EPAS Terrible Shudder

[thezfunk]

Please do it. You are helping not only yourself, but everyone with the issue. Ford will never own up to it unless everyone follows through and demonstrates the problem, is actually a problem. In their defense, they won't even know it's an issue unless we take it to them.

 

[steveespo]

There are no warranties on the EPAS steering racks. Most Ford Racing parts do not have warranties,

For all who mod, track or race their cars pay attention to this statement from people who have very close relationships with Ford Motor Company. If you want to play be prepared to pay. So if the car is stock and you are having this issue by all means report it to the dealer and Ford and request repair because it is a SAFETY ISSUE. You don't have to say anything more than when I drive it on the street this happens. Any other statements including telling them what you've read online will open you up to further scrutiny on how you use the car.

Rant over, but the issue described by Dr Gonzo does not sound like it is a result of confused EPAS programming but a mechanical issue with either the rack, suspension or tire/wheels. Check ball joints and tie rod ends for excessive play, this could cause the shudder as the rack attempts to compensate. With 60k on the clock parts start to wear.
Steve

 

[captdistraction]

^ this. Learned the hard way

 

[Benjamin T]

agreed. like i said before, i restrained myself to just suspension work and left the drivetrain and everything else alone for the sake of reliablity... never did it occur to me that my steering rack would fail as a result. damn.

 

[Benjamin T]

well, i feel like an idiot now...

http://mustangforums.com/forum/s197-handling-section/694071-2012-gt-tsb-for-epas-5.html#post8271953
Posted by: draxxus131
On: 08-26-2013 03:37 AM

You wanna know what these customer service reps are doing in these forums? Building a file on you and your car including any mods you have done. Why would I say this you ask, because I've experienced this first hand! It's like Hansel and Gretel, except the Gingerbread house is made out of thousands of tanto and Bowie blades.

I don't mean to thread jack just wanted to point out the obvious since they are beating around the bush with their customers/ loyal enthusiasts. It only benefits you to give them information if you literally have "0" mods done to your vehicle.

By the way, they even gave me a bullish attitude towards having the FR pro-cal tuner installed, made absolutely no sense to me why they would act that way towards me. Even when I was very polite with them and patient with the lack of customer care they were willing to go forth w/o.

after their initial voice mail message on my phone to call them back, my repeated attempts have failed to reach anyone. maybe i should stop now

 

[Benjamin T]

guys,

i've found a crashed 2012 boss 302 local to me w/16k mi on the odo before it got wrapped around a pole (passenger door/rear quarter). the steering rack in this wreck is supposedly still good...

... is the EPAS good on the 2012 models? will this be a cheaper solution for me?
... how much should i be offering for the rack?
... anything i should be looking out for in a used rack?

 

[Chris borzi]

Jewc75 has a 2012....posted.3 pages back.
Let me know if they want to sell the seats! Lol.

 

[Benjamin T]

there isn't much left of it. just a rolling shell. someone with a fox body bought the drivetrain and the airbags had gone off on the right side so the seat bolster is all blown out. driver side is gone too.

 

[Sky Render]

guys,

i've found a crashed 2012 boss 302 local to me w/16k mi on the odo before it got wrapped around a pole (passenger door/rear quarter). the steering rack in this wreck is supposedly still good...

... is the EPAS good on the 2012 models? will this be a cheaper solution for me?
... how much should i be offering for the rack?
... anything i should be looking out for in a used rack?

It's not a guaranteed fix, so it's not worth the money.

Sent from my toilet using Tapatalk

 

[NoTicket]

I just stumbled across this thread. Does anybody know if this problem is still occurring on the 2013-2014 cars? I am planning on doing suspension mods soon and throwing on some 18x10.5" wheels, but now I am slightly concerned it will result in this bizarre behavior.

I have a 2014 GT with Brembo Package.

 

[Sky Render]

I run 10" wheels with no issues, and I'm driving a 2011. The thing that seems to definitely cause the shuddering is changing the front control arm and/or bushing. Brake kits larger than the factory 4-pot Brembos also seems to, in some cases, cause the issue.

If you're just doing wheels/tires, springs, dampers, sway bars, and caster/camber plates up front, you probably won't have an issue.

 

[NoTicket]

Alright that makes me feel better about it. Thanks.

 

[Vorshlag-Fair]

I just stumbled across this thread. Does anybody know if this problem is still occurring on the 2013-2014 cars? I am planning on doing suspension mods soon and throwing on some 18x10.5" wheels, but now I am slightly concerned it will result in this bizarre behavior.

I have a 2014 GT with Brembo Package.

We didn't have any problems on our 2013 GT (above) with AST remote reservoir coilovers, lots of negative camber, big bars, aftermarket PHB and Whiteline rear relocation brackets, using 18x10" wheels and 295/35/18 tires at all four corners. Street, track or autocross.



But.... we never changed the front LCA bushings. That seems to be the threshold that cannot be crossed if you want to avoid EPAS issues.

 

[BMR Tech]

I just stumbled across this thread. Does anybody know if this problem is still occurring on the 2013-2014 cars? I am planning on doing suspension mods soon and throwing on some 18x10.5" wheels, but now I am slightly concerned it will result in this bizarre behavior.

I have a 2014 GT with Brembo Package.

I can share this, I can state for 100% confidence that I have not had a single customer complain of this Shudder with our A-Arms on the 2013/2014 cars....and I have A LOT of them out there being used right now.

I have had a substantial amount of 2011's have the issue, and a few 2012's.

Here is a 2013 GT500 with our full suspension, including the K/Arms:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzgaLWxtQt8



Hope that helps!

 

[Benjamin T]

just a small update.

Steeda will be sending me a new set of front LCAs with different bushings installed. They were not specific on what was is different with these bushings, other than I am the only customer who has complained to them about it. I will have to pay for the new arms on my CC up front, but I am supposed to see that refunded upon return of my old arms, but Steeda is covering all shipping costs.

I hope this will work, but I will not be able to tell until the weather warms up which is months away. Currently my steering rack has been trouble-free because of the weather being so cold.

 

[Benjamin T]

wow. steeda fedex'd the arms to me in 3 days from florida to westcoast canada:

unfortunately the shop i wanted to use is overbooked for 1-2 weeks.... argh.

i can't tell the difference...

 

[Benjamin T]

am i the only one left here?

if anyone else is reading this... the replacement arms are in, but the weather is still cold so i still cannot trigger an epas fail. however, my service advancetrac warning is coming on intermittently, which anyone who has had one of these warnings knows how frustrating it is to get diagnosed because it dosen't store a code. i finally did manage to get it on long enough to get diagnosed by the dealer and the computer says it is a "steering angle sensor" fail.

i dropped off the car yesterday. they say not to expect it back until friday (because i have their service loaner). my 3 year warranty ends next month. i still have an open case file with ford of canada from 9 months back (you can read what happened to me the last time a few pages back). i don't know whether to be hopeful or think this futile.

 

[5.0_SD]

If I had to guess, you are getting the shudder from EPAS since you have the "older" software on yours compared to the 2013-14. I believe the 13-14 has the updated software that is used on the Boss rack...I could be wrong and YMMV.

 

[choate]

am i the only one left here?

if anyone else is reading this... the replacement arms are in, but the weather is still cold so i still cannot trigger an epas fail. however, my service advancetrac warning is coming on intermittently, which anyone who has had one of these warnings knows how frustrating it is to get diagnosed because it dosen't store a code. i finally did manage to get it on long enough to get diagnosed by the dealer and the computer says it is a "steering angle sensor" fail.

i dropped off the car yesterday. they say not to expect it back until friday (because i have their service loaner). my 3 year warranty ends next month. i still have an open case file with ford of canada from 9 months back (you can read what happened to me the last time a few pages back). i don't know whether to be hopeful or think this futile.

I'm still reading here and there but this has gotten so big I haven't read it all. Mine doesn't shutter anymore that I've noticed. It has been colder as someone mentioned but I have stock front LCAs. I have had 3 sets now as they start creaking after a while. I'm almost out of warrenty now though so if they start making all kinds of noise I might replace them w/ aftermarket ones so I'm following this still. How are yours holding up? My car was built Feb 2011

 

[Benjamin T]

thanks for replying. like you said, the weather is too cold so i have no epas issues. but because my warranty runs out next month, i can't wait any longer, and this new service advancetrac warning was reason enough to go back. still waiting for the dealer to call.