stiff steering when stopped
 

I have a 2006 Cobalt. When I'm driving above 5 mph, the steering works fine. At a light with my foot on the brake, I can turn a quarter turn in either direction before I hit a dead stop; same with the emergency brake on and foot off the brake. And if I'm parallel parking, the steering can be a bear - and I hear all kinds of creaking noises. Pull out of the spot and start rolling, it steers like a dream. What's up with that?

On a lark (for $70), I replaced the P/S motor - to no avail. I've heard that if it's the power steering module, that's integrated with the column and it's a dealer installation - I'm in for 2 grand, at least. Any chance there's a speed sensor somewhere that's giving me grief?

When the car is stopped is when the steering has to work the hardest because you are literally skidding the tire across the pavement. Lately with my car I have noticed a weakened assist from the power steering when trying to turn at a dead stop but it is still there to an extent. I was under the assumption that my power steering motor was getting weak but if you replaced yours and the problem remains unchanged maybe I have something else going on.

I have a 2006 Cobalt LS and am fairly confident the only speed sensor is the one that sends data to the speedometer and is attached to my transmission. If you have an SS I think the speed sensor is in the hub but I still assume you still only have one speed sensor. If your speedo is working I would assume that is not the problem. Is the power steering module expensive from labor or is the module itself so expensive? I would go with straight manual steering before I dished out 2 grand to a dealer for just that.

After I replaced the motor, I would get an intermittent "POWER STEERING" indication on the LED annunciator on the tach - and, I would lose P/S. If I pull over, turn off the ignition and restart, it goes away. This can happen once or twice at the start of the day. I'm told the new motor and old power steering module are getting reacquainted, but I don't know. This seems to me to be a secondary problem.

But in this video , a bad ground on the transmission control module seems to be implicated in that indication. Could my P/S think I'm moving when I'm not? I might try this trick on a lark, but I'm not hopeful.