Hi

 

Every few months I find that, generally after driving for a while on either a motorway  or fast straight A road, the steering becomes resistant when I adjust it (the small continuous adjustments you make while essentially driving in a straight line) and I have to make an extra effort to 'unstick it'. Once this has started to occur it will persist until I seem to be able prevent for a few more months by adjusting the steering wheel position, especially if I reduce the extension. It started at around 20K and has happened around three times since then, now at about 30K.

 

It's hard to describe exactly but I suspect anyone else that has had this will know what I mean. I had a search around and what sounds like the same problem was described under the Octavia MK3 forum - 

 

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with a MK3 Fabia?

 

My Fabia is an estate '15 reg.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Welcome.

Best have it checked out while the car is under warranty.

Did you report the issue at the last service, and what did the technician say?

Be sure that your concern / experience is logged on the Skoda system now so that it is there if it needs repairs under the Manufacturers Warranty.

Cars introduced in 2014 /15 might only start showing issues as a few years go by, best that they are reported to Skoda UK / CZ.

 

There were steering component issues / failures with Mk2's and TPI's that were often not made aware of to owners having issues.

sometimes even said by Dealership Employees as 'They all do that', while others say, Never heard of that before.'

I think I know what you mean. I’ve noticed my 16 plate Monte Carlo doing the same thing a few weeks ago on the motorway. The steering wheel feels like it’s fixed in position until you apply a little more turning pressure and you can feel it release. Mine also seems to do it occasionally pulling out of junctions. I’ve never really given it much thought. I think I’ll get it looked at in the spring. 

This has been niggling me as well for a few months. Exactly as you describe, steering wheel feels ‘stuck’ in one position and it takes extra effort to move it. Noticeable on high speed journeys when travelling straight and if I have not had to move the wheel for 3 or 4 seconds. It effects the small adjustments to the wheel you normally make without even thinking as have to make a bigger adjustment to unfreeze the wheel, and then adjust back again. I don’t notice it at all when making low speed manoeuvres which require a lot more movement of the wheel. 

To be honest I was wondering if it was me over thinking it but as you are both reporting the same issue it seems not.

Thanks for starting this topic RichardEx, rather than continue to put it to the back of my mind/ live with it I will contact a local dealer tomorrow and book it in for them to have a look. Of course when I get some news I will post back here.

i have not made any adjustments to the steering column position since setting it up when new (18 months ago) I may have a go at that as well.

 

Edited 3 January, 20188 yr by chieflordy

Hi.

Thanks for the replies.

It's 'kind of' reassuring that I'm not the only Fabia owner that has seen this. It'll hopefully make it a bit easier to convince Skoda that there is something odd, especially as otherwise it's a classic can't demonstrate at the garage / test drive situation.

 

To recap - probably noticed it almost a year ago, adjusted the steering as suggested in the Octavia thread and put it down as a one off, until it happened again... However I didn't mention it at the last service as it had been six months or so since it had last happened. I posted as it happened again over Christmas so decided I should pursue it.

 

One of the Octavia posts mentions a worn gear on the steering rack.

 

Thanks again. 

I had a Mk1 Fabia which suddenly lost the power steering and turning the wheel was hard. I know it is different to your experience but there are similarities in that it takes extra effort to turn the steering wheel. In my case the culprit was a failed sensor on the steering column causing the power steering to stop working and replacing the sensor fixed the problem. Perhaps the sensor on your car is starting to fail or there is something randomly interfering with it.

I have EXACTLY the same 'problem' with my 2016 'facelift' Ibiza FR. Exactly as described in all these posts above, however now the weather is colder I've noticed it less. It happened daily in the summer but I never got it checked. I'll be mentioning it at it's next service in March.

Just to expand a little on my previous post: - The steering position sensor detects how much the steering wheel is being turned. When parking or at very low speed manoeuvring the wheel needs turning a lot and the sensor detects this and tells the power steering to supply more assistance to turn the wheel. When travelling at speed in a straight line the steering movements are small and the sensor detects this and tells the power steering to reduce the amount of power assistance required. If the sensor tells the power steering to turn off completely (a fault) then the steering will feel stuck requiring more force than normal to move it. The sensor could have an intermittent, developing, fault so I suggest a diagnostic check be carried out.

Thanks again for all the comments. It's not happened again since my last adjustment of the steering column just before Christmas - but I expect it will at some point. I'll discuss it with my dealer either next time it occurs or at my next service (in a couple of months). 

Richard

I have been having exactly this, intermittently nice and smooth as you would expect then other times the notchy stiffness where you have to overcome a bit of resistance to get a small steering adjustment.  I did wonder if tyre wear could be a factor.

I've been wondering how to explain to the dealer an intermittent steering fault only felt at motorway speeds, I may just print the various threads when I book in next...

I will try the steering column adjustment as well.

Soon after the purchase of a used Honda jazz I experienced this annoying condition exactly as described - resisting small movements of the wheel  on straight roads.

I discovered this to be a known fault and subsequently  had a new steering rack fitted under warranty by Honda, although charged for labour costs.

A neighbourly car dealer had also informed me this was a known fault with other manufacturers also, so presumably racks made at the same plant for a variety of makers.

Complaints to supplier seems the right action.

A bit of an update (but no real news), my car has been in the dealers for them to diagnose, of course as the problem is intermittent it did not manifest itself during the 2 days they had it.

They told me they checked all the steering components and all were fine, reviewed bulletins issued by Skoda, apparently there was  one relating steering sticking in Octavia’s after being driven in a straight line. They also registered my reported problem on the Skoda IT system. To be fair to them I don’t think there is much more they could have done. 

So still a bit of a mystery!

OP or other posters, please update if you get to the bottom of the problem.

Edited 27 January, 20188 yr by chieflordy

Occasionally the stiff steering can be felt on my Seat Ibiza but only at longer motorway drivings and after a good distance spent.

My best guess is that it’s related to the electrical power steering going into a light “sleep mode” if not activated beyond a certain point as it’s progressive. Shouldn’t occur, of course and may be blamed on inaccurate sensors - or a software bug - as suggested?

It doesn’t bother me, though.

My Skoda isn’t affected.

My Roomster is the same. The steering is firm and not as fluid as I would like. I have had the tracking checked and it is OK. Even after new tyres have been fitted it is the same. Driving between double parked cars any small correction of the steering is difficult as I can over correct and be nearer to the parked car than I would like. The car has been the same since new so i thought it must be a characteristic of the car. Also after turning a tight corner the steering does not fully automatically centre with the final quarter turn of the wheel needing manual assistance. At least the steering has feel which is more than the Fiat I had which I could steer using one finger.

My wife's August 2015 Polo 1.2TSI 110PS SEL, steering is well weighted with no issues - so far, feels very much or exactly the same as the old electro-hydraulic system on her old 2002 Polo 1.4 16V 75PS SE.

I second that @rum4mo- the steering in my Fabia is very similar to my old 2002 1.2 Polo in terms of feel and assistance. A lot more direct and the handling is a lot more predictable though!

On ‎14‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 17:43, vc-10 said:

I second that @rum4mo- the steering in my Fabia is very similar to my old 2002 1.2 Polo in terms of feel and assistance. A lot more direct and the handling is a lot more predictable though!

 

Ah, but with that 2002 1.4 Polo,after an early life TCA rear voided bushes failure I got SEAT Cupra solid rubber bushes fitted, now that did improve the turn in quite a bit, a very handy/useful/improved reliability modification!

I've heard that about the 9n Polos. That poor little car went to the scrap yard this morning though unfortunately, after nearly 170k miles of abuse and me and my 2 brothers all learning to drive in it! Was a great little car. Not entirely sure what went wrong but there was 0 compression on one of the cylinders, and it wasn't worth trying to repair it. 

2 hours ago, vc-10 said:

I've heard that about the 9n Polos. That poor little car went to the scrap yard this morning though unfortunately, after nearly 170k miles of abuse and me and my 2 brothers all learning to drive in it! Was a great little car. Not entirely sure what went wrong but there was 0 compression on one of the cylinders, and it wasn't worth trying to repair it. 

 

Alas that 2002 1.4 Polo seemed to fail its MOT back in September 2017 with no update as far as "MOT CHECKER" is concerned! The end?

Did anyone find out the cause/resolution for this? My superb 3, 2017 has just started this - on the motorway the steering kind of stuck and needed slighter more force to adjust. It’s fine for 20 minutes or so then starts feeling odd.