Strange Steering "feel"

[psw007]

Hi,
I have an E85 3.0 manual Zed which I love to bits, however I'm intrigued if anyone else has this same steering feel/feedback?
I would say 50% of the time upon driving, it feels like I have a little gremlin tugging away at the steering wheel, almost feels like there is something within the steering trying to move the steering wheel for me!
I notice it more at faster speeds (motorway) for example..

Is this normal? The car drives well, turns into corners well but the steering is odd? Help


Cheers

 

[MartynFrancis]

I get it too at times at higher speeds.

 

[Swiftly]

Have you got run flats fitted

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Sounds like tramlining to me.

 

[psw007]

Have you got run flats fitted

Nope, non run flats, newish tyres & pressures all good, even get the strange feel on very smooth motorways :?

 

[Swiftly]

I am experiencing similar issues, and I have ditched the run flats. I have recently had the suspension checked for any wear whilst in at the dealers and it got a clean bill of health.

Got the zed booked in tomorrow for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment which I am hoping will sort the issue once and for all

 

[psw007]

I am experiencing similar issues, and I have ditched the run flats. I have recently had the suspension checked for any wear whilst in at the dealers and it got a clean bill of health.

Got the zed booked in tomorrow for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment which I am hoping will sort the issue once and for all

It's a weird sensation isn't it! Like something behind the steering wheel is tugging at it and you feel like you need to hold the steering wheel tighter as a result!

Can you let me know if the Hunter alignment resolves it for you? How much is it to get that done out of interest?

 

[mikeo]

mines the same, had it about 3 weeks. thinking of taking into BMW to see if it's normal or an issue. unless anyone on here has any experience of Z4's & knows different

 

[Adamski]

Tramlining http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramlininghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramlining

 

[Bing]

Mine has been doing similar since I went back to 18" summer wheels/tyres. I think it's partly my alignment as I took spacers off which have been fitted since it was last aligned... However when I swapped the wheels I noticed that the bushes on the inbound ends of the control arms look tired and possibly split at the bottoms. Which might explain the wandering and the teeniest bit of judder I've noticed under firm braking at motorway speeds. Going to book it in to get checked out early next week.

 

[Swiftly]

I am experiencing similar issues, and I have ditched the run flats. I have recently had the suspension checked for any wear whilst in at the dealers and it got a clean bill of health.

Got the zed booked in tomorrow for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment which I am hoping will sort the issue once and for all

It's a weird sensation isn't it! Like something behind the steering wheel is tugging at it and you feel like you need to hold the steering wheel tighter as a result!

Can you let me know if the Hunter alignment resolves it for you? How much is it to get that done out of interest?

I have been quoted £54 which is a good price. Will let you know if it resolves it

 

[psw007]

I am experiencing similar issues, and I have ditched the run flats. I have recently had the suspension checked for any wear whilst in at the dealers and it got a clean bill of health.

Got the zed booked in tomorrow for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment which I am hoping will sort the issue once and for all

It's a weird sensation isn't it! Like something behind the steering wheel is tugging at it and you feel like you need to hold the steering wheel tighter as a result!

Can you let me know if the Hunter alignment resolves it for you? How much is it to get that done out of interest?

I have been quoted £54 which is a good price. Will let you know if it resolves it

Good Luck, ok cheers

 

[Swiftly]

mines the same, had it about 3 weeks. thinking of taking into BMW to see if it's normal or an issue. unless anyone on here has any experience of Z4's & knows different

Used to get experience this with run flats fitted, but ditched them last year and that transformed the car and handling. It is only recently I have started to experience this :x

 

[psw007]

Mine has been doing similar since I went back to 18" summer wheels/tyres. I think it's partly my alignment as I took spacers off which have been fitted since it was last aligned... However when I swapped the wheels I noticed that the bushes on the inbound ends of the control arms look tired and possibly split at the bottoms. Which might explain the wandering and the teeniest bit of judder I've noticed under firm braking at motorway speeds. Going to book it in to get checked out early next week.

I guess it could be bushes, think I will get mine checked too if anything to eliminate what it may/may not be. Mine has been lowered so is quite squatted down not sure if that would make a difference?

 

[paulgs1000]

How long have you had your Zed and what other car did you have before it?

Reason I ask is that the steering on the Zed felt very strange to me when I first got my Zed and I too felt the effects you describe (I came from a MX5). My Zed tram-lined terribly (especially on motorways) until I replaced the tyres with non run flats and it still did so but nothing like as bad. But I did get used to this feeling in the steering and now think nothing of it just accepting it as a characteristic of the Zed and it's 'involved' drive. Best to keep two hands on the wheel though when pressing on. . .

Hope it's nothing more serious.

:driving:

 

[Bing]

If it has been lowered and not then had an alignment done then that could be your issue. Mine was lowered, with spacers fitted, then aligned. Spacers off, replacement wheel offsets almost the same as when spaced except the front by 5mm... That could be the reason for my 'wandering' as it only started when I changed the wheels. Juddering has been a week or two now though, so I suspect suspension... Therefore £££s required.

 

[psw007]

How long have you had your Zed and what other car did you have before it?

Reason I ask is that the steering on the Zed felt very strange to me when I first got my Zed and I too felt the effects you describe (I came from a MX5). My Zed tram-lined terribly (especially on motorways) until I replaced the tyres with non run flats and it still did so but nothing like as bad. But I did get used to this feeling in the steering and now think nothing of it just accepting it as a characteristic of the Zed and it's 'involved' drive. Best to keep two hands on the wheel though when pressing on. . .

Hope it's nothing more serious.

:driving:

Well, my other car is an audi a4 and the steering feels solid on that but then its not a sports car I guess. Am I right in saying its Electric steering on the Zed? could that be just a characteristic of the Zed's electric steering then? Tyre wise I have x2 Michelin on the front & x2 new Falken's on the back (all NON run flats)

 

[Bing]

The Z has electric steering - but when I ditched runflats the wandering stopped instantly. It'll still catch a rut once in a while, usually on a corner just to check I'm awake, but it doesn't (didn't) wander any more than any other car I've driven. My money is on an alignment. From what I have seen on here very few of these cars are treated to corrected geometry settings in their lives before they reach the forum, so to speak. After 7-11 years of our roads they're bound to be out of kilter at least a little.

 

[Machine monkey]

I get the exact same symptoms OP the only other thing i get is going around a bend/roundabout when i straighten up or exit it feels like it needs extra effort to change direction. Only the initial input its horrible. It has send me down a costly road it was one i wanted to travel any way so not all bad. But i have been replacing bushes ARBs all sorts its still there. I have a few more components to change. But my suspicion and has been for a while is that its the geometry.

 

[Bing]

Machine monkey, funny that, my steering feels like it requires a bit of extra effort too. Don't like the sound of 'expensive'