[Doggie 1]

Is there any way you can be more specific about when & under what conditions it occurs 

Does it happen in all modes ?

Yes, it happens in all modes.
During the periods that it is good, it is great. No problem.
Then suddenly, for no reason the problem reappears.
It is only noticeable at highway speeds. There are no problems around town.
When it happens, it is as though the steering loses all power assistance and it locks on a particular course which is not straight ahead. It is slightly off-centre.
So I then have to physically force the steering wheel back from the right to the left, but then it locks on slightly to the left, which requires me to forcibly turn the steering wheel back to the right.
And on and on it goes.
This results in the car weaving left to right to left right continually, with no power assistance.
To drivers travelling behind me, it must look as though I'm under the influence, but it actually takes lots of concentration to try to keep the car in a straight line as it wants to continually take me into the lane next to me, which is not good.
I don't want to dwell on my driving credentials because if anyone had this problem I would sympathize with them, but I am no novice around cars.
I have been driving for forty years (since I was seventeen). I have driven millions of kilometres in all sorts of conditions, all types of cars. I am a qualified police high speed pursuit driver so I know how to drive.
This is not my imagination. It is a very real problem which unfortunately, is not there all of the time.
When the car was newer, I could "re-set" it by disconnecting the battery and all seemed good for a while, but the problem has persisted and now at 135,000 kms, it is still there.
I envisage a problem being found once the car is outside of its 5 year unlimited kilometre warranty, which would piss me off no end.
At some point, I feel that H/A needs to say yes, we know we have a problem, we accept your assurance that your car is affected and do something to fix it.
From my internet research I do believe that Hyundai are not alone in these EPS problems.

[Phil №❶]

So, when this happens, how do you "reset" the steering ? By slowing down, does the problem simply go away.

[Doggie 1]

Yes, until the next drive at highway speeds.

[Dazzler]

I would Print out every relevant comment you can find on the net and here and send a copy to Hyundai and the Dealer Principal of JH! 

[Phil №❶]

Layman's guess, either,

Internal fault in EPS motor, but not likely IMO

or

intermittent fault in any of the plugs, relays, related to the EPS, this could involve the ESP (has it's own earth wire), sensor and could be a poor earth to any associated device, including the ECU. The ECU expects certain values which means that at low speeds, a bad earth may suffice but at higher speeds, the earth, or other plug connection may not be acceptable.

Unfortunately, the circuits appear quite extensive and interrelated to each other. It will be difficult to find, especially without fault codes.

If you had time, you could try carefully reconnecting the ECU and steering fuses / relays in the engine bay, it just might fix your problem.

[The Gonz]

In the absence of any conclusive finding by H/A, Phil's taking you in the right direction. With digital electronics the problem tends to be back in the analog interface world of fallible surface contacts, mechanical actuators or sensors and anything prone to variation from its physical environment, which means that you may resolve the problem without ever taking on the electronic logic at all.

[eye30]

I am a qualified police high speed pursuit driver so I know how to drive.

Are they, garage and hY oz, aware of your driving standard and skills as this may/may not influence their response

[Shambles]

What's concerning me, is that the issue occurs around a certain speed and self-resolves when that speed is lowered.

We just don't know enough about the flex-steer system to rule out that it may be programmed to auto-adjust in certain circumstances... possibly getting it completely wrong or disengaging the EPS completely due to a software fault. I'm half convinced my flex-steer stiffens up if I accidentally leave it set at "comfort" when approaching the motorway speed limit.

Or, Phil could be right.

And Gonz.

[Doggie 1]

I am a qualified police high speed pursuit driver so I know how to drive.

Are they, garage and hY oz, aware of your driving standard and skills as this may/may not influence their response

I wouldn't expect it would. I just mention it to say that I'm not a novice around cars.
They might take it the other way and think I've thrashed it.    (I haven't).

[Doggie 1]

What's concerning me, is that the issue occurs around a certain speed and self-resolves when that speed is lowered.

We just don't know enough about the flex-steer system to rule out that it may be programmed to auto-adjust in certain circumstances... possibly getting it completely wrong or disengaging the EPS completely due to a software fault. I'm half convinced my flex-steer stiffens up if I accidentally leave it set at "comfort" when approaching the motorway speed limit.

Or, Phil could be right.

And Gonz.

But it's not all the time.   

[Phil №❶]

It actually IS all the time that the "erroneous condition" presents itself. It just doesn't present with any reliability.

There have been occasions where corroded terminals or simply unplugged connectors have caused problems with these vehicles. The crackly AM aerial fault is one that seems to suffer this problem. Push the aerial in properly to the head unit and in most cases, problem solved.

Vibration, humidity, dirt, corrosion in both the powered or earthing system or an incorrect logic value in the ECU. Under certain fault conditions the EPS relay causes a disconnect in the event of a short circuit and other dangerous faults, so it IS possible to actually loose your EPS at any time, fortunately, a rare occurrence. Without it, the car is still drivable to a safe stop, apparently.

[The Gonz]

The fact that it's intermittent lends more probability to the problem being physical and not logical. Think of it as software - once it's written, the 1s and 0s never change, only the inputs from the physical world can then determine the software's entirely predetermined behaviour. Software bugs are not mean little bacteria, only hard code that has not been written well enough to cope with unanticipated inputs. In your case the unanticipated input may be an unreliable connection or deteriorating sensor.

[Doggie 1]

OK.
I picked my car up this morning from the John Hughes service centre.
Although in a hurry for a work appointment, I was made to wait for ages before I was attended to. No rush at all.
I told them I am not happy having to pay them to tell me they couldn't find the fault.
Total disinterest from them.
They did 326 kms in my car while they had it! Bloody hell, they used it more than I would have. 
Sand all over passenger floor so it's had a passenger in there (was cleaned just before dropped off there). I don't see why because there is nothing a passenger could do to detect the problem. It has to be the driver.
My car copped a nasty stone chip on the bonnet which I guess might have been unavoidable but it's amazing how I've done 135,000 kms without one. (I'm careful how & where I drive and I don't tailgate). They do 326 kms and get one. It's very fresh still with loose paint at edges.
I concede that when I dropped the car off the steering fault wasn't present. (As it's intermittent).
But it certainly was all the way home today.
I was required to refuel their loan car. They did not refuel mine. 
The whole saga cost me $184 plus fuel for the loaner, so well over $200 and nothing resolved.
Just a rip off AFAIC and pretty disillusioned.
I will never use JH again for "service."
My car is booked in on Thursday (where I usually go) for its 135,000 km logbook service. That $200+ would have been useful for that.
That's my main bitch. Not the fact that they couldn't find the fault, although I don't think the will was there to do so.
It's that they make me pay them to tell me that they couldn't find it when the only warranty claim I have ever made is for a definite safety issue UNDER THEIR NEW CAR WARRANTY!
As I said to them this morning, it's funny how there was no mention when I bought the car that I would have to pay for any warranty claims they couldn't find.
I like the car but Hyundai makes the ownership experience a lot less fun than it should be. And that's from a dedicated Hyundai fan.

[CraigB]

I hope you raised the issue of the stone chip with them Dave, they took your money so make them bloody spend it to fix the paint.

As for the steering complaint I'm as disgusted as you would be pissed off

[Dazzler]

 

I might have to sort them out when I come over! 

[Doggie 1]

I hope you raised the issue of the stone chip with them Dave, they took your money so make them bloody spend it to fix the paint.

As for the steering complaint I'm as disgusted as you would be pissed off

It was pissing down with rain when I picked it up so didn't notice it until I got home.   

[CraigB]

I hope you raised the issue of the stone chip with them Dave, they took your money so make them bloody spend it to fix the paint.

As for the steering complaint I'm as disgusted as you would be pissed off

It was pissing down with rain when I picked it up so didn't notice it until I got home.   

I'd be calling them first thing in the morning, don't think they'll still be open now

[Doggie 1]

My email to Hyundai i-care:

Hello
I have my car back, nothing solved.
The steering still loses its assistance periodically and it is still dangerous when it does.
After a week without my car and $200+ out of pocket, all I got was a bad stone chip on the bonnet (I guess that can happen) and a paint chip on the driver's door top edge as it has obviously been opened on to something hard. I don't treat my car like that.
My car had been driven 326 kms whilst at John Hughes. Obviously no refuel.......
Whereas I had to refuel the loan car that I had to pay for the use of as well.
But the bit that got me is the $154 "diagnosis fee."
Since when does a customer have to pay $154 for a genuine warranty claim (and safety issue) that the dealership can't find?
To me, that is not ethical business.
136,000+ kms on this car and the only warranty claim I have made and I have to pay the dealership to tell me they couldn't find it?
My last i30 had only one warranty claim as well in 136,682 kms of ownership and that was for peeling fake chrome on the driver's door interior door handle that sliced my finger open. That was repaired without question.
I do not make frivolous claims. Over 270,000 kms in two Hyundai i30s and two genuine, legitimate warranty claims.
I'm not happy.
I still have a car with the same problem, my wallet is over $200 lighter and my car was not treated with respect.
At the very least, I would ask that the $154 "diagnosis fee" be reimbursed to me and I will await your response on that issue.
I had never done it before, but while my car was with John Hughes Hyundai, I Googled Hyundai electric power steering.
If there was ever any doubt that Hyundai are aware of the safety issues with their EPS, they were dispelled then.
Anyhow, not much more I can do. If an accident occurs in the future due to this issue it is certainly well documented here and other places so we will see what happens.
Thanks for your time.
Your response will determine whether my next new car purchase will be a Hyundai.
Regards.

[Shambles]

Should have given them both barrels, not just the one.

Poor show if they can't/won't respond positively to that.

[Doggie 1]

Should have given them both barrels, not just the one.

Poor show if they can't/won't respond positively to that.

You know me, I show restraint.. 

[The Gonz]

Far too restrained for my liking but not the last piece of correspondence to be issued on the matter I suspect.

[Doggie 1]

I have enough battles to fight without looking for another.
The ball is in Hyundai's court.
Their loss if their response is inadequate although I know that it won't bother them as I am only one individual.
I'll just move on to another marque who hopefully treats their valued customers with more respect.

[Phil №❶]

I think you should have told them that after purchasing 2 of their cars, it will be unlikely that you'll purchase another, because of the very disappointing lack of customer support so far from both the dealer and HY Head Office. Correspondence to HO from a disgruntled car owner, advising them of a potential safety issue, (even if it is only 1 vehicle),  is supposed to provide a solution to the benefit of both the company and the owner.

[Doggie 1]

I think I did.      

Your response will determine whether my next new car purchase will be a Hyundai.

[Phil №❶]

Er, yeah, 

[Dazzler]

Not bad Dave, but to further encourage a response I would have hinted that you may start a Facebook page about  the issue and/or approach the CCC particularly but not limited to the $154 diagnosis charge!

[Surferdude]

Not bad Dave, but to further encourage a response I would have hinted that you may start a Facebook page about  the issue and/or approach the CCC particularly but not limited to the $154 diagnosis charge!

That's the next letter.
Always go in firm but polite first up.

[AlanHo]

 

I think the letter is well balanced - it makes the points strongly and politely without overt emotive threats.   

Save the aggression until later - when the Doggie slips the lead.

[Doggie 1]

Just to keep you all updated.
I have no update. 
The last two emails that I sent to Hyundai Australia i-care still remain unanswered.
The first was on July 3rd.
The last was on July 13th.
I'll keep everyone on our international forum posted. 

[Dazzler]

Just to keep you all updated.
I have no update. 
The last two emails that I sent to Hyundai Australia i-care still remain unanswered.
The first was on July 3rd.
The last was on July 13th.
I'll keep everyone on our international forum posted. 

I'd be ringing the I-care 1800 number by now and venting my dissatisfaction! 

I'm having a fairly major billing issue with Europcar at the moment and if I don't get a response or a fix by Friday when I get home all hell will break loose!