Hi! Hoping  someone can help me out with a steering light issue. My mechanic seems to have messed up the wheel alignment during a recent repair - this has in turn done something to flag the Steering Torque sensor. No matter what they do it doesn’t seem to fix the problem. I have had a traction control light coming on after about 10 minutes of driving, but the steering has never been an issue before. Some seem to be suggesting that they could be connected. 
 

My question really is, how difficult is it to replace said sensor? And if it’s not worth the effort stripping the column, does anyone have any other suggestions for fixing it. At present it seems like my mechanic is just trying to switch the light off or remap it to stay off. But that seems like a sticky plaster on a battlefield to me. 

Hello Fitz, welcome to the forum.

It would perhaps help others to give advice if you can give the reason for repair and wheel alignment that gave rise to this problem - was there some issue, I.e. after clipping a curb?

I had just left it in for an MOT check so no accidents prompted the repair.
 

He replaced the tie rod ends as far as I know, which resulted in the light coming on right away. He told me it would go out itself after a few miles of driving. I drove it 40+ miles the next day, but felt that the steering pulling to one side. when I brought it back to him he told me the alignment was completely off. 
 

I suspect that the day of driving in between times has triggered the torque sensor, but I’m no expert. 

Clearly your mechanic has made some error when replacing the tie rod joints (presumably from MOT advisory?) - then compounded it by getting something wrong when attempting to correct the alignment.

Obviously his error for the alignment being 'completely off' after replacing the joints, assuming that the vehicle wasn't pulling to one side before the replacement. 

Take it back to him. 

I had no issues at all prior to it being left in with him.
 

He changed the tie rod ends of his own accord, I had only booked it in for a check over before the actual test date. 

 

He has had the car since Monday and is talking about it not being worth fixing at the minute. Only option he has given me is to tape the light and bring the car back for a full test at a different centre so they don’t clue in to the light being an issue.🤦🏻‍♂️
 

I doubt he is going to accept responsibility. 

7 minutes ago, FiiiTZiii said:

He changed the tie rod ends of his own accord

That's easy then; fixing it at his expense is his problem.

Unfortunately He doesn’t seem to think it’s that simple. So far he’s just been talking about the age of the car and it’s mileage - “anything can go wrong”! 🤦🏻‍♂️
 

To make things worse I stupidly paid him when I first collected the car for the MOT - light came on again on way to the centre! 

Is this guy working from a recognised garage? Are you in UK? What is the car?

Instruct him in writing that you expect him to properly rectify immediately the problem he has caused to your vehicle - if he fails to do so without any cost to you (and if you are in UK) open a case in County Court (small claims) - low cost and easy process. 

8 hours ago, FiiiTZiii said:

I have had a traction control light coming on after about 10 minutes of driving, but the steering has never been an issue before. Some seem to be suggesting that they could be connected. 

 

They are indeed connected, for the traction control and other stability systems to function correctly the system must know what trajectory the vehicle is travelling on through the steering angle sensor and others.

 

That you had a problem before does muddy the waters somewhat in the garages favour, notwithstanding that it sounds like while replacing the track rod ends he misaligned the steering and instead of aligning the wheels to the vehicle thrust angle with the steering centred he just moved the steering wheel on its splines to cover his mistake.

 

Does the vehicle drive true in a straight line with your hands off the wheel and with the steering wheel in the correct centred position?

 

If yes then park up with the engine running and the steering wheel centered in the straight ahead position, then turn it full left lock and right lockk while noting how many turns and partial turns in degrees it makes in each direction, it will be something like 1.5 turns each way, I bet you have significantly more one way than the other.

 

If so then throw it back to the mechanic.

Edited 5 July, 20232 yr by J.R.

currently the steering doesn’t seem to be too bad, but that’s only after it had been sent back to him for the third time. It’s definitely no where near as bad as it was. It had been pulling hard to the left and I was needing to compensate quite a bit after the initial work was done. 
 

I have tried to recalibrate a couple of times, but it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. 
 

pretty frustrating! I’d be tempted to have a look at the slimes myself to see if your theory is correct. 
 

to answer a previous Q. I am in the UK. 👌

4 hours ago, FiiiTZiii said:

to answer a previous Q. I am in the UK

Which is why we ask you to fill in the location field. It makes advising on local to you garages and Consumer Rights legislation much easier.