Couple of weeks ago I noticed something on a nsl duel carriageway.

Difficult to explain but it felt like a dead spot.

Let's say I had been travelling in a straight line for 15 seconds or so and the car was drifting to the left or right.

I use steering input to keep her in lane but it almost feels the wheel is stuck for a split second before moving.

I thought I would keep my eye on it but it doesn't happen when in town traffic or is much less noticeable.

Done around 160 miles on the motorway today and noticed it again. It seemed to appear after about 25 minutes or so of driving on a 60mph road.... Or that is at least what I thought !

On the motorway tried it with cruise on and off but didn't seem to make any difference.

So.... Any one else noticed the same 'feature' ?

Ive certainly never felt any thing like it on my other 4 Skodas.

Have you got lane assist on your Superb? 

Have you got lane assist on your Superb?

Nope. It's hard to explain... Instead of feeling infinately progressive when you turn the wheel it's like that bits digital if that makes any sense !

Hard to say if it happens in any other steering positions apart from almost directly ahead.

Edited 13 February, 201610 yr by Nick_H

The reason I ask is that your description of the problem sounds very much like a trait of Lane Assist - in a Mk3 Octavia vRS at least. 

 

Every now and then, if the Lane Assist acts against your steering input, it can feel just like that for a split second. 

 

That aside, the electric steering rack sounds like it could be hesitating when responding to your steering input. 

The reason I ask is that your description of the problem sounds very much like a trait of Lane Assist - in a Mk3 Octavia vRS at least. 

 

Every now and then, if the Lane Assist acts against your steering input, it can feel just like that for a split second. 

 

That aside, the electric steering rack sounds like it could be hesitating when responding to your steering input.

I'll keep an eye on it...

As above it could be lane assist, but if there's no physical resistance it could just be exactly what you describe - steering that is dead around the straight ahead. Loads of modern cars are like this, unfortunately. It's similar to the way coolant temp gauges have a large 'dead' zone in the middle, to keep the needle reassuringly centred on 'normal' despite mild engine temperature variations during the course of a drive. In the same way, OEMs are designing cars with 'dead' steering in the middle which makes for easy straight line cruising (and is crap for spirited driving). Even BMW have succumbed to it in their 'driving machines'. :( The fact it is more pronounced at motorway speeds makes me suspect this even more strongly, as mapping it to come in at steady high speed cruising would 'make sense' (if you intended to implement such a system that is).

My non lane assist car felt like this when I first had it, seemed like there was a lot of resistance at the straight ahead position so making slight adjustment at motorway speed always saw me over correcting.

Now 2500 miles in, I don't notice it at all and don't seem to over correct. Whether that's me having adjusted to the new car or the rack has run itself in a bit and the tyres have scrubbed in too, I'm not sure.

Do you notice this with the steering in the normal or sport modes, I have mine set to normal. Gives enough feedback for me.

As above it could be lane assist, but if there's no physical resistance it could just be exactly what you describe - steering that is dead around the straight ahead. Loads of modern cars are like this, unfortunately. It's similar to the way coolant temp gauges have a large 'dead' zone in the middle, to keep the needle reassuringly centred on 'normal' despite mild engine temperature variations during the course of a drive. In the same way, OEMs are designing cars with 'dead' steering in the middle which makes for easy straight line cruising (and is crap for spirited driving). Even BMW have succumbed to it in their 'driving machines'. :( The fact it is more pronounced at motorway speeds makes me suspect this even more strongly, as mapping it to come in at steady high speed cruising would 'make sense' (if you intended to implement such a system that is).

Well it's not like any car I've driven which is why I need input from other owners. It's also not the same every time which rings alarm bells.

My non lane assist car felt like this when I first had it, seemed like there was a lot of resistance at the straight ahead position so making slight adjustment at motorway speed always saw me over correcting.

Now 2500 miles in, I don't notice it at all and don't seem to over correct. Whether that's me having adjusted to the new car or the rack has run itself in a bit and the tyres have scrubbed in too, I'm not sure.

Do you notice this with the steering in the normal or sport modes, I have mine set to normal. Gives enough feedback for me.

Tries both modes and made no difference.

Well it's not like any car I've driven which is why I need input from other owners. It's also not the same every time which rings alarm bells.

 

With alarm bells ringing over something as important as steering (or brakes etc) I'd be straight to the dealership to have it checked over. It's hard to follow from a vague description on a forum, but if it's something that genuinely doesn't feel right it can't do any harm to have it looked at. Better safe than sorry and all that.

 

I can't say I ever noticed anything even slightly resembling your description on any of my test drives btw.

Edited 13 February, 201610 yr by Derv

Interestingly someone on the Audi Forums seems to have exactly the same problem .. Or had ...

 

http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1186922&p=6675874

Interestingly someone on the Audi Forums seems to have exactly the same problem .. Or had ...

 

http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1186922&p=6675874

Funny that the problem has disappeared now it has been plugged into their diagnostic rig. Do they download and install updated software automatically these days? 

 

Maybe it's a quirk/bug with the software that controls the steering rack itself. 

 

Hopefully there is a software based fix for it. 

 

SWMBO's vRS had a problem where the engine would die at random. Once plugged into a dealer's diagnostic system, it magically went away........

Funny that the problem has disappeared now it has been plugged into their diagnostic rig. Do they download and install updated software automatically these days? 

 

Maybe it's a quirk/bug with the software that controls the steering rack itself. 

 

Hopefully there is a software based fix for it. 

 

SWMBO's vRS had a problem where the engine would die at random. Once plugged into a dealer's diagnostic system, it magically went away........

 

Yeah hopefully ! Mailed the local dealer who are spot on so lets see if he knows anything. I can live with it but it is annoying ....

Yeah hopefully ! Mailed the local dealer who are spot on so lets see if he knows anything. I can live with it but it is annoying ....

Hopefully they'll know something about it. I wonder if the 3V Superb uses the same rack as the 8S TT that's also having problems. You shouldn't have to put up with something like that TBH. 

That sounds very much like a trait of EPAS racks in some cars to me. They almost seem to feel like there is a notch around the straight ahead.

 

Not noticed it in the Skoda yet, but I remember when I used to drive a 205 GTi with PAS every day and my wife had a newer Clio with EPAS and I noticed that feeling every time I drove it.

 

If you're worried, get it booked in and looked at under warranty asap.

 

HTH

Well it's not like any car I've driven which is why I need input from other owners. It's also not the same every time which rings alarm bells.

Just to say, while it has familiarities to Lane Assist it's not quite the same thing you describe and that it is not something I've noticed on my car. So yes, get it checked ASAP.

To me it sounds like there's almost a momentary delay in the PAS, though I would expect that to show up across the entire speed range, which could also indicate a possible ECU software problem.

As for the Audi fault disappearing after being connected to diagnostics - the Škoda rigs are indeed connected to the main Škoda server (which, IMHO, is a valid reason for not cheap-skating and always using a bona fide Škoda workshop).

Thanks guys. Going in this week :-)

Ha ! I put a link on the TT forum to my thread here and one of their mods has deleted It ! How pathetic.

Ha ! I put a link on the TT forum to my thread here and one of their mods has deleted It ! How pathetic.

Very petty. Well done to them for deleting a link that could potentially help some people who are experiencing this problem.  :clap:

 

I take it they don't want a link to a Skoda forum soiling their site. 

Dealer couldn't replicate the fault. They think it could be something to do with the driver fatigue system. Their were no error codes logged so i'll just keep an eye on it. If its a feature I can live with it. If its a fault it will probably get worse.

Other interesting threads for ref if anyone else has this  :

 

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/audi-electric-steering-issue-reports-consolidated-2844976/

 

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7277&page=1

Isn't the driver fatigue system passive, as in just monitoring the steering inputs from the driver? I didn't think it could have any influence into the actual steering, like lane assist can/does.

 

If it is something to do with the driver fatigue system, can it not be disabled as part of the fault finding process?

Yeah I thought it was passive as well.... I'll check and see if it can be disabled. Interesting how some of the Audi guys were saying a full deflection left and right corrected the fault. I'll try that tonight as well. Not convinced its the Fatigue system as the Dealer says. They are top blokes though and cant know everything about a new vehicle.

 

I'm certainty not getting stressed about it... Will get sorted one way or another :-) and they have nice sweets at the dealers !

Nice sweets always help 

 

I read on one of those forums about certain sensors being out of calibration or alignment, causing the steering rack to misbehave. Sounds like that could be pretty plausible. 

Another interesting threat here for ref :

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/533535-2013-Steering-Issues-VAG-COM-Fix

Not done anymore motorway driving yet...