Steering System: Operation

Turning of the steering wheel is converted into linear (side-to-side) travel through the meshing of the helical pinion teeth with the rack teeth within the steering gear. The lateral travel pushes and pulls the tie rods to change the direction of the vehicle's front wheels.

Power assist steering is provided by an electric motor and control unit connected to the steering gear. The Electric Power Steering (EPS) system provides variable assist for steering maneuvers based on several inputs:

• Steering wheel position and rate of movement from Steering Angle Sensor (SAS)
• Steering wheel torque from torque sensors in the EPS Gear
• Vehicle speed

No components of the EPS system can be serviced separately. If any component of the EPS requires service, the entire steering gear must be replaced. The only serviceable parts are inner and outer tie rods, and tie rod bellows.

The EPS system communicates over the CAN network, including broadcasting the Steering Angle Sensor (SAS) position.

Manual steering control of the vehicle can be maintained if power steering assist is lost. However, under this condition, steering effort is significantly increased.