An electric power steering apparatus detects (10), as an abnormal phase, a phase other than a combination of phases whose interphase voltage is of nearly zero volts if a q-axis current is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value though a q-axis voltage is being applied. Alternatively, the electric power steering apparatus (10) calculates a base electric angle at which the q-axis current is equal to or smaller than a third threshold value though the q-axis voltage is being applied, and determines an abnormal phase based on the base electric angle.