Steering not self centering

[TedStriker]

Have you driven another LCI i3 to compare its steering feel with your i3? Might be worth doing before spending any more time and money.

I've never driven another i3 so unfortunately not got anything to directly compare it to. I've watched a lot of i3 driving videos though and on those the steering does appear to centre itself certainly a lot better than mine does. Today I drove my partner's 2018 VW Polo for 100 miles then immediately got into the i3. No way would BMW have designed a car to drive like it does. I think I'd largely got used to it as I'd been pretty much exclusively driving the i3 for a few months so hadn't realised how 'different' it was. I also have a BMW 435d and 330d, both 4WD - they both have way wider tyres and feel light as a feather at or around straight ahead. Same goes for the FWD 2004 and 2012 VW Golfs I have.

My thinking is that this is likely a widespread problem that many owners will have to a certain degree but are unaware that it's not right and put it down to the car being 'quirky'. I believe I've eliminated any i3 related causes as at the moment it's just a steering rack with nothing attached and it's still stiff. Bearing in mind most cars for the last 15 years or so have used electric power steering I can't imagine they reinvented the wheel for the i3 and created a unique rack that is sticky!

As I have other cars that I can use I think my next plan is to remove the rack and dismantle it as far as I can and look for anything wrong. It does feel to me like a lack of lubrication and I've heard of at least one person report the issue to BMW and they ended up with a new rack due to 'corrosion' in the old one.

Watch this space, I'll post back when I've got the rack out. Hopefully won't have to end up dropping the front subframe but If I have to then so be it.

Of course in the mean time any and all suggestions, comments welcomed!

Cheers,
Ted

 

[mojo]

I did actually get a chance to check mine a week ago but didn't have the time to post back - my car has hardly any self-centering effect, even though from memory I thought it did. Perhaps that's one reason why I've always thought it felt "odd". But as said, I don't think it's objectionable, on my car.

 

[GregM]

I’ve never felt any self centering steering on my i3’s. I currently drive a 2019 i3s. I’ve had a 2017 and 2015. I’ve always considered the handling to be similar to a hp golf cart. I always steer in and out of turns with a light touch so that I don’t over respond.

 

[alohart]

None our 3 i3's, 2014, 2019, or 2021, had/has steering that self-centered as strongly or as completely as conventional hydraulic power steering. I can't release the steering wheel while turning and expect it to return to center on its own. I don't even think about helping it return to center because I'm accustomed to it after 10 years of driving i3's.

The list of cars that you are comparing with an i3 don't appear to have electric power steering which definitely has a different feel. Our previous Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Honda Insight both had electric power steering. Other than the stiction around the straight ahead position of our 2014 i3's steering wheel, I don't recall any significant different from our previous cars.

I hope that you aren't wasting your time and maybe money trying to solve a problem that might not exist. You should really arrange to drive another i3 for comparison.

 

[TedStriker]

Some interesting comments there, thanks everyone! So... my other BMWs and Golfs and my partner's Polo all have electric power steering racks of very similar design to the i3, even made by the same manufacturer as the i3's - ZF. The more I drive the other cars the more I'm convinced the i3 did not roll out of the factory with steering that doesn't self centre and takes noticeable force to move. If so, it would be the first car I've ever come across that's like that and there's absolutely no reason I can see for it. I get the feeling the issue on my car is 'worse' than on other i3s.

A few years back I had a 2014 330d and it had a common problem - a clonk from the steering when the wheel was turned while stationary. The standard fix for this was to replace the bushing that preloads the rack/pinion backlash. I did that fix on the 330d and initally overtightened it as the steering felt slightly stiff and would not self centre.... sounds familar? So, I've taken a look at the i3 rack and it has exactly the same adjustment nut.

I can access this nut fairly easily under the frunk in my i3 but right now don't have a tool to loosen it off. I'm not convinced this would sort the issue any way as usually a rack would get looser and need tightening not the other way round. I have a used rack arriving in the next day or so so will have something to compare to and play around with.

Don't worry about me wasting time and money - I enjoy tinkering and cost wise the used rack wasn't expensive.

As always, watch this space....

Ted

 

[rostym]

We owned a 2017 i3 REX that had a similar issue. On ours it was a recall software (or firmware) updated at the dealer for free. Seems someone else here mentioned that, but it should be checked. Late getting to this thread so possibly this has already been done.

 

[TedStriker]

We owned a 2017 i3 REX that had a similar issue. On ours it was a recall software (or firmware) updated at the dealer for free. Seems someone else here mentioned that, but it should be checked. Late getting to this thread so possibly this has already been done.

I updated the software to the latest version last week with no change. I think the update was more for an intermittent loss of power assistance, not a permanent stiffness - but thanks anyway!

 

[Lotustom]

I recently became the owner of a 2019 I3. I am experiencing the same problem as you describe. The steering wheel does return after a bend, but when driving straight ahead in the middle position it actually sticks and you always need slight corrections to go straight. I have already removed everything (steering ball joints and steering pipe) to locate the problem. But it really seems to be in the steering rack. I haven't taken it apart yet because I don't know whether you have to relearn it after disassembly. I don't have the equipment for that either. Also Ihaven't figured out yet whether this is a problem or a feature of the car. But just like you said I cant imagine BMW builds a car like that. I came across this by googling and am very curious to know what your findings are.
Greetings Tom from the Netherlands

 

[Dutchi3]

From what I know, the steering rack comes from Mini, that is why the steering is pretty direct. Of course the suspension setup is different from a Mini so it feels different. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Lotustom]

I googled some pictures from a mini steering rack. It looks like it, but its slightly different. I also found another post here where they discuss the same problem. There was a person with a fix and a youtube video how to fix it. But the link doesnt work anymore.
https://www.mybmwi3.com/threads/on-center-steering-feel.4972/

 

[TedStriker]

Further update - Got hold of a second hand rack (2019, mileage unknown). It's actually possible to connect it up to the vehicle's wiring just by removing the frunk . I updated the software on it to the latest version and it too does not feel free like it should.

Very frustrating that the link above doesn't have the video link as it would appear to be a fix! I'm going to do some playing around with my spare rack and see if I can see what's going on. I do recall someone posting that they had a similar issue and BMW told then there was corrosion in the rack.

 

[Lotustom]

Hi Ted,
Nice to hear you have another steering rack. I also found some photos of the electric motor in the steering rack. It drives a gear with a worm gear. With this design it seems to me that the steering rack axle will always be heavy. Or there should be some kind of electrical decoupling between the plastic gear and the axle. This would disengage the axle at higher speeds when the power steering does not have to work. And you no longer have sticky steering.
When I look at it like that, I think it's a strange design.
Tom

 

[TedStriker]

Hi Ted,
Nice to hear you have another steering rack. I also found some photos of the electric motor in the steering rack. It drives a gear with a worm gear. With this design it seems to me that the steering rack axle will always be heavy. Or there should be some kind of electrical decoupling between the plastic gear and the axle. This would disengage the axle at higher speeds when the power steering does not have to work. And you no longer have sticky steering.
When I look at it like that, I think it's a strange design.
Tom

You would think that would create drag, but surely as long as it's downstream of the torque sensor then the motor should be assisting the movement not opposing it?

I'm almost at the stage now of ordering a brand new rack from BMW just to see if it's any 'looser'. As I can plug it in and test it without fitting, as long as they accept returns then it shouldn't cost me anything. Bit of a risk though as I believe they are £2000+

I'm also thinking it may be possible to remove the motor section to eliminate/confirm it as the cause of the stiffness.

Reading around on the internet it seems this stickiness is common but there are people who say they don't have it at all. But as with most things on the internet, people only post when they have a problem, not when they don't.

 

[Lotustom]

I know from my own experience with a car without power steering if the steering axle moves with difficulty. (Due to stuck universal joints) You get the same steering feeling in a car. You keep constantly correcting to drive straight ahead. The steering rack must be able to move freely enough to center itself. I mean no slack by this. Due to the toe-in of the front wheels, the car becomes self-centering. If that movement is stopped you get this effect. This is my view on it.

 

[alohart]

Due to the toe-in of the front wheels, the car becomes self-centering. If that movement is stopped you get this effect.

Insufficient toe-in would probably reduce the self-centering, so alignment might play a role. The i3's toe-in might be minimal to reduce its rolling resistance and increase its range which might also the self-centering force.

 

[TedStriker]

Insufficient toe-in would probably reduce the self-centering, so alignment might play a role. The i3's toe-in might be minimal to reduce its rolling resistance and increase its range which might also the self-centering force.

I'm pretty sure the lack of self centering is a result of stiffness in the rack, not an inherent design feature of the i3. But I would like to hear from someone (anyone!) who says their i3 does self centre as you'd expect. I've read/seen plenty of reviews which mention excellent feedback from the road but I get virtually none.

For my entire driving life (35 years/50+ cars) I've never driven anything that doesn't self centre unless it has a fault. On all other cars you can tell if your alignment is out by the car pulling to one side or the other, or tracking straight with hands off the wheel. My i3 pulls to the left, pulls to the right, or goes in a straight line purely depending on where the steering wheel is left.

Come to think of it, I regularly drive on the A14 in UK - it's a road heavily used by large trucks and has quite severe dips where the truck tyres have worn the surface down. In my partner's VW Polo you barely notice when you go in and out of them, in my BMW 435d with wide, staggered wheels it's definitely noticeable but easily dealt with. In the i3 you have no notice then suddenly the car will veer off in one direction and need to be caught. It's like there is absolutely zero feedback from the wheels to the steering wheel so you don't feel the wheels being pulled slightly to one side and naturally correct it.

 

[mojo]

Apologies if you have already checked this and eliminated it, but this sounds to me like wheels out of alignment at the front.

 

[TedStriker]

Apologies if you have already checked this and eliminated it, but this sounds to me like wheels out of alignment at the front.

Yep, all checked - and it's stiff even with the tie rods disconnected!

 

[TedStriker]

Booked in on Thursday with a rack reconditioner for them to take a look. He has heard of the problem and has a few ideas.

 

[Dutchi3]

I've read/seen plenty of reviews which mention excellent feedback from the road but I get virtually none.

When I drive my other ev (a minivan) it always strikes me that the steering (electric-hydraulic pump assisted) is much less nervous than the i3 and much more centered -like boring but very comfortable. It's like a boat versus jetski. On the other hand, I am used to the skitty steering of the i3 and like it in it's own way. But you have to keep attention in windy conditions.
I have no problems with road feedback and you can steer it very precisely. I enjoy canyon roads, no lack of road contact in my opinion. The tires are limiting the speed through the curves but otherwise it feels planted enough for me. It also does not feel stiff and it does center, but you have to apply some force to turn the steering wheel, to me it feels "sporty", you have to work a bit. You don't need to turn the wheel a lot, so you can grab it with both hands and wind down the canyon without twisting your arms too much. Like it thus far, just my experience.