1000 mile trip to NL and back. Notchy steering on vRS

[GordonH]

Spent Christmas week in Holland and took the vRS.  Covered about a 1000 miles in dry/rain/snow/ice with temp ranging from +13c to -7c.

 

Good bits

 

Fast/relaxed/refined cruising

Mega lights.

Mega brakes.

Coped well with 4 adults and about 200kg of luggage plus full tank etc.  Blunts the top gear roll on.....but not by much.

Boot capacity!  Took luggage/coats (inc skiing jackets/salopes) for 4 adults + a load of food (stocked up in Bolougne with French goodies) + a load of christmas presents + assorted self catering stuff (slow cooker/xmas tree and lights....).

43mpg (75-90mph cruise on mways)

Heating and airco coped very well with conditions - always comfortable and no steamed up windows.

USB worked well for sounds!

 

Bad bits

 

Steering seemed very notchy at straight ahead position - physically noticeable - more so on Dutch mways (smoother than UK by a long way) - less noticable on UK mways (masked by bad surface?).  VERY annoying!  Same problem in all drive modes. Lane assist off.  DO THEY ALL DO THIS?

 

Noise generator drones on in sport mode.  Use sport mode often at busy points on mway (ie Antwerp ring) for more "instant" go.  Why is this not switchable? 

 

[Smeghead]

 

Bad bits

 

Steering seemed very notchy at straight ahead position - physically noticeable - more so on Dutch mways (smoother than UK by a long way) - less noticable on UK mways (masked by bad surface?).  VERY annoying!  Same problem in all drive modes. Lane assist off.  DO THEY ALL DO THIS?

 

Noise generator drones on in sport mode.  Use sport mode often at busy points on mway (ie Antwerp ring) for more "instant" go.  Why is this not switchable? 

 

Hmmm, that doesn't sound right.  I've only done 2 long trips in mine (both when only just run in - 1600 miles in all and mostly through France) and no such steering issues whatsoever.  What tyres does it have fitted?  I assume they are pumped up properly??

 

Sound generator can be switched off via VCDS or unplugged under the wiper panel (best via VCDS).

Edited 6 January, 2015 by Smeghead

[GordonH]

Fitted with Bridgestones....done just over 5k no signs of uneven wear and are at the right pressure.

Feeling is similar to driving a speedboat (I'm exaggerating but it's the closest thing I can relate to).....ie you need to constantly correct and this feels "notchy" when doing so. Almost as if the electronics can't quite decide where straight ahead is. Apart from the straight ahead issue steering is fine (in all modes) in all other respects. I think I'll pay a visit to dealer to get checked out

Thanks for tip on noise gen...will see if dealer will oblige at first service.

[Zdenek Fibich]

I think the modes on the vRS are a bit of a gimmick: I wouldn't have bothered with them if they hadn't been standard.  The Sport mode just makes a lot of noise with no perceptible increase in performance: I call it the Alfa Romeo mode.

 

Sorry to hear of your problems with notchy steering: mine came with Continentals and haven't had that problem.  Mind you, I wouldn't ever buy a Continental since they were unable to supply a replacement winter tyre in my car's size after a puncture last month.

[Yogi-Bear]

I think the modes on the vRS are a bit of a gimmick: I wouldn't have bothered with them if they hadn't been standard.  The Sport mode just makes a lot of noise with no perceptible increase in performance: I call it the Alfa Romeo mode.

 

Really?  You can't tell the difference in the weight of the steering, or the throttle response, between Eco and Sport?  Yes - the performance isn't actually altered, if you bury your right foot in the carpet in any mode it'll give 100%, but the whole feel of the car is totally different between the modes.  And the individual setting is a godsend - being able to set the steering to Sport but leave the engine in Eco for motorway runs is brilliant.

 

It might be nice if the modes remapped the engine rather than the throttle - it might actually mean Eco mode really could be very economical, but that would require some clever tech and a lot more money to buy, probably.

[Gabbo]

Steering seemed very notchy at straight ahead position - physically noticeable - more so on Dutch mways (smoother than UK by a long way) - less noticable on UK mways (masked by bad surface?).  VERY annoying!  Same problem in all drive modes. Lane assist off.  DO THEY ALL DO THIS?

 

I also have the "notchy" feeling when driving in a straight line & making small adjustments to maintain lane position.

Its like there is a small dead-zone of movement before the power-assist activates. (I don't have the lane-assist function & always drive in normal mode).

I have only recently noticed this (since switching to winter wheels & tyres) so was thinking they might be the cause.

 

The car goes for its first service next week so I will mention this to the dealer & see what they think.

[Smeghead]

: I call it the Alfa Romeo mode.

 

PMSL.  My Alfa has 4 driving modes (Trabant, Skoda, Alfa Romeo and Effing mental). SWMBO named the first 2

 

Its like there is a small dead-zone of movement before the power-assist activates.

 

Yes I've noticed this on previous cars.  Most notably the old hydraulic steering systems - like you say it was like a switch that turned on assistance a few degrees from centre.  I can't say I've noticed it in the Octy but maybe 30 years of driving have numbed my senses and I'm used to it ????

 

Really?  You can't tell the difference in the weight of the steering, or the throttle response, between Eco and Sport?  Yes - the performance isn't actually altered, if you bury your right foot in the carpet in any mode it'll give 100%, but the whole feel of the car is totally different between the modes.  

 

The modes are far more evident with DSG, but as Wiggos says, the steering weight is particularly noticable.

[aleksandrz]

A proof I am not crazy! 

Same here, Petrol vRS. Bugs me to no end on motorway drives, or for any straight line haul for that matter. It is as if when you take an electric motor and try to turn it, it is not smooth rotation but staggering between magnets. Exactly the same feel i get from the wheel. As if you can feel the electric motor turning... 

Wierd as hell.

[GordonH]

A proof I am not crazy! 

Same here, Petrol vRS. Bugs me to no end on motorway drives, or for any straight line haul for that matter. It is as if when you take an electric motor and try to turn it, it is not smooth rotation but staggering between magnets. Exactly the same feel i get from the wheel. As if you can feel the electric motor turning... 

Wierd as hell.

 

 

Exactly!!

 

Better than my "feels like a speedboat" description.

[vrsalan]

Did you have lane assist turned on?

[Gabbo]

Did you have lane assist turned on?

 

The OP states that Lane Assist is turned off & I don't have this option on my car but have the same feeling with small steering inputs when driving in a straight line.

[New8avia]

I also have the "notchy" feeling when driving in a straight line & making small adjustments to maintain lane position.

Its like there is a small dead-zone of movement before the power-assist activates. (I don't have the lane-assist function & always drive in normal mode).

I have only recently noticed this (since switching to winter wheels & tyres) so was thinking they might be the cause.

 

The car goes for its first service next week so I will mention this to the dealer & see what they think.

I have started to experience this on my car and it is the most noticeable on the motorway. I have just over 9k miles on the clock and the steering issue only occurs at speed when the car is warm. Once it has started on that trip though, it happens at most speeds when driving dead ahead. It doesn't happen every journey but it is becoming increasingly annoying when driving straight ahead. If steering a very slight bend nothing can be felt, only the dead ahead position. It seems to me like the power assistance turns off but I then have to overcome a slight resistance before it reactivates. By that time the steering inputs to apply corrections to stay in the lane are exaggerated. Yet another characteristic to add to the list!

[pipsyp]

Bloody funny this...i used to experience exactly the same thing on my Mk2 vRS Blackline...put it down to the connection ring (that drives all the electronics such as airbag and multifunction buttons) was a bit sticky on dead ahead.

I never got it looked at but bet its something similar. Could be common to the Mk3 vRS given it utilises a different rack to regular cars?

[New8avia]

I should also point out that when the issue occurs, I seem to have to apply more pressure to the steering wheel to overcome the slight resistance on left hand bends than right hand bends. As I said, I have only recently started to notice this phenomenon and I need to see if the issue is repeatable under the same road conditions before I present my case to the dealer. Unlike the OP, my car is the elegance estate with a 2.0 l TDi.

[boneman]

The symptoms you describe are exactly the same as our other car which is Vauxhall Corsa D 1.4sxi.  Had the EPS changed 3 times main dealers checked it all out. Awful on straight roads eg motorways. It was a criteria I was anxious to avoid when buying the 12 reg Octavia vRS I bought for motorway journeys and is thankfully smooth although like these modern EPS there is no feel, give me hydraulic power steering any day. If you're still under warranty I should get it looked at and be persistent, do a test drive with technician/service manager on the motorway to show the problem.

[Oldfellah]

My TSi vRS is the same. I have lane assist but it's turned off. Got the tracking reset to exactly what it should be - no change. Makes no difference whether I have summer tyres (D. Sport Maxx on 18" rims) or winters (Contis on 18"). Thoroughly dislike the sensation and the need to correct continually by just a smidge to stop it wandering. Can't make out whether camber changes affect it, but don't believe so. Strongly suspect it's a feature of the EPS but really can't be bothered with trying to get a dealer to [a] agree it's an issue, and do something about it which doesn't have the car off the road for days or weeks. So I'll live with it, but if anyone finds a fix I'll be delighted. Sorry OP has the problem, but he's not alone and he's not wrong!

[boneman]

Although the EPS saves a bit on economy its a backward step when compared to hydraulic rack and pinion. Modern cars with EPS are more like driving a computer game. It would be interesting to test drive a few different makes to see which are better (or worse).

[BILL BLAKE]

I to have the same problem on motorway trips and the description others have given is spot on, in a straight line you are over compensating and I think this could be quite dangerous if your concentration is diverted for some reason. As any one come up with a solution for this problem. I have Continentals on my Scout.

[Gabbo]

 It seems to me like the power assistance turns off but I then have to overcome a slight resistance before it reactivates.

 

Exactly.

The assistance from the power steering will be greatly reduced at higher speed but I have the feeling its some kind of economy or power-saving mode.

Either that or the steering angle sensor isn't able to detect very small movements.

 

When I had the car serviced a few weeks ago there were no software or component updates available for the steering or EPAS & they were too busy to investigate further.

Due to availability I didn't take it to my usual garage.

I will try to have a talk with the service guy at my regular garage when I go next time to buy some screenwash.

Edited 9 February, 2015 by Gabbo

[New8avia]

I have been living with the notch steering (dead ahead position) for a while and thought as it is not constant, there must be other factors causing it. As my car has now covered 11-12K, I though I would swap the tyres round and hey presto no notchy steering under the same road conditions as before. The original fronts seemed evenly worn across the width and I always checked the tyre pressures regularly. So, I  am puzzled as to why the wear on the fronts could have caused the steering issue? Perhaps the alignment is out a fraction but not enough to see a visible difference on tyre wear???

[Moggy4]

This problem I did had with my Octavia 1.2 TSI which was one of the first to be delivered, after 20 minutes on the motorway it came in and drove me nuts. I tried 16 and 17 and all different tyre pressures without improvement. The garage couldn't find it because they test drove to short, so I gave them the keys for a long trip and they discovered the strange feeling and problem finally.

Since it's my 10 Skoda in 10 years and the first with a thrust issue we agreed to changed the car for a 1.6 TDI which is brilliant in the steering both on 16" winter and 17" summer. They sold the car again after they changed the whole steering column.