Lucerne's Heavy Steering Points to Failing Angle Sensor

Having worked on cars as a hobbyist, I encountered a very similar issue with my 2012 LaCrosse. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, heavy steering, shaking, and the electronic stability warning light coming on intermittently. After some troubleshooting, it turned out the steering angle sensor had failed and needed recoding. The wheel alignment problems were causing increased tire wear and making the steering feel heavy, especially during low-speed maneuvers. The repair involved having the steering sensor recalibrated and a complete wheel alignment check. Total cost came to 195 for the diagnostic work and recoding. Since the fix, the steering has returned to normal and the stability system works perfectly. To provide more specific advice for your situation, could you share: Current mileage on your Lucerne, When did these symptoms first appear, Any recent work done on the suspension or steering, Are there any other warning lights on the dashboard These alignment problems often start subtle but can worsen quickly, so it is worth getting checked soon to prevent additional wear on other components.

Just had my 93,981 KM service last month. The steering issues started shortly after that. My traction control light flashes occasionally too, along with the electronic stability warning. The alignment problems have definitely gotten worse in the past few weeks, making the car harder to control. The steering wheel vibration is most noticeable above 40 mph, which seems to match what you experienced. Starting to worry about tire wear since the steering feels so off. Will probably need to get it looked at soon before it causes more damage.

Thanks for those details. After my post about the sensor issues on my LaCrosse, I actually discovered additional problems that might be relevant to your situation. The traction control light flashing alongside the stability warning often indicates multiple automotive sensors are providing conflicting data to the system. When my steering angle sensor failed, it was actually part of a larger issue involving the wheel speed sensors. The alignment problems were causing uneven tire wear, which then affected the accuracy of the sensor readings. The repair ended up being more extensive than just the initial recalibration I mentioned. The speed threshold you mentioned for the vibration (40 mph) is exactly what I experienced. This typically happens when sensor failure causes the traction control system to engage incorrectly. The total repair for my car included: Replacement of two wheel speed sensors, New steering angle sensor, Full alignment service, Tire rotation and balancing The final cost was higher than initially quoted, but the comprehensive fix resolved all stability and steering issues. Given your mileage and symptoms, I strongly recommend getting a full diagnostic check of all steering and suspension related sensors before the problem escalates further.

Thanks for sharing those repair details. After reading about your experience, I definitely see the parallels with my situation. The timing of my issues right after service does make me wonder if something got knocked loose or misaligned during routine maintenance. Your point about the traction control and electronic stability warnings being linked to multiple sensor failures makes sense. The steering feels worse each week, so I will schedule a diagnostic check tomorrow. Better to address these sensor issues and alignment problems now rather than risk further damage to the tires and suspension components. I appreciate you breaking down the full scope of repairs needed on your vehicle, helps me know what to potentially expect cost-wise. Will update once I get the official diagnosis.