Steering wheel does not return to centre.

V

vortex

Member
Hello,

I highjacked a thread about sticky steering a few months ago. I had sticky steering and got the steering column changed under dealership warranty in September. In November the new steering column failed, and had under used BMW warranty the steering column changed for the second time. During all that time I have not re-experienced sticky steering. I do have runflats all around, different brands in both the front and rear wheels, which I am guessing aggravates certain issues attributed to RFTs.

For example the car will constantly pull to the left or right, especially on bad roads. I have had a four wheel tracking (of questionable quality though) but the issue is still there.
However as of late a new issue has started getting me worried.
After half an hour of driving the steering wheel will not return to the centre. The distance it returns to from the centre is not great, just a few degrees to the left or right, but it is enough to become annoying, especially on motorways as it requires me to always keep correcting the direction in order to keep going straight.
I am guessing this is not supposed to happen. Could this be related to the steering column ? This used to happen with the previous steering columns (both the original, and the first one that is not replaced).

Search results on google gave me a variety of answers:
-universal steering joints becoming sticky
-steering column not working properly
-steering column ECU requiring an upgrade
-steering rack worn out or not properly adjusted after the steering column chage?
-bushes worn out
-RFTs providing too much resistance to the auto-centre geometry
-bad toe & castor (maybe the bloke who did the aligment didn't really bother?)
-front suspension issues

Sytner who replaced the steering column for the second time gave me a warranty for the work they carried out, so I might be able to get them to fix it if its a steering column or ECU fault.
However I do not want to spend 90 quid for them to carry out diagnostics only to come back to me and tell me nothing is wrong, which is what I assume will happen since they didn't spot the problem in the first place.

I'm planning to change wheels and tires (non RFT) and maybe suspension springs, and get a four wheel tracking, but this will not happen in the immediate future.

Should I bother with the bushes and the u-joints ? Should I try and lube them, or will they need replacing to see a difference ?
What else could be causing this ?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

PS: Its a 2004 E85 3.0i
 
When you had the wheel alignment / tracking checked was it useing Hunter 4 wheel laser equipment?..... You should have received a before and after printout for referance
 
I have a before and after printout from the guy who did the alignment, not sure if it was done on a hunter machine.
TBH the car did drive much better after the tracking, as before it would pull alot towards the left.
But the tracking was done by an unknown party for 40 quid after the car was handed to an indy who was recommended by the dealer...

FRONT:
Camber : 0.20° Left -0.30° Right: -0.50°
Caster : -0.04° Left: 5.09° Right: 5.30°
Toe: Left: 0.07° Right: 0.07°

REAR:
Camber: 0.02° Left: -2.14° Right: -2.16°
Toe : -0.02° Left: 0.10° Right: 0.12°

Total Toe: 0.21°
Thrust Angle: -0.01°

I'm certainly no expert, but what strikes me is the difference in camber and caster at the front wheels.
Mechanic was giving me some excuses that "its too sensitive and impossible to get right" when I got it back.
Could this explain the steering wheel not returning to the centre ?
 
There is a steering wheel position sensor which I had adjusted when I had my alignment done as the steering wheel was a couple of degrees out and it was annoying me. I've found mine occasionally settles slightly out from centre, but its marginal and can change over a journey.

Might be worth getting someone with diagnostics to check the sensor. I don't know if it's a part of the steering column or just attached to it. Maybe it's loose...
 
Mine has been set up correctly on Hunter, drives like a dream and previously wandered all over the place.

Take a look at this thread where I posted all my settings and you'll see some differences

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40339&p=567695&hilit=hunter+alignment#p567695

To be set up a Z4 needs weights in both front seats, the boot and 3/4 tank of fuel. Without it just doesn't work.
 
Stuart Truman said:
There is a steering wheel position sensor which I had adjusted when I had my alignment done as the steering wheel was a couple of degrees out and it was annoying me. I've found mine occasionally settles slightly out from centre, but its marginal and can change over a journey.

Might be worth getting someone with diagnostics to check the sensor. I don't know if it's a part of the steering column or just attached to it. Maybe it's loose...
Click to expand...

Thanks a bunch, did a fast google search on this, it appears lots of people with older models have had problems with this.
 
cj10jeeper said:
Mine has been set up correctly on Hunter, drives like a dream and previously wandered all over the place.

Take a look at this thread where I posted all my settings and you'll see some differences

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40339&p=567695&hilit=hunter+alignment#p567695

To be set up a Z4 needs weights in both front seats, the boot and 3/4 tank of fuel. Without it just doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much.
I do not see caster in your printouts, I know its not adjustable without an aftermarket plate, but I would like to compare values, or at least to what BMW thinks of as a max caster value.
You also seem to have similar toe at the front and rear, but much more camber.
Are those the "Default" values from BMW, or what you came to like after trial and error ?
 
Not sure why caster is not on there. It was checked on the machine but not adustable so guess they don't print it.

Values as you can see on the print out are the acceptable range as programmed into Hunter from BMW data.

We settled on these settings after setting it up, road test returning and tweaking it. It's fairly neutral, but feels nice.

Again unless your car was weighted any settings you have are pointless. This is clearly shown in the BMW TIS manual and has been done correctly at 2 Hunter equirped stations I've used.
 
cj10jeeper thank you very much for the advice !
However, would this explain my issue with the steering wheel, or could it be something related to the steering rack or something else ?
 
Impossible to make a diagnosis solely on the basis of posts.
For instance I'm not sure if the steering wheel physically will not centre (column, rack, bushes, etc.) or the alignment causes it to pull one way then the other and you're making adjustments. Mine used to wander from left to right and the feeling was one of making constant changes of direction.

Personally I'd replace the front wishbones, lolipops (rear bushes on front arms) drop links and ARB bushes. I'd check each wheel bearing for play. Then I'd have a full alignment done once the new parts have settled in. Ensure tyre pressures are correct then and only then go seeking rack and column issues if nothing has changed.
 
cj10jeeper said:
Mine used to wander from left to right and the feeling was one of making constant changes of direction.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I am talking about !
For a small range near the centre, the steering wheel just feels as if there is no feedback and isn't willing to return to dead centre but is wandering left and right.

Thank you for the advice :)
 
vortex said:
cj10jeeper said:
Mine used to wander from left to right and the feeling was one of making constant changes of direction.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I am talking about !
For a small range near the centre, the steering wheel just feels as if there is no feedback and isn't willing to return to dead centre but is wandering left and right.

Thank you for the advice :)
Click to expand...

Sounds almost certainly to be an alignment issue, but before spending more money on that, I would refresh or at the very least have the parts I mentioned very carefully inspected.
 
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