Power steering?

Hello JNicole,

Do you have the TPMS sensors installed?

The fact that it happens in the winter tells me that it might be your tire pressure dropping because of the cold. It happens all the time.

However, an under inflated tire will spin slower than one with more air in it. This can mess with traction control and ABS and steering angle sensor or other Power Steering System Components. For instance, if one tire is lower than the other, the tire that is of higher pressure will spin faster. The ABS and Traction Control Sytems will think the slower wheel is slipping.

It could mess with the Power steering because when you turn say left. The left tire will spin slower than the right tire. So, tire pressures that are off manufacturer specs can cause the module to receive inaccurate data and set a fault because the numbers it is getting doesn't match the normal parameters the manufacturer has set.

Since the traction control connects to the body control module as well as the EPS, it is possible it might be the TPMS Sensors, but the wheel speed sensors, that are part of the ABS would definitely see the difference in speed.

The first thing I would do is get a digital tire pressure gauge and check them before filling them and write down the readings, so we have that information.

Then fill your tires to what the label on the driver's side door says. I don't know if you have a compressor or anything. If not just go to a gas station but never trust the gauge connected to it because they are almost never accurate because people throw them around. So having your own digital pressure tester is best.

Here is one on Amazon for $13:
https://www.amazon.com/Geartronics-Pressure-Settings-Backlight-Motorcycle/dp/B077VBRH82/ref=asc_df_B077VBRH82?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80195684681607&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583795260945768&psc=1

Your local auto parts store should have one as well.

I recommended the digital gauge because it is way easier to read.

I would

Also, what size tires are you running? The wrong size tire can cause the same issue.

I would start there because of the Traction Control Light, since this system works off the ABS wheel speed sensors.

After this I would go to AutoZone or somewhere similar and have them put a code reader on it and write down all the fault codes, so we have them to guide us.

Then have them clear as many codes as they can so we can see if anything changes when the tire pressure is adjusted. See what lights come back on first.

I would try this and see if anything changes. Let me know how it goes.

Thank you,
Brendon

Hello JNicole,

Tire pressure is relevant whether you have the sensors or not because your vehicle is monitoring the speed of your wheels with a speed sensor in order to run your Anit-Lock Braking System and Traction Control to detect slippage. An under inflated tire will spin slower than one that is properly inflated. The computer can interpret this as the wheel slipping. Another time a wheel would move slower than the other is during a turn. You have a Steering Wheel Position Sensor that tells the computer you are turning but if you are not turning or braking and one wheel is reading a different speed than the other it could cause an issue.

Especially because you said it started happening when it was cold. The cold will reduce tire pressure and increase turn resistance, so the system has to assist more putting strain on the electric motor. Then went away when warm, tire pressures are higher because they are warmer, decreasing the resistance and eventually turning of the light.

It could be tire pressure, wheel speed sensors, steering angle sensor, Electronic Power Steering Module, electrical issues, the weight of the wheels and more. Because you are having issues with multiple systems, we have to consider either an issue with a particular system or an issue affecting all the systems.

I believe in checking the easiest stuff first because it is often overlooked by Technicians and then customers spend hundreds of dollars on something that doesn't fix their vehicle.

That's what I am here trying to prevent. Tire size, pressure, and even the weight of the rims can cause issues. Especially with Electronic Power Steering which it looks like your vehicle has because it is using and electric motor to turn the wheels that is set to factory wheel weight. Aftermarket wheels weigh a lot more.

Even more tread on one side of the vehicle than the other can cause an issue.

Heavy rims with lowered tire pressure because of the cold will put a lot of strain on that electric motor in the power steering, which could have started the problem. When a tire has lower pressure, it spreads out on the road so more of the tire is contacting the road giving it more resistance to turn, possibly burning out the motor.

I am sending a wiring diagram of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) Module. Let's check and see if it is getting power. If the motor is heating up because it is working too hard it could have blown the fuse.

There is an 80 AMP fuse for this system it looks like. Let's check it and make sure it is good.

Here is a quick article on how to check a fuse. This method uses a test light, which is the best way because a fuse can look fine but still be burnt out. This test will tell us for sure that it is good or bad.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

If you don't have one you can get a test light at your local auto parts store, or I found a pretty nice one for you on Amazon. Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/WINAMOO-Premium-Automotive-Extended-Circuits/dp/B08D9RY532/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.749943ff-94bd-4679-8f03-3b5488f65fae%3Aamzn1.sym.749943ff-94bd-4679-8f03-3b5488f65fae&cv_ct_cx=test+light&keywords=test+light&pd_rd_i=B08D9RY532&pd_rd_r=7b3a36d7-bf83-4f5e-9921-47ed4333fc6e&pd_rd_w=AiROl&pd_rd_wg=Vfitg&pf_rd_p=749943ff-94bd-4679-8f03-3b5488f65fae&pf_rd_r=FTHN4YN2W2MVG7766FEF&qid=1687016636&sr=1-3-2b34d040-5c83-4b7f-ba01-15975dfb8828-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

You're going to connect the alligator clip on the negative battery terminal. Then touch the probe end to the positive terminal and make sure the light works. If not try wiggling the clip on the negative terminal, it might not have a good connection.

Once you know it works you are going to touch one side of the 80 AMP fuse and then the other (I added a picture for you). The light should light up on both sides. If only one side lights up the fuse is bad.

If the fuse is bad, I found one on Rock Auto for you. Here is the part number: MID80

Here is the link as well: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,2009,malibu,2.4l+l4,1442753,electrical,fuse,2676

Also, were you able to get it to AutoZone or another parts store and have the codes read? They will do it for free and it will give us a lot of good information.

Let me know what you find, and we can go from there.

Thank you,
Brendon