Will not start, Power Steering light on the dashboard?

Tiny
DEBRA WURTZ
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 NISSAN VERSA
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
I went to the store last night and my car was just fine. I came out of the store, got in my car, turned on the switch and I saw the PS light on the dashboard and my car would not crank. I had no dash lights or anything. So, I took the battery out and charged it up thinking that would help. Well, that isn't my problem, my battery is fine. Still having the same problem. What is going on with my car?
Monday, January 16th, 2023 AT 8:10 AM

2 Replies

Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,632 POSTS
Hello, it sounds like there may be an issue with the electronic power steering or possibly the steering wheel lock solenoid has failed. Have you noticed any issues with the steering wheel lately? Any odd noises or difficult to turn sometimes? There will most likely also be a diagnostic trouble code stored in the power steering control module. So having a full system scan done will help identify any trouble areas. Service information is not very helpful concerning this warning light. But it's something important enough that it's preventing the vehicle from starting. I'll post some fuses you can check, but if they are all okay, it will need to go in to be checked out. The electronic power steering is a pretty complex system. It's on the computer network in the vehicle. It's also a huge load on the electrical system, since it's not a fluid-based power steering anymore. It's an electric motor that assists with steering now. Having a full system scan for any diagnostic trouble codes will turn up something. It will also show any other trouble areas you may not be aware of. But check these fuses first.
I also see quite a few Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins on the Air bag system (SRS). So that's something else to have checked out when you bring it in. Most recalls are done for free depending on the recall.
There is also a recall on the obd2 system which is responsible for illuminating the check engine light when there is a problem. This recall is a software update to the engine computer to make sure that it's turning on the check engine light when it should. Seems to be a large enough issue to post a Recall for.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/power-steering-problems
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Monday, January 16th, 2023 AT 9:46 AM
Tiny
ALEX STATHAS
  • MEMBER
  • 71 POSTS
Wow, from the reply on this question I learned something new about electric power steering, now I learned that in addition to the electric motor and the steering wheel position sensor I learned that there is also an electric power steering control module, a module is just a plastic green silicon plate with integrated circuits and power transistors that feeds electricity to the fuel injector electromagnetic coils that magnetize the fuel injector needle valve armatures and needle valves and to the various sensors that open the needle valves, but until I read the above reply I didn't know that the plastic green silicon plate also feeds electricity to the electric power steering motor, earlier I had submitted a question about electric power steering because I knew about the motor and the steering wheel sensor but I didn't know whether electric power steering still had a rack and pinion steering gear unit and tie rod ends and I was told that it still has a rack and pinion steering gear unit and tie rod ends but until I read the above reply I didn't know that it also had an electric power steering control module or silicon plate, I had asked about a repair estimate for an electric power steering unit and I was given a $1,500 dollar estimate including $1,100 dollars for the parts and close to three hours for the labor, I am sorry this person can't afford to make payments on an astronomically priced $22,000 dollar new Nissan Versa but this reply was very informative and very educational, good luck to the person who owns the 2010 Nissan Versa and I thought that if an electric power steering failed then it would have just taken more effort to turn the steering wheel like it did in older cars when they ran out of power steering fluid, I didn't know that the bad electric power steering would have prevented the car from starting up, it was a very educational reply and thank you auto mechanic for the information.
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Monday, January 16th, 2023 AT 11:40 AM

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