Aftermarket steering wheel issue

[Strongerthanever84]

So yesterday I had a reputable shop I've been to many times and who have installed aftermarket steering wheels on fk8's, install a TTD Craft steering wheel on my fl5. The car drives and all but the steering feel will go back and forth from light to heavy now. What's even more strange is it seems to switch to heavy when I'm driving faster and then back to light when I'm slowing down or stopped. Every setting is in R mode. I'm gonna take it back to the shop of course but I was wondering if anyone has had this happen or might know what it could be. Appreciate any info. Thank you!

Sponsored

 

[TypeRD]

I haven’t driven a lot in R mode, but my guess is that in R mode there’s intentionally less power steering activation at speed. This is intended to give the driver better road and handling feel when driving fast (like on a track). Many high performance cars (especially those built for the track) are like that. However, the power steering becomes more active when the car detects that the driver is greatly slowing down or coming to a stop. This way it isn’t difficult for the driver to turn after a stop. If you’ve ever driven a car without power steering then you know what I’m talking about. I can only imagine how hard it’d be to make a turn after a stop in an FL5 without any power steering assist. Engine and trans weight is all in the front, plus we have those huge wheels and tires.

Anyway, installation of an aftermarket steering wheel shouldn’t affect any of the power steering aspects.

 

[Strongerthanever84]

Well considering right before I took it in, it felt absolutely fine and didn't do that at all. Now it does. So something with the installation affected it. Appreciate the input man

 

[TypeRD]

Yeah, I’m not sure. Seems like a setting got changed or reset. You’d also have to be 100% certain you didn’t have the steering in Sport or Comfort before taking it to the shop. The behavior you’re now experiencing seems correct to me, however. I’m gonna run an errand in a bit. I’ll test steering in R mode and report back.

 

[Strongerthanever84]

The car has never behaved like this since I got it. And since the day I got it I haven't even tried it in any other setting aside from R mode in everything. The steering was tight and heavy no matter if I was stopped or driving fast. Whatever they did in the short time when swapping out the wheel fucked something up. Was just hoping someone had some insight to what it could be before I take it back. Going to the shop after work

 

[TypeRD]

R steering behavior confirmed per my original post. I don’t think your shop messed with anything. Sport mode always has a somewhat heavy feel. Comfort is always light. You should wait for input from others, especially if you like the shop and intend on going back for more work. Not to sound dismissive, but I just don’t see any way that changing a steering wheel would’ve messed up anything that’s electronically controlled.

 

[Justin]

Wait... Isn't there a TSB open about 'sticky' electronic steering ?
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/lawsuit-alert-honda-civic-big-trouble-sticky-steering-wheel-dangerous/

 

[Strongerthanever84]

Yes but i would find it EXTREMELY coincidental that I literally had no issue with the steering until they installed the wheel. Literally from the minute I drove it in the shop it was fine, was heavy steering always. Got it back and now it switches between light and heavy on its own. Didn't do that whatsoever an hour before I took it in.

 

[TypeRD]

I don’t think the steering is intended to be heavy ALL the time ; Not in a modern car like the FL5.

Makes me think there was something wrong with the steering system (maybe just a software glitch?) before you took it to the shop and perhaps you’ve been driving it unknowingly with a steering system issue. I think you should do some more investigating and be careful not to point fingers.

My guess is the shop might’ve disabled some electronics (maybe disconnected the battery) prior to the steering wheel installation. Then when they reconnected everything, it reset and corrected the steering system. It might be good to know how they went about it, but wait to see what others say about their steering in R mode. If there’s a problem with the steering system, that’s obviously something you should talk to your dealer about.

 

[Strongerthanever84]

I've spoke to a couple other fl5 owners in the group and in R mode for all settings its a very stiff handling. Like you actually gotta put a little force into turning the wheel, now the wheel has alot of play in it when before it had none at all. And I loved how it felt before. It felt (the steering at least like a little race car). I'm sure the suspension still can handles the turns but the steering feels like it won't. Its tripping me out after driving the car the heavy way for the last 3 weeks since I got it.

 

[TypeRD]

Yeah R mode is definitely stiff. In my car the power steering assistance lessens as I get the car up to speed. But as I approach a stop and come to a stop, power steering feels almost like comfort mode (if I’m making a turn after the stop, of course). Side note, I got my car in the 2nd wave (back in Feb). I’m curious if your car is older or newer then mine. Maybe that’s part of the equation? There’s just not a whole lot of info out there about people describing the steering feel in the different modes.

Sponsored