Mitsubishi i: ABS & Power Steering Failure Mystery

Hey there! I had a pretty similar issue with my 2006 Mitsubishi Colt last year (I've got some experience working on cars, but mainly basic maintenance stuff). The symptoms were exactly the same, ABS light on, power steering issues, and that annoying steering wheel shake. Took it to my regular workshop and turns out the steering angle sensor needed recoding. Cost me around 195€ to fix, but it sorted everything out. The mechanic explained that these sensors can sometimes get "confused" and need proper recalibration. What's the current mileage on your i? Also, have you had any recent work done on the steering or suspension? This info might help pinpoint if we're dealing with the same issue.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My i has 64948 KM on it, and I just had a regular service done last month. It's good to know that a similar issue was fixed with sensor recoding, definitely gives me some hope! Haven't had any recent work done on the steering or suspension, actually. Everything was working fine until these symptoms just showed up out of nowhere last week. Might take it to the workshop you mentioned. Did your mechanic mention how long the recalibration process typically takes?

Hey again! Yeah, I remember when my Colt had these issues, it was super frustrating! To answer your question about the recalibration time, it actually didn't take that long at all. My mechanic got it done in about an hour or so. Most of that time was spent on the diagnostic process to confirm it was definitely the sensor needing recoding. You know what's interesting, my issues also popped up unsual without any prior work being done, just like yours. Since your i has fairly low mileage (mine had about 78000 KM when it happened), and you haven't had any recent steering work done, it really does sound like the same problem I had. Quick tip though, after they fixed mine, the mechanic suggested I should move the steering wheel from lock to lock a few times after starting the car for the first couple of days. Something about helping the sensor maintain its calibration. Been doing that ever since and haven't had any issues for over a year now. Let me know how it goes if you get it checked out! Always curious to hear if others have the same fix work for them.

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! That's super helpful, especially the tip about moving the steering wheel after starting the car. Really appreciate you sharing your experience with this. It's actually a relief to hear that the fix might be relatively quick and straightforward. I've managed to book an appointment at my local workshop for next Tuesday, so fingers crossed it's just the sensor needing recoding like in your case. You've definitely helped ease my mind about this, was worried it might be something more serious (and expensive!). I'll definitely keep that steering wheel tip in mind once it's fixed. Thanks again for all your help with this!