Hi everyone — I have an RX-8 with stock suspension and 225 tyres, and I’d like to know if your steering wheel self-centres on its own when turning from a standstill (full turn in a street + start driving), or if it only starts to return once the car is already moving at a higher speed.

If it doesn’t self-centre, what setup are you running (alignment, camber, caster, tyres, EPS)? Thanks!

 

all cars steering wheel will start to self center when you start moving.

are you saying it stays in a locked position when you move forward?

 

Thanks for replying.

The steering wheel does self-center normally when the car is moving — no problem there.

The issue is only from a standstill: if I turn the wheel while the car is stopped and then start moving forward, the wheel barely returns toward center. I need to help it with my hands.



Once the car is rolling faster, the self-centering works as expected.

 

Yes if the wheel is all the way over, that sounds normal.

 

Thanks! Just to clarify: I haven’t tested very small steering inputs, but if I turn the wheel about one full turn (not even close to full lock) while the car is stationary, the steering wheel does not start to return when I begin to move. Once the car is rolling at normal speed, the self-centering works. The issue only happens when starting from a standstill.



I also notice quite a bit of friction when turning the steering wheel, as if the steering rack itself makes a lot of mechanical noise, including a slight chirping/squeaking sound.

I’m not sure if this extra friction could be affecting the self-centering.



I always believed the RX-8 steering should feel smooth and light (mine feels a bit heavy) and almost silent, like in other cars I own where you can turn the wheel with just one finger.



If anyone with a stock RX-8 could try turning the wheel while stationary and let me know what noises you hear (or if the rack feels smooth/quiet), I would really appreciate it.

Thanks a lot!

 

There shouldn't be any noises and the movement should be smooth. At fill lock at low speed it may not return to center, but if you're only one turn to one side, it should. Maybe the rack is damaged? It's tough to compare over the internet, but I would take it to a shop to diagnose

 

Thanks for the reply!



From what I’ve been reading here and in other RX-8 communities, it seems that some cars do self-centre from about one turn, while others don’t, depending on things like alignment, internal friction in the rack, tyre width, and even small differences in EPS assist.



At higher speeds my steering returns to centre normally — the issue only appears when starting from a standstill.



The noises I hear sound more like internal friction (a rubbing/squeaking sound) rather than knocking or binding, and several other RX-8 owners have described very similar noises at low speed. So before assuming the rack is damaged, I’d like to compare with more cars, because this behaviour seems to match what quite a few owners call “normal for the RX-8”.



Thanks again for your help!

 

I’ve now completely disassembled and rebuilt my steering rack, including removing the EPS motor, cleaning everything, regreasing all internal components (ball nut, rack gear, pinion bearings, etc.), and reassembling it with fresh lubricant.



After doing all this, the behaviour is almost identical to before:

• The steering is still on the firm side at low speed.
• From a standstill, if the wheel is turned about one full turn, it does not start to self-centre when I begin to move.
• At normal driving speeds, the steering self-centres perfectly.
• The squeaking noise is gone and the rubbing noise is slightly reduced.

However, I still hear a noticeable internal rubbing/grinding noise only when turning the wheel while the car is completely stopped.

If the car is even slightly moving, the noise becomes much quieter, and at city speeds it’s not audible at all.



At this point I’m trying to understand whether this is normal RX-8 behaviour or not.

I would really appreciate if anyone with a stock RX-8 steering rack could test the following and let me know:

1. When you turn the wheel about one full turn while stationary, does it start to self-centre as soon as the car begins to move?
2. When turning the wheel while fully stopped, do you hear any internal rubbing/grinding noises from the rack?
3. How “light” or “heavy” does your steering feel during parking manoeuvres?

Real-world feedback from actual owners would help a lot, because opinions on the forum are very mixed and difficult to compare.



Thanks in advance — it would really help!