Electric Power Steering comparison?

[dwinva]

I have been driving my 2013 for 7 days now and have no issues with the electric power steering. It is very easy to steer at low speeds and I do notice it is stiffer at higher speeds. So far, so good.

[Bobaloo]

First 1K miles steering was a little stiff. Now at 3400 no isuues at all and I like it!

[fielderLS3]

Originally Posted by Coyotekiller

Does the 2011 5.0 have electric steering?

Yes.

[Coyotekiller]

Originally Posted by fielderLS3

Yes.

That would explain why I didn't like it then. It had no feedback and felt disconnected from the car. My 2012 camaro however is fine

[Norm Peterson]

I guess it depends on what you want from your car's steering. As noted, tactile feedback has traditionally not been an EPAS strong point, though I guess it's steadily improving. Side note - just making the steering "heavier" via less assist isn't quite the same thing as improved feel.

More recently, additional capabilities that go beyond simply providing force assist to the steering have been showing up in EPAS systems. While I don't know whether any of these have been inserted into the Camaro's version yet, think in terms of very small amounts of active front wheel steering.


Norm

[Higgs Boson]

Originally Posted by Coyotekiller

That would explain why I didn't like it then. It had no feedback and felt disconnected from the car. My 2012 camaro however is fine

I think it was not the electric steering, it was the Ford steering. Its notorious.

[GretchenGotGrowl]

I had a Chevy Cruze and now have Ford F-150 and wife has Ford Focus, all with electric assit power steering. I think it is a very good improvement on the FWD vehicles. It allows them to better controll torque steer. I can't tell that much difference on the F-150 compared to my last one. The road feel is about the same once you discount that they upped the assit because of the larger wheels.

[fielderLS3]

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

I think it was not the electric steering, it was the Ford steering. Its notorious.

Actually, before EPAS was put into all their cars, I actually found Ford steering to be better than their GM competition in most cases. The 05-09 Mustangs have pretty good steering, and better than the Camaro. My family also had a Contour years ago with excellent steering (Ironically the only part of that car that wasn't notorious for the wrong reasons...piece of crap). The pre-EPAS Fusions were good as well, if I recall.

[SpectroBR]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I guess it depends on what you want from your car's steering. As noted, tactile feedback has traditionally not been an EPAS strong point, though I guess it's steadily improving. Side note - just making the steering "heavier" via less assist isn't quite the same thing as improved feel.

Exactly. I drove a BMW E93 320d with the electric assist. Steering feel was there, but at lower speeds, the extra assist made the steering "wonky", too artificial. Come higher speeds and ooooooh man, that's more like it. Electric assist also has the advantage to lower the assist as soon as sport mode kicks in.

[Coyotekiller]

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

I think it was not the electric steering, it was the Ford steering. Its notorious.

I found my '04 and '07 GT mustangs to be quite good with steering. The setup was great and you could "feel" the road better it seemed. The newer electric assist just can't do that.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Coyotekiller

I found my '04 and '07 GT mustangs to be quite good with steering. The setup was great and you could "feel" the road better it seemed. The newer electric assist just can't do that.

It can't if it's being asked to do too much of too many other things.

My '08 GT is also hydraulic assist and is pretty good as well. Terry Fair's (aka Vorschlag) experience with the newer Mustang's EPAS has been rather less pleasant. I hope for the Camaro's sake that Chevy occasionally pays attention outside the various GM customer circles.


Spectro - I would think the transition between or among various assist levels could be a bit disconcerting if you're accustomed to driving by "feel" (I think the industry term is 'haptic feedback') rather than by a vague notion of having moved the steering wheel somewhere near the right position to keep the car on the black stuff.


Norm

[DGthe3]

Its usually a bad idea to use one manufactures implementation of a technology (in this case, electric power steering) as the basis for how another will use that same technology. Especially when final tuning plays such a vital role in how its quality is perceived. Screw up the tuning, people will complain bitterly. Get it right, and nobody will even notice that its different from conventional power steering. Plus, its not as if hydraulic power steering has ever been lauded as the epitome of feedback in steering systems. There are countless cars built today with the same tech we've been familiar with for decades that have numb, vague, and isolated steering.

Anyway, point is ... if you want to know how it is, try it. If you can't, then at least listen to those who have driven that car and can tell you how it feels from their own experience.

[Norm Peterson]

I can't speak for other respondents, but the "feel" comments that I provided come from a couple of people who work in steering & suspension at the OE level.


Norm

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I can't speak for other respondents, but the "feel" comments that I provided come from a couple of people who work in steering & suspension at the OE level.


Norm

The point is, that is not first hand experience with the Camaro and needs to be disregarded.