Steering Column Issues: Heavy Steering & Wheel Shake

Had the exact same issue with my 2017 Cruze last winter. The electronic stability and traction control started acting up first, then the steering got super heavy. The steering column felt noticeably different, especially during turns. After some back-and-forth at the shop, they diagnosed a faulty steering angle sensor. The coding was corrupted, causing the whole system to get confused. Total repair came to 195 for recoding the sensor, way better than replacing the whole unit. Car's been perfect since. From what you're describing, sounds really similar to my experience. Just to help narrow it down further: Are your traction control or stability control lights on? Does it happen more during specific turns (left vs right)? Any warning lights on the dash? What mileage is your Cobalt at? Could help determine if other components might be involved.

Thanks for the detailed response. Currently at 114877 KM after my last service. To answer your questions, yes, both the traction control and stability control lights started flickering last week. The heaviness is definitely worse on right turns, and there's a constant warning light that looks like a steering wheel on the dash. The alignment problems you mentioned with your Cruze sound exactly like what I'm experiencing. Really hoping it's just the angle sensor needing recoding like in your case, rather than a full sensor failure or something more serious with the power steering. Been keeping track of when it happens, the wheel shake gets worse at higher speeds, and the steering effort needed increases the longer I drive. Guess I should get it checked soon before it potentially gets worse.

Yeah, your symptoms are matching up even closer to what I experienced now that you've provided those details. The flickering traction control lights and worse performance during right turns were exactly what happened with my Cruze before the fix. The steering wheel warning light is also a classic sign of angle sensor issues affecting the power steering system. The increased effort during longer drives is something I noticed too, it's like the system gets more confused the more you drive. My shop explained that when the angle sensor starts failing, it creates a kind of feedback loop that makes the alignment problems and steering issues progressively worse. Quick heads up though, while recoding the sensor fixed my car completely, the fact that your symptoms get worse with speed and duration might indicate the sensor failure has progressed further than mine did. Might be worth getting it checked sooner rather than later to prevent any additional strain on the steering column components. The good news is that even if you need a full sensor replacement rather than just recoding, it's still way cheaper than replacing major steering components. The traction control and stability system should return to normal once the angle sensor is sorted out.

Thanks, those details really help confirm what I was worried about. The pattern you're describing matches my situation perfectly, from the feedback loop effect to how the whole stability system acts up. I'll definitely get it checked out this week before more stress gets put on the steering components. Honestly feeling relieved that it's likely just the angle sensor acting up and not a complete power steering failure. While I'm hoping for just a recoding fix like you had, I'm prepared for potentially needing a full sensor replacement given how the symptoms are progressing. Better to address the sensor failure now than wait for it to cause bigger alignment problems. Really appreciate you breaking down your experience, helped me understand exactly what's going on with these automotive sensors. The steering column behavior and stability control issues make so much more sense now. I'll update once I get the final diagnosis and repair sorted out.