What does it mean when the EPS light is on?
2 Answers
EPS light on indicates a malfunction in the electric power steering system. If the EPS warning light suddenly flashes during normal driving, you should gradually reduce speed, adjust the steering wheel properly, turn on the hazard lights, and pull over to the roadside. Then proceed to a repair shop or 4S dealership for inspection, as issues with the electronic power steering system may cause the vehicle to lose power steering functionality. The working principle of EPS is: when the driver turns the steering wheel, the torque sensor records the movement and converts it into a voltage signal transmitted to the vehicle computer's control unit. The vehicle computer then controls the electric motor based on the voltage signal from the sensor, causing the motor to rotate and provide auxiliary steering power to the driver.
When I saw the EPS light on the dashboard, my first thought was that there's something wrong with the power steering system. Once this thing fails, the steering wheel immediately becomes extremely heavy, especially when parking in reverse—it takes all your strength. Common issues fall into four categories: sensor malfunction (like the torque sensor misreporting the driver's steering input), wiring problems (rats chewing wires or water ingress causing poor contact), control module failure (system software glitch or circuit board burnout), or the motor itself seizing up. The safest approach is not to tough it out and drive—hook up an OBD scanner to check the trouble codes immediately. Last week, my neighbor kept driving with the light on and nearly hit a guardrail while turning at an intersection—the towing fee ended up costing more than fixing the steering gear.
