Since 2500 miles the steering on my 6 has become vague at the centre dead-ahead position. What's happening is this:
When trying to hold a straight line, the car will tend to gently veer off to one side or the other, more so than normal and regardless of speed, road surface, camber etc. So naturally I steer back to compensate. But the first 5 degree movement on the steering wheel doesn't register. So I turn a little more. Still the response is less than expected, so I turn the wheel yet more. Then the car responds but more than required such that it gently veers off the other way and I'm forced to steer back to compensate. And so it goes on. If you've ever tried to steer a large boat, you'll get the picture. The effect is noticeable from upwards of 25mph, and can perhaps be best described as being like driving in a constantly changing sidewind. At speeds in excess of 80mph there is a definite sense of the front end skittering around as if the wheels can't agree on a common direction, again a bit like motoring in very heavy sidewinds.
The upshot of this is that I now find that I have to constantly modulate the steering around the dead ahead position to a considerable degree in order to keep the car centred on the road. Hence what was originally a relaxed yet exciting drive is now a rather unnerving and stressful exercise.
My tyres are Bridgestone 215/45 R17 tyres as supplied with the car. After 3500 miles in total there is as yet no visible sign of uneven tyre wear which I might have expected if the cause of the problem was down to tracking/misalignment of the front wheels. My dealer is also at a loss.
I still have the long reported clunk from the offside tie-rod where it links to the steering rack, so it's feasible that any play there might result in the wheels not tracking together with precision. Yet my dealer says the clunk/end play at this joint is normal.
Does anybody have any suggestions that might help point us in the right direction?
Thanks in advance,
Harley
When trying to hold a straight line, the car will tend to gently veer off to one side or the other, more so than normal and regardless of speed, road surface, camber etc. So naturally I steer back to compensate. But the first 5 degree movement on the steering wheel doesn't register. So I turn a little more. Still the response is less than expected, so I turn the wheel yet more. Then the car responds but more than required such that it gently veers off the other way and I'm forced to steer back to compensate. And so it goes on. If you've ever tried to steer a large boat, you'll get the picture. The effect is noticeable from upwards of 25mph, and can perhaps be best described as being like driving in a constantly changing sidewind. At speeds in excess of 80mph there is a definite sense of the front end skittering around as if the wheels can't agree on a common direction, again a bit like motoring in very heavy sidewinds.
The upshot of this is that I now find that I have to constantly modulate the steering around the dead ahead position to a considerable degree in order to keep the car centred on the road. Hence what was originally a relaxed yet exciting drive is now a rather unnerving and stressful exercise.
My tyres are Bridgestone 215/45 R17 tyres as supplied with the car. After 3500 miles in total there is as yet no visible sign of uneven tyre wear which I might have expected if the cause of the problem was down to tracking/misalignment of the front wheels. My dealer is also at a loss.
I still have the long reported clunk from the offside tie-rod where it links to the steering rack, so it's feasible that any play there might result in the wheels not tracking together with precision. Yet my dealer says the clunk/end play at this joint is normal.
Does anybody have any suggestions that might help point us in the right direction?
Thanks in advance,
Harley
