I was faced with a sudden problem: the “Check Power Steering” warning appeared on my Chevrolet Orlando, and the engine wouldn’t start.
My car is 8 years old with just over 80,000 km on the odometer. I was worried this might be a major failure, as it seemed too early for a serious power steering issue.
The symptoms were as follows: when I turned the key to the ‘On’ position, the dashboard and other electrical systems powered on, but the engine wouldn’t crank. When I tried to start it again, the “Check Power Steering” warning came on.
Since the engine wouldn’t start and the power steering warning was on, I considered calling a tow truck to get the car to a nearby repair shop.
Instead, I decided to call my long-time mechanic.
The first thing he asked was when I had last replaced the battery. He then immediately told me that a new battery would solve the problem. This was a huge relief, as I had been stressing about having to tow the car.
I called for my roadside assistance service.
The conclusion was that the “Check Power Steering” warning was triggered by a dead battery. After the battery was replaced, the warning light disappeared immediately.
Of course, if the battery still had life, we would have had to check for alternator issues, which would have been a much bigger problem.
I had last replaced my Orlando’s battery about three years ago after it also suddenly failed to start.
The battery’s lifespan came to an end after about 3 years and 30,000 km.
I had replaced it with a higher capacity 90Ah battery, but it seems the capacity didn’t make a difference.
The original Orlando battery is 80Ah.
While my commute isn’t short, I live in a region with no traffic jams, so my one-way travel time is less than 20 minutes—sometimes just over 10 minutes.
It seems that this constant short-distance driving doesn’t allow enough time for the battery to fully charge, shortening its lifespan.
As I mentioned in a previous post about battery replacement, my Orlando just dies one morning with no prior symptoms.
From now on, I will make a point to replace the battery every three years as a preventative measure.
Visiting a specialized battery replacement shop seems like it would save a decent amount of money.