Steering and Poor Stability

[bobbyray1969]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

 

[anand]

What tyre pressures are you running?

 

[bobbyray1969]

What tyre pressures are you running?

Just the recomended pressures in the handbook. Not sure now as going to the dealer. Ill check the loan car

 

[Lord Ripon USA]

Yep, cold weather, tire air pressure sqirminess, would be my first guess.
Has anyone confirmed a box part number change between 23 and 24?
If there was a ratio change, the steering box should get a different part number.

 

[anand]

Just the recomended pressures in the handbook. Not sure now as going to the dealer. Ill check the loan car

I would confirm that you are at the "lower" unloaded pressures (assuming you aren't loaded with passengers and cargo all the time); the decrease in pressure will make a notable difference in highway handling

 

[Skydance]

I took my car in to have few niggles looked at. I had a field master with 18 alloys as a loaner. I found the steering slightly lighter and accurate than my 17 inch steelies. Both with BFG’s and standard tyre pressures. I asked the technician why it felt lighter and his response was the 18 inch alloys are slightly narrower than the 17 inch.

 

[Cheshire cat]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

Hi Bobbyray
Steering is one thing not to compromise on. Your experience is not the same as mine, even at 80 mph +
As mentioned previously. Check tyre pressures. Mine are currently around 36 psi. Not saying that's perfect but I don't have the issues that you have experienced.
There is definitely something going on with the steering as many forum members seem to have very different experiences. It is different to most modern cars but it should not be making you feel nervous.
Time to challenge your dealer and get an explanation as to why it is not exactly as the demo they have loaned you.

 

[anand]

I asked the technician why it felt lighter and his response was the 18 inch alloys are slightly narrower than the 17 inch.

The 18" tyre choice is 10mm narrower, wheel width is unchanged I believe

 

[Jeffrey]

If your car is currently at the dealer, just have them deal with the issue, and THEN tell us about it.

 

[Xrford]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

If the tire pressure adjustments do not solve your problem, one well proven trouble shooting/diagnostic approach is to swap a suspected defective part with a known good part. In this case the problem may be due to tires,rims,wheel balance or steering/suspension components. Since the loaner is not exhibiting the issue, ask them to temporarily swap the wheel/tires off of the loaner to see if the issue is resolved or improved. This would at least rule in or out a large number of components and then they can narrow their investigation to the other component like suspension or steering or alignment.

 

[moosetown]

Have a shop check your castor and toe alignment angles. A good 4x4 shop can probably make adjustments to improve the steering. castor should be 4 degrees but I've heard some reported to have 2 or 0 even 0 degrees. 6 degrees makes a 4x4 drive more solid, but then you start compromising the drive shaft angle.

I'm not saying INEOS designed it badly, but they seem inconsistent from manufacturing. when I crawled underneath I recall the front lower control arms having castor bolts, so adjustment should be easy with existing parts.

 

[Skydance]

I definitely would check tyre pressure first. The loaners on both occasions had 3 bar on the front and 3.4 on the rear therefore the steering felt lighter.

 

[don't ignore warning ligh]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

Sounds dodgy . You could reject the car while you are still within the six month period . After that you will be stuck with the problem

 

[Clark Kent]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

How many miles/km has your vehicle travelled? Do you have the BFG KO2 or the Bridgestone tyres?

Pressures aside, a few people have noted their highway tracking improved with the KO2 tyres after they had done some work to break them in. After 4 months you're probably outside the new tyre zone but something to consider. In addition to the good advice you're getting, a simple wheel rotation (position change) may highlight a tyre issue.

 

[AnD3rew]

I run my tyre pressure 38-40psi 17” alloys with BFGs mine feels ver stable, I can comfortably drive at 110kph with one hand on the wheel elbow on door sill.

 

[Steve.B]

New vehicles out of the factory notoriously have poor wheel alignment, as Moosetown said in technical terms, but for everyone not as technically minded as Moosetown in layman terms get a wheel alignment.

 

[Mitchell300]

I got my vehicle in June 2023, the steering was always okay. However after being at the dealer to have the steering wheel centred the steering has definitely been improved. I don’t know what was done but there must have been some adjustments made. The steering wheel is still off centre though. but as @Arkaig said I know when it’s going straight so not that bothered.

 

[AWo]

Check the toe in/out settings. That is all you can do. This is one of the major factors and the only one you can change regards the steering stability. Maybe it is not set right. There are more factors, but they are fixed. Another thing you could check is the steering damper. Maybe it is not fit anymore.

AWo

 

[Simon C]

For sure check your tyre pressures, I'm running 36psi front and 38psi rear (cold) on 17" Steels with BFG's - I have no issue with 1 hand light touch steering at Motorway speeds.

Running the front at a lower pressure really made the difference after some experimenting

 

[Radio Engineers]

I'm in the UK. My vehicle is four months old. I was expecting to have to get used to the steering system from all the reviews. The stability at anything over 60mph feels unstable, but I thought it was just a characteristic and got used to driving slower, especially on motorways. I've got a loan car as mine is in for the software update and a few other things. The loaner stability is much better than mine, and it felt okay even at 80 miles per hour. My steering feels to have a bit more play when turning, and the loan car feels much more directional and safe. I'm waiting for the dealer to return, but I am worried that they will say nothing is wrong, and I have to live with it. Any thought on possible problems?

Does your vehicle and the loaner have the same tyres? I have the Bridgestones and found after maybe a couple of hundred miles the ' newness ' was scrubbed off and they were more stable. I also find that the faster you go the more stable everything is. After some 3,000 miles, muscle memory/familiarity is well entrenched and non of the original uncertainty exists.