Power Steering Groans on my 2009 Vibe

[mattsmith]

When I turn the wheel especially at low speeds like when I'm parking, I hear straining from the power steering that makes me thing I need to refill the steering fluid. Turns out the 2009 model uses electronic steering.

So, what does one do in this case?

[XRVibe10]

Hello - one possibility I can think of which happened to mine is the steering assist motor brushes are noisy (espically @ slower/parking lot speeds) - the assist motor is mounted on the column inside the car behind the dash (just to the right behind the cluster, which if noisy is right there) - I've replaced 4 columns in my Vibe due to rattle issues & once for a noisy steering motor - last time I checked the motor is non-servicable - it doesn't pose a safety concern just a noise issue - I know the GT's have a heavier feel which may contribute to more assist noise - the only way to fix it (if it is the assist motor) is to replace the column ( not a cheap fix ) - hopefully this helps you out a bit