sticky steering problem
- Thread starter rwilki
- Start date
Well I had my first experience of sticky steering today.
Just oiled the U joint - massive improvement. I'll hold off replacing the steering column for now
If it gets worse, jaxZ4 has a thread with a positive outcome for c.£300 (part column replacement).
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Just oiled the U joint - massive improvement. I'll hold off replacing the steering column for now
If it gets worse, jaxZ4 has a thread with a positive outcome for c.£300 (part column replacement).
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Was it a hot day Adam? It's unusual to manifest itself when it's cold out.
Not hot day, but had heaters on high today. No idea why it just started today. Felt like the steering wheel would hold in position when coming off a corner unless I physically guided the wheel back to straight. Also felt sticky occasionally when beginning to steer.
Oiling the U joint has helped. But then a 6 mile test run afterwards isn't exactly conclusive proof that lubing the joint works.
Won't be out in the car for a while now, but will report if anything changes on the next run
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Oiling the U joint has helped. But then a 6 mile test run afterwards isn't exactly conclusive proof that lubing the joint works.
Won't be out in the car for a while now, but will report if anything changes on the next run
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just picked up a late 04 and I noticed the sticky after a drive home a little worrying when it happens at a ton, Bought the car without a warranty as it is a real minter with low miles. So im hoping the grease works as dont want to pay out for a whole new column.
Reading the post the and having my engineering head on I agree with the UJ explanation, it would make sense that heat expands the joints and increases the friction. If that is the case then a high temperature grease may help but may never fix it 100%.
Design fault i would say, but keeping fingers crossed the grease helps.
Thanks All
PS.
Isle of Man has no speed limit areas so I wasn't breaking the law by doing a 100 + :driving:
Reading the post the and having my engineering head on I agree with the UJ explanation, it would make sense that heat expands the joints and increases the friction. If that is the case then a high temperature grease may help but may never fix it 100%.
Design fault i would say, but keeping fingers crossed the grease helps.
Thanks All
PS.
Isle of Man has no speed limit areas so I wasn't breaking the law by doing a 100 + :driving:
Hi guys, new to the forum and a relatively new Z4 owner.
I seem to also have the sticky, sometimes noisy (when hot) steering problem. I am determined to find a fix for this. I used to work for a large re-manufacturer of auto parts and still work with a lot of small electronic/mechanical/hydraulic equipment as a maintenance engineer in oil & gas.
What I am trying to find is someone with a scrap steering column that I can disassemble methodically to try & establish a failure point. Generally sticky steering is associated with dry gears/bearings and UJ's. Greasing UJ's externally may help but certainly will not solve this issue. Inside this column there will be bearings top & bottom and the most likely culprit, a worm gear that connects the electric motor to a large gear on the column itself. Either the driven gear is worn (as its usually plastic) or components are just a bit dry. A special grease along the lines of white lithium will be needed.
Anyway, when tearing appart and experimenting, we learn the correct way of dismantling only once its too late and your part is broken or way out of line/calibration peramaters. This is why I need a spare as I currently need my car 'sticks and all'. Breakers just seem to see BMW and hoof the price up so not worth it when I'm simply going to tear the thing appart.
If anyone has or can locate a faulty column I'd be greatful for your help in this quest, I'd of course arrange postage or collection.
Cheers guys.
I seem to also have the sticky, sometimes noisy (when hot) steering problem. I am determined to find a fix for this. I used to work for a large re-manufacturer of auto parts and still work with a lot of small electronic/mechanical/hydraulic equipment as a maintenance engineer in oil & gas.
What I am trying to find is someone with a scrap steering column that I can disassemble methodically to try & establish a failure point. Generally sticky steering is associated with dry gears/bearings and UJ's. Greasing UJ's externally may help but certainly will not solve this issue. Inside this column there will be bearings top & bottom and the most likely culprit, a worm gear that connects the electric motor to a large gear on the column itself. Either the driven gear is worn (as its usually plastic) or components are just a bit dry. A special grease along the lines of white lithium will be needed.
Anyway, when tearing appart and experimenting, we learn the correct way of dismantling only once its too late and your part is broken or way out of line/calibration peramaters. This is why I need a spare as I currently need my car 'sticks and all'. Breakers just seem to see BMW and hoof the price up so not worth it when I'm simply going to tear the thing appart.
If anyone has or can locate a faulty column I'd be greatful for your help in this quest, I'd of course arrange postage or collection.
Cheers guys.
Bradders75
Senior member
Has anyone read this possible solution?
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1896932-DIY-Sticky-Clunky-Steering-Fix
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1896932-DIY-Sticky-Clunky-Steering-Fix
Will6090 said:
As the name suggests i am a machines also suffering similar problems. I have worked in R&D for over 10 years and know a few things. I would be more than happy to work with you on this.
Bradders75
Senior member
Has nobody bothered to read the link I posted? There seemed to be good logic bhind the 'fix' to me...
Sorry hold my hands up i was busy. Just have though i might give that a go in a few weeks. I will report back 
I have new bushes going on as i am not 100% convinced i have the sticky steering problem. Mine seems to have similar characteristics but dose it all the time. I had a similar feeling - sensation on a previous car a clapped out fiat tipo. That car had no electric steering and the problem was a worn/ rusted front sub frame. I have really badly worn ARB bushes had the wheels of and the hole in the bush is oval not round!! Also the lollipops - control arm bushes are a week point on these cars so i guess they have seen there serviceable life. Now if you have play movement in these bushes surly that will be giving a sensation of sticky uncontrolled steering.
Thats what i think any way. I will be greasing the usual steering joints as well as the one closest the the bulk head. The one you can clearly see looks very dry.
I have new bushes going on as i am not 100% convinced i have the sticky steering problem. Mine seems to have similar characteristics but dose it all the time. I had a similar feeling - sensation on a previous car a clapped out fiat tipo. That car had no electric steering and the problem was a worn/ rusted front sub frame. I have really badly worn ARB bushes had the wheels of and the hole in the bush is oval not round!! Also the lollipops - control arm bushes are a week point on these cars so i guess they have seen there serviceable life. Now if you have play movement in these bushes surly that will be giving a sensation of sticky uncontrolled steering.
Thats what i think any way. I will be greasing the usual steering joints as well as the one closest the the bulk head. The one you can clearly see looks very dry.
Bradders75 said:
Sorry Bradders - yes I read it and it did indeed make lots of sense and seemed to address the points made in the official document (which I can't seem to locate right now). It's still pretty poor that BMW do not generally deal with this via a recall or adapting a similar solution. Are you getting this in non hot conditions ? Not had much heat up here of late !!
A newbie has PM'd me for more details on lubing the UJ's which I've replied to, but thought I'd post the reply in case anybody needs it with the warmer weather coming ....... soon 
Some people say it can't make any difference as the UJ's are sealed, but it did on mine and several others and I haven't had any tight steering issues for over 6 years suggesting tight UJ's are not the same as classic 'stick steering' caused by binding in the column on some pre-facelift zed's.
First up I'd avoid using WD40 it will loosen/penetrate but actually dries and removes other lubricants.
I use a PTFE or silicon type lube spray that is safe on plastic/rubber get some upwards in around the white plastic collar and cured the dry squeak/groning sound that started in some weather conditions.
Tool station do some good sprays http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p63929mkwid=sz907npha_dc&pcrid=142461465581&pkw=&pmt=&product=63929&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwoLHBRDD0beVheu3lt0BEiQA
The same stuff will be safe on the two universal joints (UJ) but won't stay in place long as they are exposed and get hot, so better to use a thicker gear oil, thin grease or even engine oil if you are stuck (I don't think it really matter too much). I used a thin brush gaffer taped to a 18" long length of tube to make a long-handled brush, this allows you to 'paint' the lube in to the two UJ's, turning the wheel to get at all sides of the UJ. A bit of card or whatever underneath prevents the inevitable drips
The first UJ is clearly visible down the drivers side of the engine, follow the shaft forward under the front of the engine and you will find the other UJ before the steering rack, but it's tricky to get to without the long brush or jacking up.
Some people say it can't make any difference as the UJ's are sealed, but it did on mine and several others and I haven't had any tight steering issues for over 6 years suggesting tight UJ's are not the same as classic 'stick steering' caused by binding in the column on some pre-facelift zed's.
First up I'd avoid using WD40 it will loosen/penetrate but actually dries and removes other lubricants.
I use a PTFE or silicon type lube spray that is safe on plastic/rubber get some upwards in around the white plastic collar and cured the dry squeak/groning sound that started in some weather conditions.
Tool station do some good sprays http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p63929mkwid=sz907npha_dc&pcrid=142461465581&pkw=&pmt=&product=63929&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwoLHBRDD0beVheu3lt0BEiQA
The same stuff will be safe on the two universal joints (UJ) but won't stay in place long as they are exposed and get hot, so better to use a thicker gear oil, thin grease or even engine oil if you are stuck (I don't think it really matter too much). I used a thin brush gaffer taped to a 18" long length of tube to make a long-handled brush, this allows you to 'paint' the lube in to the two UJ's, turning the wheel to get at all sides of the UJ. A bit of card or whatever underneath prevents the inevitable drips
The first UJ is clearly visible down the drivers side of the engine, follow the shaft forward under the front of the engine and you will find the other UJ before the steering rack, but it's tricky to get to without the long brush or jacking up.
Hi. Simple fix for my sticky steering on a 2005 Z4 with 205,000 klms, (following the suggestion to drill into the steering column where the two shafts connect) was to drill a hole the diameter of the spray tube from a can of silicone lubricant. Sprayed it, moved the steering wheel back and forth, sprayed again and voila, steering back to normal for the whole summer of 2017. Silicone is great because it doesn't collect dust.
That was easy.
Richard from Canada.
That was easy.
Richard from Canada.
The drill-and-grease thing probably works for mild cases. Didn't for me, and frankly, I think it's sloppy engineering, like fixing an oil leak with a drip pan. There's a guy on bimmerforums talking about re-routing an AC duct to cool the steering unit as a fix, which is really half-assed as well as being more work than actually fixing the problem.
If, as seems most likely, the root of most of the sticking problems is binding, fixing the bind is the cure, which means the very easy adjustment of the tension ring. Inspired by the example of others here, I gave it a shot and voila! It worked. Mine took a while because I kept trying to get to the rear side bolt without removing the knee airbag, but once the airbag was out of the way it took only a few minutes. So, short answer, read it, tried it, found a better way.
If, as seems most likely, the root of most of the sticking problems is binding, fixing the bind is the cure, which means the very easy adjustment of the tension ring. Inspired by the example of others here, I gave it a shot and voila! It worked. Mine took a while because I kept trying to get to the rear side bolt without removing the knee airbag, but once the airbag was out of the way it took only a few minutes. So, short answer, read it, tried it, found a better way.
DPG said:
Should not affect facelift cars Dan I had this problem a year into ownership of my Z back in 2009 due to faulty ECU luckily I got it sorted under goodwill as it was a couple of months out of warranty they replaced my 2004 steering rack with a brand new updated version touch wood no probs since
