Steering oddity in 2025 Maverick Lariat

[on the road again]

I'll be driving down a straight road and suddenly the steering will become very stiff, as if it went from power steering to manual steering and then back again. It only lasts for a second or two., and is entirely random. At first I thought it might be the brand new tire's treads finding some feature on the pavement "steering" the truck briefly. But there must be some thing else going on. Its almost alarming when it happens. Any thoughts, speculations? Thanks.

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[Glen Baker LLC]

Roger,
Is your Lane Assist / Centering ON or Off ?

 

[Ryom]

You'll see a red border to the side of the vehicle icon on the instrument cluster if you're crossing over a lane marker without the appropriate turn signal engaged. If this is happening a lot, I'd definitely recommend not disabling it or to start using your turn signals

 

[710-oil-614]

Roger,
Is your Lane Assist / Centering ON or Off ?

That was my first thought. I have mine set to notify and not correct. The correction feels like it’s fighting me when I don’t want it to

 

[Cancunbadlands]

I'll be driving down a straight road and suddenly the steering will become very stiff, as if it went from power steering to manual steering and then back again. It only lasts for a second or two., and is entirely random. At first I thought it might be the brand new tire's treads finding some feature on the pavement "steering" the truck briefly. But there must be some thing else going on. Its almost alarming when it happens. Any thoughts, speculations? Thanks.

I can only think of these Potential Causes #FYI
Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS) Sensor: Unlike older trucks, the Maverick uses an electric motor for steering rather than a hydraulic pump. If a sensor (like the torque sensor) fails or sends a "glitchy" signal, the computer might momentarily disable the assist to protect the system.
Software Glitch: There have been reports of the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) requiring a software update. A "logic error" can cause the system to reboot while driving, leading to that sudden "stiff" feeling.
Battery/Grounding Issues: Because the steering is electric, it is extremely sensitive to voltage drops. A loose ground wire or a struggling 12V battery can cause the EPAS to cut out momentarily.
Lane Keep Assist Interference: Sometimes, if the Lane Keeping System is malfunctioning or misinterpreting the road lines, it can apply "counter-steering" force that feels like the wheel has suddenly become heavy or resisted.

 

[Kenv24]

FYI...he never replied to Glen....so I'm betting on that horse...

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

FYI...he never replied to Glen....so I'm betting on that horse...

I give at least 24 hours for a reply.
Some folks have a job that interferes with their free time and they may only get on forum once a day or once every couple days.

BUT, Never fear This Thread will Soldier on unabated regardless if the OP ever returns .
Or
They have ignored me and haven't seen my post at all.
In that case their loss

 

[on the road again]

I give at least 24 hours for a reply.
Some folks have a job that interferes with their free time and they may only get on forum once a day or once every couple days.
But the thread continues on unabated.
Or
They have ignored me and haven't seen my post at all.

Yes, I have seen it (this Am). And I'm so grateful for the ideas. Its probably related to that Lane Assist thing in software. You guys are invaluable to us old school people who are not big fans of all the automated BS in newer vehicles. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to technology, I just don't like it in my truck. I don't like other people deciding for me what I do or don't need in a vehicle. Many times I've nearly climbed-the-back of the guy in front of me while I was necessarily screwing with software. Car makers think these features increase safety; not for me. Its distracting and unnecessary. Sorry, I just needed to vent.

 

[Randorita]

I turned that stuff off! My pop taught me to drive and told me to stay right of center. That gives you a little cushion when sharing the road with the people that drive with the stripes down the center of their vehicle. Lane assist wants you in the center of the lane and would constantly fight me during the two times I tested it. The only thing I use is ACC. If I get to where I need lane centering to drive, take my keys away!

 

[phoneguyinpgh]

This sorrta sounds like normal operation. The electric power steering system senses your steering inputs and determines when to turn on the electric power steering pump. If you're heading down a straight road and putting in verry little steering inputs it turns off the pump to save power and the steering stiffens up. When you start putting in larger steering inputs the pump turns on to provide the needed power assist.

If it seems excessive or it is causing issues with drivability, then I would take it to the dealer to see if there is an issue.

 

[Robot-Wrangler]

I have a '25 Lariat hybrid and have noticed the mometary steering stiffness of about a second several times. It's usually when I'm making a small adjustment away from the edge of the roadway. Rough and uneven, narrow construction lanes that wind left and right are where it's most often felt. When I approach these areas, I usually turn off the lane centering ahead to allow me to move over for wide trucks and trailers that are over the center line without a wrestling match. Sometimes there's no traffic in that area and I forget to disable the lane keeping and that's usually when it happens, but not always.

 

[Darnon]

This sorrta sounds like normal operation. The electric power steering system senses your steering inputs and determines when to turn on the electric power steering pump. If you're heading down a straight road and putting in verry little steering inputs it turns off the pump to save power and the steering stiffens up. When you start putting in larger steering inputs the pump turns on to provide the needed power assist.

There's no "pump" like some sort of electric-over-hydraulic system. It's an actual electric motor integrated into the steering column that increases output torque based on input. The actual steering gear is just a dumb rack and pinion setup, as opposed to older EPAS implementations that mounted the assist motor on the rack (via gearbelt and driving collar).

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Yes, I have seen it (this Am). And I'm so grateful for the ideas. Its probably related to that Lane Assist thing in software. You guys are invaluable to us old school people who are not big fans of all the automated BS in newer vehicles. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to technology, I just don't like it in my truck. I don't like other people deciding for me what I do or don't need in a vehicle. Many times I've nearly climbed-the-back of the guy in front of me while I was necessarily screwing with software. Car makers think these features increase safety; not for me. Its distracting and unnecessary. Sorry, I just needed to vent.

Roger,
Thank You for getting back to us.
Just so you know you can turn lane assist off. I believe even on the 25's the button is at the end of your turn signal stalk. Within the menu of your truck, you can also adjust the sensitivity or steering wheel feedback of the system.

 

[Darnon]

Battery/Grounding Issues: Because the steering is electric, it is extremely sensitive to voltage drops. A loose ground wire or a struggling 12V battery can cause the EPAS to cut out momentarily.

The alternator output feedback circuit also is a factor. Even if it's charging fine, flaky output from the sense circuit will limit power to loads like the steering assist (although that should trigger a Charging System Fault message on the IC).

 

[Cancunbadlands]

The alternator output feedback circuit also is a factor. Even if it's charging fine, flaky output from the sense circuit will limit power to loads like the steering assist (although that should trigger a Charging System Fault message on the IC).

That's correct

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