Steering not self centering

[alohart]

I'm sure it's worse than my car that was always iffy going straight on a highway. I assumed it was due to the run flat tires.

There is no run-flat tire available for the i3. A run-flat tire would have a high rolling resistance and would be heavy, neither of which i3 designers would have approved.

Happy that an alignment solved your steering problem. Our new 2014 i3 had the same wandering at highway speeds and stiction at the straight ahead steering position, but I don't recall a lack of centering being noticeable. I never had its alignment checked, but there was no unusual tire wear, pulling to one side, etc. Our former 2019 and current 2021 i3's both track straight at highway speeds with no need for frequent corrections like in our 2014 i3, so I just assumed that the suspension changes that BMW made in later i3's might have solved the problem.

 

[Madelvic]

Hi gOrsq....I'm totally with you... don't think I've ever driven a car with such difficult unresponsive steering. Very tiring on long journeys for sure. I have seen a few other posts mentioning it but otherwise most people seem happy with it. I wondered whether it was worth looking at the wheel alignments?

I have a 2019 120Ah i3 and it behaves the same. On a dual carriageway I can steer into a gentle bend then hands off and the car continues on the same radius. Going to the BMW dealer on Monday

 

[g0rsq]

I have a 2019 120Ah i3 and it behaves the same. On a dual carriageway I can steer into a gentle bend then hands off and the car continues on the same radius. Going to the BMW dealer on Monday

Please update us on what they find?

 

[TedStriker]

I have a 2019 120Ah i3 and it behaves the same. On a dual carriageway I can steer into a gentle bend then hands off and the car continues on the same radius. Going to the BMW dealer on Monday

Do you have a warranty? I suspect they'll either tell you it's normal or offer to replace the steering rack for a large amount of money. Has it always done this? Have you had the car long?

 

[Madelvic99]

Do you have a warranty? I suspect they'll either tell you it's normal or offer to replace the steering rack for a large amount of money. Has it always done this? Have you had the car long?

Bought mid December from a BMW dealer so yes under warranty

 

[Madelvic99]

Car is booked into Eastern BMW on 5th March. At slow speeds my car does self centre as per the video. I’ve taken it up to IKEA and driven round in circles at slow speeds and the car definitely does self centre the steering.

But at anything over 30 to 35mph I can set the steering for a radius, take my hands off the wheel and it’ll continue on this radius. I actually think the car it’s dangerous like this and it make for tiring driving outside towns.

I’ve never experienced anything like this. I have two friends with i3’s and I’ll investigate further how their cars drive

 

[g0rsq]

Does it fully self center at low speeds?
Mine partially self centers, to about 20deg from center in both directions.
So if I put a full turn on while driving at about 10mph it will slowly straighten up partially, but will ultimately still drive in a circle.
I have not tried to see what happens at 30mph, but I think it would do the same. At 30 mph if I steer slightly the car will continue turning.

 

[Steffe]

I have a 2014 Rex with the same problem. Question to all of you that have this problem: Do you all have the "lane assist" option? Mine has. And to the folks ho has a nice self centering steering: Do YOU have the "lane assist" option? The guy in the video on this thread, with the self centering steering, didn't seem to have lane assist?

 

[g0rsq]

I have a 2014 Rex with the same problem. Question to all of you that have this problem: Do you all have the "lane assist" option? Mine has. And to the folks ho has a nice self centering steering: Do YOU have the "lane assist" option? The guy in the video on this thread, with the self centering steering, didn't seem to have lane assist?

Yes, I have lane assist option.
It is next to useless with this problem, as it zigzags down the lane like some drunken driver!

 

[Madelvic]

No lane asset on mine. In the dealer on Wednesday