ELECTRIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

xr6turbo2, Jun 20, 2:28am
How good is electric power assisted steering in late model cars ie.mazda 2 2007.Is it reliable!
thejazzpianoma, Jun 20, 2:32am
Can't speak for others but the Fiat system is really good and reliable. It actually makes a surprising difference to performance and economy. Not massive but noticeable and worthwhile.
Plus, why wouldn't it be reliable! Its really no more complicated than a power steering pump. Just a step motor and gears.

Also, well proven. Fiat have been using it for 12 years now.
ralphdog1, Jun 20, 2:50am
One interesting side effect, on the Mazda 3 @ work.
Dead flat battery.
Jump start.
Vehicle running.
Into gear, let out clutch, drive out of car park, turn steering wheel.and car dies, cause the electrical load of the power steering was more than the alternator could cope with. Had to leave it fast idling for about 1/2 hr before being able to turn the steering wheel.
xr6turbo2, Jun 20, 2:54am
Thanks ralphdog1,dose the car have the same feeling as normal power steering!
msigg, Jun 20, 4:05am
toyota have been using it with no problems.
johnf_456, Jun 20, 4:09am
It is a very common OP on modern car, it does work pretty good but of course you have to compare apples with apples.
saxman99, Jun 20, 4:10am
All good in our MGF, pretty natural steering feel I guess, although a little heavier than most jap cars.
roys351, Jun 20, 4:28am
i am putting an elec p/s pump into my 1950 bedford with hilux 4wd box. pump is from a opal astra all the research i have done says nothing wrong with elec pumps.so far
thejazzpianoma, Jun 20, 4:42am
Not sure what Mazda uses but the ones I have seen have not been pumps or in any way hydraulic. Obviously for your purposes an electric pump would make sense though.
franc123, Jun 20, 4:47am
All electric steer systems are not the same, some have a servo motor and gear assembly which works directly on the column and uses a conventional unassisted rack, others have an electric motor built into the rack itself, and others use an electro over hydraulic system that uses a normal hydraulic rack and lines with an electrically instead of engine driven hydraulic pump.In terms of steering feel there isn't much difference between them, although on some cars with the electric pump the pumps can be quite noisy in operation even when they aren't under load.The only system I've driven which felt unnaturally light at parking speeds was on one of those Toyota Runx or Allex (or some other silly unneccessary Jap name for an early '00's Corolla), it was an electric column system.
thejazzpianoma, Jun 20, 4:51am
If the pump spins even when not under load, then whats the point in even having electric power steering!
The energy saving would be lost.
franc123, Jun 20, 4:53am
Thats something you'd have to ask the manufacturer, not me.But you are right, it doesn't make sense.IMO if you are going to use electric assistance why not dispense with the hydraulic system altogether, as is the case with the former two systems.
sr2, Jun 20, 5:02am
A huge advantage of electric P/S is that the assistance can be easily varied subject to road speed, steering angle, etc. In the right setup this can mean maximum assistance for low speed parking maneuvers while retaining a minimum amount of assistance for straight line highway driving.
roys351, Jun 20, 5:07am
i have been told to put a volume type switch in so i can adjust for parking or hiway does that sound right to you!
thejazzpianoma, Jun 20, 5:10am
Good point but the other advantage is the increase in fuel economy. You can still have variable assist with direct stepper motor systems, and get the economy as well.
But point well taken on the variable assist, that does make sense as to why they would bother to make it electric assisted at all.
pandai, Jul 7, 2:54pm
I don't know about other brands, but the system in new Honda Accord Euro's takes a short while to get used to - the steering is really light, my arms got a little bored.If you turn the wheel quickly when you're parking you hear the motor.

One safety advantage of the system in some cars is that it allows the stability control to nudge your steering wheel in the right direction, should you lose control of the car.