Brakes and steering
Heavy steering or steering warning light on: what to do
If the steering suddenly goes heavy or the steering warning light comes on, the power assistance has stopped working: the car still steers, but it takes much more effort, especially when manoeuvring. On electric steering it is usually an electrical or voltage fault; on hydraulic steering, the fluid, the pump or the belt.
See a garage soonBrakes and steering
Reviewed by Daniel Morales, founder of Reprorace SL, on
Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Carefully, and only as far as the garage. If it happens on the move, hold the wheel firmly, slow down and pull over when it is safe. Get to a garage soon and avoid manoeuvring and fast roads; if the light is red or the steering locks, do not drive.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- Electric steering: low voltage or a control unit fault: a weak battery or alternator is enough to switch it off.
- Torque or angle sensor: without its signal the assistance is reduced or switched off.
- Hydraulic steering: low fluid or a leak: it usually comes with a whine when turning.
- Auxiliary drive belt: if it drives the steering pump and breaks, the assistance disappears.
- Under-inflated tires: make the steering heavier gradually.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: What do U codes and lost communication (U0100) mean? How can you tell if the 12 V battery is failing?
Car system: Steering and suspension
What you can check yourself
Check whether the battery light has also come on: that points to voltage.
Stop, switch the car off for a minute and restart: on some electric systems the assistance returns, but the fault stays stored.
On hydraulic steering, check the reservoir level with the engine off.
Check the front tire pressures.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: system voltage, codes from the power steering control unit and network (U) codes, and steering angle if the car reports it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive without power steering?
The car steers, but with a lot of effort, especially at low speed. Only enough to pull over or reach the garage carefully.
Why does it only go heavy sometimes?
On electric steering, because of voltage drops or because the system protects itself when it gets hot after a lot of manoeuvring.
What codes does it usually store?
It depends on the car: the steering control unit's own codes are manufacturer-specific, and U0131 means lost communication with it.
Keep reading
- Steering and suspension: how they work and what fails
- Belt squeal when starting or turning: what it means
- Noise when turning the steering wheel: what a click or a creak means
- ABS or ESP warning light on: what it means and what to do
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means