Steering issue

[Febey]

I have a 2014 VF SV6 wagon with 75000 easy Klms, the car has had the steering recall performed and 3 recent wheel alignments to check a problem I have with the steering, the steering when in the neutral position (striaght line), has a vague feel, can wander and tram tracks, I purchased the car second hand at about 50,000 Klms, I am thinking it could be the front steering components worn, as I have just replaced the sway bar end linkages which were worn, but told this is a common fault with this model, I also understand the electric steering pump will adjust the wheels if it senses a deviation form the straight line path, which may be an input sensor, had the suspension checked but no luck

Has anybody else had any similar problems or can suggest any checks I can perform, I am new to the forum and hopefully presented the information correctly

Thanking you in advance

 

[Skylarking]

Purchased from a dealer? Did you own the car when the steering recall was done? After the recall was done, did you notify the dealer of the issue and have them attempt to fix the vague? Are you running standard factory wheels and tyres?

If all the above are "yes" then take the vehicle back to the dealer and explain your problem (again). Get them to checked for pending or hard Diagnostic Trouble Codes (fault codes) then discuss what they need to do to resolve the issue.

And depending on when the steering rack was replaced, you may have had the whole assembly replaced or only part of the assembly repalced. Regardless of which one was done, i believe in either instance the Power Steering Control Module Programing and Setup process needs to be performed. This goes through a steering shaft torque sensor calibaration process if i'm not mistake. Who knows, maybe this process wasn't done well or they pinched some wiring when reassembling everything... In either case, things should work better after a recall than before the fix was done.

Also, if you've got non standard big rims and you've lowered the car, may be you are contibuiting to the problem... may be you are not... but the dealer will use it as an out clause and simply blame it on the mods.

Oh, and if the dealer was unable to repair the steering issue in a timely manner you are entitled to go elsewhere... So if you went elsewhere because the dealer couldn't fix things, and wheel alignments were done in an attempt to resolve the issue, you have a valid claim for repair costs and consequential loss under your ACL statutory rights. That would be especially the case in my mind if the dealer simply didn't do the torque sensor calibration task correctly during the recall repair....

So you''ve got a few avenues you could follow up

Oh, i'm curious whether the wheel alignment places suggested an alignment would fix the vague steering and whether the alignment was actually in specs?

 

[BlackVXGTS]

How old are the tyres and what brand? Have you replaced them since owning the car? They may have swapped the tyres from one side to the other during the recall which could be contributing to the problem.

 

[Big Red VF-SII Go-kart]

I also understand the electric steering pump will adjust the wheels if it senses a deviation form the straight line path,

What??
What is that about?
A sort of "lane-keeper assist" before lane-keeper assist was even dreamed up??
From what I was told last week, with new tyres pending, I will need a thrust alignment, as do the majority of cars.
but this bit ... far out. What sensor, where and how?

 

[Sir Les]

From what I was told last week, with new tyres pending, I will need a thrust alignment...

So does that mean your misaligned thrusting has been causing rubber damage? And a mechanic can fix this?

 

[Skylarking]

VF only provides lane departure warning, not lane keeping assistance

 

[Forg]

VF only provides lane departure warning, not lane keeping assistance

If this is in response to Sir Les' post ... well ... I can't even ...

 

[Z31na]

I have a 2014 VF SV6 wagon with 75000 easy Klms, the car has had the steering recall performed and 3 recent wheel alignments to check a problem I have with the steering, the steering when in the neutral position (striaght line), has a vague feel, can wander and tram tracks ... Has anybody else had any similar problems...

Mine has always felt vague in the centre and the slightest camber in the road means steering isn't dead on. No mechanic has ever picked up on anything being wrong underneath. 3 years of ownership later, I’ve learn’t to live with it.

Getting the rack changed earlier this year did quite noticeably throw the alignment out. Could of chased the dealer but the tyres were never going to make it past tax return time anyway.

New tyres are on order and wheel alignment booked. If it feels any better after I’ll come back and let you know.

 

[vc commodore]

Tram tracking can be attributed to wide tyres and/or lack of correct tyre pressure

Wandering can be caused through incorrect tyre pressure

Vague feel....Again possible tyre pressure issue.

That's the most common thing over looked when trying to get to the bottom of a problem...So what pressure are you running?

 

[vc commodore]

What??
What is that about?
A sort of "lane-keeper assist" before lane-keeper assist was even dreamed up??
From what I was told last week, with new tyres pending, I will need a thrust alignment, as do the majority of cars.
but this bit ... far out. What sensor, where and how?

New computerised alignment machines automatically perform the thrust side of the alignment...So it's not a case of most new cars need it....New computer alignment machines automatically register it