RX8 pearl red

Well, i honestly tried search before starting a new thread so don't blame the poor guy please. Here it goes....

When i drove in a straight line on clear roads , it seems steering wheel is pulling left and right by itself, i can feel the tension coming from the steering rack to the steering wheel and also steering rack rattles on little bumps.

So, me and my mechanic took the steering out and tighten the adjuster button on the steering rack. After that the problem was gone, no more rattling sound and no more left and right pull of the steering by itself.

But there is still a problem after all the problems gone by tightening the adjuster button, Now, when i make a turn, the steering don't come back automatically to center, this is happening even on less degree turns also.. Any ideas? My steering rack is gone?

If i set the adjuster button a little loose on the steering rack, then auto wheel center on turns problem is fixed but i will again have left and right pull problem and rattling sound.. So im stuck in the middle

My steering rack gone? No alignment issue , everything is Okay in that department.

Someone in UK rx8 club mentioned that stiff adjuster setting is masking the issue of steering rack rattle and abnormal pull. If that's the case and my rack is gone then can i drive with stiff adjustment without any harm?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

the most common steering issues are from a dirty connector. have you cleaned yours? when was your last allignment?

RX8 pearl red

Well, i cleaned it a while back but will do again. Alignment was done yesterday. Also it doesn't seem like an electric issue as No P/S error light ever shows

jasonrxeight

It's your alignment or your tires.
If you had a power steering issue, the steering wheel would turn on its own regardless moving or stopped.

RX8 pearl red

Well, tires are new and alignment is pretty fresh as well. I know its not the electric power steering issue but i highly suspect its the steering rack. just want to get opinions

RX8 pearl red

UPDATE : I talked to the mechanic and he said that the adjuster setting was off when i experienced steering rattle and abnormal pull, Now he adjusted it to the default position and after that i experience this " No return of steering wheel at turns" . So now i can say that i am having this problem on Default steering settings.. Just wanted to let you guys know to make a firm diagnosis..

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

So to be clear...the steering wheel is not returning to center by itself? or the car doesn't seem to be stable at center? Or it is more difficult to turn back to center than into turns?

RX8 pearl red

Car is stable at Center. Steering wheel is not returning to center after a turn even if its a less angled turn, the steering wheel will stay there and i have to by force move it to center AFTER a turn

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Was it doing it differently before? Have you changed wheels and tires or alignment? Hit a curb?

RX8 pearl red

well as i told before, steering wheel was pulling left and right by itself on a straight road ( Car didnt move left or right, only i can feel tis strong left and right pull and feel the tension coming from the steering rack to the steering wheel and also steering rack rattles on little bumps. THEN we make the steering adjustment tight , after that all the problems were gone but developed this new issue of wheel not centering after turns.

Didnt hit any curb, it was doing same before and after alignment

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

A lot of the centering force is from the alignment. The caster tends to self center. If it feels like the rack is preventing that then you likely have a rack issue. If you had just gotten an alignment or new wheels and tires I could put it down to that

Hope you get it figured out

Colon Terminus

My guess would be one of two things ... a binding/sticky ball joint or caster. You state that you just had it aligned; was the alignment done by someone who knew what they were doing? If so, you MAY rule out caster. Have the ball joints greased and inspected. Caster is what makes the steering self-center. Even though you have had a very recent alignment I'd have this checked as well. I'd suspect incorrect caster is the problem.

RX8 pearl red

Checked all suspension parts today, also cleaned all the power steering connectors. Did the caster also, But no effect. Finally, we just loosen the steering adjuster a little and now wheel to center after turns works but rack rattles and and steering wheels moves on both sides on little bumps.

JUST to be more clear, the steering wheel moves left and right by itself on bumps ONLY. I first thought it was doing it on even roads but i was wrong. Only little bumps and little bumpy roads cause this

RX8 pearl red

Anyone?

i also noticed that if both front tires go over the bump at same time then steering wheel won't move left and right. If only a single front tire move over the bump then this left and right happen

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Your options are:
Steering rack..could be rack itself or inner or outer tie rod ends...or the mount bushings
Wheel bearings
suspension bushings on upper or lower control arms

RX8 pearl red

Thanks, will check all of these step by step and will let you know the problem

nicokurniawan

i think i have same problem with rattle sound, so what the problem?

finalturismo

Mine did that too when i first got the car , 95% of the time i had no steering. Sometimes on the highway if i barley went to the left it would jerk in that direction , but be hard to turn in the other direction.

I cleaned the connector like i saw on the forums and a few videos. I did not expect it to actually fix the issue. Sure enough all my electric steering problems disappeared after cleaning the connector.

Seems these cars all have similar issues. What was scary is when the steering would randomly kick on when i was turning and putting a lot of force on the wheel. Do your self a favor and fix it as soon as possible, from what i saw its pretty dangerous when they are cutting on and off.