[hobo0933]

I have a new RWD 230i with M-chassis, VSS and adaptive suspension, and my steering is driving me crazy: For example: When steering through a turn at around 90 km/h with the steering wheel at around 11 or 1 o'clock, the steering wheel just stays there, and the car keeps turning until I pull it back to center. Is this normal behaviour or should the steering self-center?

[CP911]

Did you let go of the steering wheel completely when entering the straight after the turn to see if it actually unwinds by itself? What you are describing sounds like what I've experienced with other shitty EPS racks like on the base Subaru Impreza sedan, Jeep Wranger 2-door, etc. These cars did not seem to want to self center and just ping-ponged between the lines they were so difficult to keep tracking straight. That being said, I didn't experiment to see if either cars' steering wheels would unwind on their own. I'm thinking they would have... Sometimes, the EPS racks are simply tuned to be so light and easy to drive that unless you all but let go of them, it will feel like they don't want to self center. Hence, the "numb" feeling a lot of people describe - the wheel just sits dead in your hands until you consciously turn it. This feeling can be much more apparent when coming from a hydraulic rack. Just the nature of the beast, unfortunately.

My M240i rack feels pretty decent, although a bit light. Self centers once throttle is applied, car tracks dead straight even at high speeds, and road feel is good. If your 230i is tuned like my car is, then I'm guessing you are just not used to it yet.

How long have you had the car and what were you driving before?

[hobo0933]

Yes, even when I let go of the steering wheel completely it does not self-center, even if some throttle is applied. I have had the car now for 4 months, and yes, it is my first RWD with EPS. But it is not a matter of getting used to, I have tested for example other new 1-series and they all self-center, even if being very light. I have had the alignment checked and it is within the tolerance levels. I am thinking it has to do with programming or something wrong with the steering rack. Ideas? This is driving me nuts, it is awful driving...

[CP911]

In that case, it does sound like something could be wrong with it. Can you simply take it back to your dealership in Sweden and ask them to do some diagnostic work? Offer to join the technician on a back to back test drive with your car and another so you can demonstrate exactly what is happening. Not much they can dispute if they see it happening right there in front of you.

[albertw]

What tires?

I ordered my car with allseason tires to get the same size on all four (to get less traction at the rear and less traction overall for more fun in the twisties), and it came with Pirelli runflats. At gentle cornering speeds they have much less self-centering than the Michelin PSS that were on the car I test drove. Once you raise the g-load to spirited driving the self-centering improves a lot, but it is a bit annoying to have the centre the wheel after very gentle turns. I raised the front tire pressure to the same as the rears (for unrelated reasons) and the self-centering seems to have improved slightly.

[hobo0933]

I got the car with the 18" Michelin PSS. Now, in the winter, I have 17" all-season run-flats. But the problem had been the exakt same with both tire types. Increasing the tire pressure makes it even worse for me.

[hobo0933]

Originally Posted by CP911

In that case, it does sound like something could be wrong with it. Can you simply take it back to your dealership in Sweden and ask them to do some diagnostic work? Offer to join the technician on a back to back test drive with your car and another so you can demonstrate exactly what is happening. Not much they can dispute if they see it happening right there in front of you.

Me and the head of mechanics at the dealer took a short drive a few weeks ago. He said he could definitely see what I meant but would not go as far as saying it was a fault. Later he got back to me saying he had now tested other BMWs, and some had behaved in a similar fashion. But I have yet to be presented with a BMW that behaves the same way, that seems to be more difficult. All the BMWs I have tested self-center.

[hobo0933]

I am suspecting more and more that there is something wrong with the steering rack. Sometimes when turning it feels like there is more or less resistance in the steering wheel giving a very strange feeling of the car swaying around or steering by itself.

[MichaelL]

Originally Posted by hobo0933

I am suspecting more and more that there is something wrong with the steering rack. Sometimes when turning it feels like there is more or less resistance in the steering wheel giving a very strange feeling of the car swaying around or steering by itself.

Sorry you are having this issue. I think something is mechanically wrong with the car. Keep pushing on the dealer and BMW to make it right. If other cars don't have your issue, something is wrong that you shouldn't just have to live with in my opinion.

[hobo0933]

I think I may have identified what the problem is; there is resistance in the steering wheel, not allowing it to self-center. It feels as if it is not running freely so that it gets stuck between 11-1 where the self-centering of course is the weakest. Either this, or there is an "active return function" in the steering rack that is not working. Any ideas?

[Shovelman]

Close fitting gears provide in precise steering, which is a good thing. And while each set of gears should be the same, there are manufacturing tolerances that are greater than zero. Sounds like yours are a little tight. This may loosen up in time.

Another possibility is a lack of lubrication. That would be a manufacturing defect.

[Yak]

hobo0933-did you get a chance to have your dealership take a look at your car? I have experienced the same steering issues you have described as well.

[CP911]

After reading the thread again and after a few recent drives in my M240i, something is definitely wrong with the self-centering of your car. Despite what I was trying to say before, my car's steering wheel self-centers with no resistance in all but the slowest parking lot speeds. It's relatively light, but self-centers nonetheless.

Stay on your local dealer and contact the BMW customer service HQ for your region. Something is not right with your BMW and you shouldn't have to deal with it behaving like this.

[hobo0933]

Originally Posted by Yak

hobo0933-did you get a chance to have your dealership take a look at your car? I have experienced the same steering issues you have described as well.

Yes, they did. I even paid for them to look into it and asked for at least to give me a suggestion of how to make it self center better. But when I fetched the car again they just said they could not find anything wrong, and happily took my money. After a discussion they said they would submit a PUMA case, but later they just said it did not result in anything. I suspect they never submitted a PUMA case...

[hobo0933]

Originally Posted by CP911

After reading the thread again and after a few recent drives in my M240i, something is definitely wrong with the self-centering of your car. Despite what I was trying to say before, my car's steering wheel self-centers with no resistance in all but the slowest parking lot speeds. It's relatively light, but self-centers nonetheless.

Stay on your local dealer and contact the BMW customer service HQ for your region. Something is not right with your BMW and you shouldn't have to deal with it behaving like this.

OK, thanks for the input. But I have been in contact with BMW Customer Relations in Sweden, but they just refer back to their garages. No help there.

[AndDown]

Originally Posted by hobo0933

OK, thanks for the input. But I have been in contact with BMW Customer Relations in Sweden, but they just refer back to their garages. No help there.

Sorry to read about your situation. I also have a 230i with M Spt Pkg but don't have the VSS. I also have the Michelin 18" PSS non RF but don't have the problem you are experiencing. Have you played with the iDrive settings under driving mode and does this problem occur in all the modes (eco, comfort, sport, sport+)? Maybe others with VSS could chime in as I don't have that option.

[CP911]

FYI, I was doing some reading in the DIY/coding section of the F30 forums, and there is definitely a default "active return" software setting for each of the available steering racks in BMW cars. The software values cannot be altered, but are set in stone from the factory and developed for each individual rack. The software is then loaded into the control unit that is responsible for the EPS rack.

Perhaps you can find someone local to you who is familiar with BMW programming via ISTA+ software. Or just go back to the dealership again and tell them to reprogram the proper software for your steering rack's control unit and/or reset the control unit to see if it fixes the problem.

You may just have a defective steering rack. Either way, you should push them harder to fix your car. What you are dealing with is ridiculous!