulcan death grip to get the freaking car around corners.

The odd thing? My car only has 5,500 miles on it. I'm not even due for my first oil change yet! (although I already changed it once).

So I get home and start researching this issue. Ok, there's a GM recall on the electric steering, but this is one of the last SS 'Balts built. Why didn't they do the recall WHILE IT WAS ON THE LOT?

I have read horror stories regarding the electric motor replacement by dealers. Many owners get there car back with more problems then when it went in......

So I have decided to fix the damn thing myself. I am pulling the motor off and taking it apart. Oh, and guess what? The motor and controller and made in Japan by Koyo Denso Corp. They make the electric steering for the Toyota RAV4 and the Prius, along with most of the hybrids out there. The Chevy Malibu has the same steering unit, as does the Pontiac G5.

Please see pics below.....

 

Just find a reputable dealer and have them do the recall on it. There will be alot less headaches that way.

 

easiest way to host pics imo is by using photobucket and using their img code link (copy and paste it to the thread.)

 

they fixed mine last year when my key got stuck in my ignition and why would u wanna fix a recall yourself thats just dumb...

they know its a problem and they want to fix it...just find a good dealer and youll be fine i take mine to delillo chevrolet in hb right across from my house and ive never had any problems with them yet...

 

Damn thats sucks you read my post just watch out lol. but i didnt have any problems with the power steering yet "knock on wood" but we'll see what the dealer says tomorow when i pick up my car. hopefully they replace my battery too.

 

The reason I don't want to let the dealer "fix" it is because they put the same damn motor back in. In other words, they replace a defective part with a defective part, and the dealer hopes that it will last until your warranty expires.

"that's just dumb".................ok...........you think it's dumb.

I bought a "used" motor from a wrecking yard and I will use that while I take my original motor apart. From my research, the problem lies in the brush pressure on the commutator. The springs get hot, and weaken. This causes the carbon brushes to not make a solid contact on the commutator, which then causes arcing, and carbon surface damage. That is why the motor fails. Is it a FAULTY design, but only for the GM product. The Toyota's and Honda's are not experiencing this problem.

I am going to replace the springs with tempered stainless springs with a higher pressure.

If this works, then I will recommend this fix to all.

Here is a link to the Koyo company. The maker of our electric steering: http://www.koyousa.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=550

Another link: http://www.ebearing.com/news2001/news400.htm Looks like most Saturn vehicles also use EPS (electric power steering)

Old Veteran Car Dude

 

I believe GM Revised the motor when they did the recalls. Otherwise what would be the point of recalling a faulty part and replacing it with another faulty part? Someone else chime in please. But i vaugely remember reading something on ALLDATA about them replacing the motor with a new revision.

 

I would like to know more as well. Especially regarding revisions in design.......

 

But if they redefined it dont you think a 2010 would have the new one?
Its 4 bolts and really probably to gm a $30 motor. It does get the trek In their to see if anything else is needed

 

If it was the same part they put back in why would they take my perfectly working good one out and replace it with the same exact one that could fail also? Let's think this one through, you really think GM (give them credit here) would pay all that money in parts and labor.....of course there is something different. And if there wasn't, and the motor went out after being replaced, and someone got hurt, your looking at a huge lawsuit for punitive damages and than a class action suit by everyone with a cobalt who could also potentially get hurt. I think your doing it the "hard" way, although its not always a bad way, I think in this case there is an easier option. They did mine in like an hour once they had the part.

 

It doesnt matter if the power steering ***** the bed while you are in or out of your warranty. If it is a defective part that has a national recall on it they need to replace it.

Do you know how many 05's were prob. out of warranty when they got their power steering replaced?!!

Dont waste your time trying to fix it or make it better. GM did infact revise the new motors they installed for the recall fyi.

 

Yes, they should have, but they did not have the revised motor out before releasing most of the 2010 Cobalts.

Hell, I got a letter about notifying me about the recall, and it wasnt until 6 months later that I got another letter saying my car was ready to have the new motor installed.

 

slow down and think this through again.
1. Recalls have nothing to do with your warranty. It's still a free fix.
2. Of course 1 supplier makes a similar system for several models and companies. It doesn't mean its identical. That's how business works.
3. It's possible your car was built before the recall.
4. Just let the dealer fix it. It's a lot easier than trying to do it yourself and if it fails because you screwed up repairs are on you.

 

yup and i never had a problem before it was fixed or after it was fixed and if i do...i bring it back to the dealer lol i bought a NEW car to have a warranty and other than buying a new hyundai 5 years 100000 miles aint bad lol

 

I have to agree with all these posts. I took my car in and 30min later they handed me the keys and I was on my way. No problems before or after. Plus if you can't wait for it, they should give you a free loaner car.

Also as I recall it wasn't the motor that has the issue, but the controller for the motor, Trying to remember back, I thought they showed me a black box that was replaced

 

My power steering failed at 10K miles. After they replaced the motor, my steering has a sound to it when I am turning while the car is not moving, but everything works. I just turn up the stereo.

 

Apparently, that is the issue. After the recall, there are a lot of problems with vibration, noise, rattles coming from the steering column.

I guess it all boils down to what dealer you use and the competency of the tech that does the work. The last time I took my car to a dealer for work (Suzuki Samarai Grand Touring), it was damaged in areas that should not have been damaged. They scratched the paint, broke several plastic pieces, oily footprints on my seats (WTF?). I had to take my Suzuki back to the dealer three more times to get all the damages fixed.

After working in dealers for so many years, I know what happens.....

In other words, the dealer is my last resort.

Old Veteran Car Dude

 

I didnt get mine done on the recall and mine still works fine

 

I hear ya about not trusting the dealership with your car, but if you can find a decent one that shows they take care when working on your car you will be golden. I'm lucky enough to have such a dealership, but I usually fix most things on my car myself before ever thinking about taking it the dealer.

As for a recall, I did not hesitate, because if something were to happen to me or my car if the power steering were to fail again I would at least be covered by the dealership/GM.

 

I think your a little to paranoid lol

 

haha x2 its just a cobalt dont forget that...

 

Yes, it's just a Cobalt, from the same people that build the ZR1 and ZO6 Corvettes and the Cadillac CTS-V. I had high hopes for this particular car, seeing how GM had five years to get it right.

Perhaps this is why the Japanese (and now Korean) car makers will always be a step ahead of us. A base model Toyota still has the same acceptable level of quality as a Lexus. The quality goes through the entire model line and not just the higher end cars.

GM should take a look at how/ why it's getting it's **** kicked in market share.......

Old Veteran Car Dude............

 

I think its just Suzuki dealerships in general. I bought a used jeep from a Suzuki dealership and bought their 12 month 12000mile warranty on used cars and they didn't want to replace my transfer case cause I drove my jeep and the front driveshaft they were supposed to replace popped out and drilled a hole in the transfer case. They had a driveshaft on order but pretty much told me to bring the car in later. There was no way I was getting off my hill without 4wd in the weather that occurred. That driveshaft spins all the time anyways due to the front end always being locked in so it prob would have popped out even if I didn't use the 4wd.

 

You talking to me?!?

There is nothing paranoid about what I said.

Being covered is a nice feeling if something were to ever happen to the car after a recall is fixed. I'm sorry you think that is paranoid.

Might be just a Cobalt to most, but it is a car I purchased with my hard earned money right when I graduated college.

It could be a geo metro for all I care, I would still treat it the same way.

When you work hard for something you take care of it no matter what it is.

 

So you are saying GM should cover up their issues until numerous governments get involved and they got sued by a few thousand people? Toyota actual quality is nothing special its just peoples perceived view of it.