# Dealer or local shop? Subaru Forester electric power steering fail **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317 "2021-01-23T21:33:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317/1 "2021-01-23T21:33:38Z")
My 2017 Forester’s power steering system just failed, and I don’t think I can drive it – I’m really not strong enough to turn the steering wheel in traffic, even just to take it to a shop. Besides, I don’t know how stable the behavior is. It was fine last time, and today I started it and began backing up, and I could barely turn the wheel, and a big red warning came up for the power steering system. Is this appropriate for the local small town shop to fix? They’ve been OK for smaller repairs before and have been there at least 15 years or so. It’s only about 7 miles away. Or is it wiser to take it to a dealer? The closest one is 20 miles away and they’ve done most of the work on the car before. I’m going to have to have somebody haul it there in either case. BTW this power steering system is entirely electrical, not hydraulic. There’s no fluid or belt or anything else to maintain or check. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317/2 "2021-01-23T21:40:21Z")
I’d try the local shop first. It might be just a loose/broken connection or fuse. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317/3 "2021-01-23T22:02:52Z")
I’ve driven Subaru’s since '81, currently a 19 Forester, and I’ve always had the dealer work on them. But **running coach’s** suggestion about fuses is an excellent idea. Do that first. There’s a list of what fuses service which circuit in your manual. Looking [here](https://www.autogenius.info/subaru-forester-2017-2018-fuse-box-diagram/) there’s nothing listed specifically for the power steering ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317/4 "2021-01-23T23:13:15Z")
Hey, thank you to both of you, that’s an excellent idea! ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealer-or-local-shop-subaru-forester-electric-power-steering-fail/931317/5 "2021-01-23T23:15:36Z")
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