Q: Everything on the dashboard goes out while driving and there is a loss of power steering.

asked by on March 13, 2017

While I'm driving my car odometer can stop working at any given time and then my power steering will stop working. It will say I don't have any gas which will cause my car to jerk while I'm driving and when I press on the breaks to stop it will make a loud noise as if the brakes are dragging and it seems at if the car will stop running. I also have another problem when I'm driving for a long time my brakes become hard to press down on. It also becomes hard to change gears I would have to press down really hard on the break petal. Then my car acts like it doesn't want to drive and it won't go over 20 miles. When I finally stop and turn it off my car has a smell to it like burnt rubber.

My car has 170500 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

For the dashboard loosing everything every now and then would be a loose wire - typically a loose ground on the wiring harness or the wire to the chassis. For the power steering issue, either the electronic assist is shutting off too or the engine is stalling out causing the power steering to become hard. The brake system could have a combination valve that is sticking or a brake controller that has malfunctioned and is causing the brakes to stay applied. This is why you are smelling the rubber burnt smell. The brake pads are getting too hot and emitting a smell. Check all of the electronics in your dashboard for any loose or damaged wiring. Then check to see if the brake system is staying under pressure and see if the calipers are sticking or if the combination valve is not returning. If the calipers and combination valve are good, then the brake controller needs replaced or repaired. I suggest bleeding the brakes first for if there was any contaminated brake fluid in the system causing the parts to stick.

If you need further assistance with your brake system and electrical system, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

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