[Rof]

Lorian, further to the symptom:
You can't relax when you're driving.  You have to hold the steering wheel with two hands all the time as you can't trust the response of the steering.  It's not a white knuckle ride, but it's very unpleasant, requiring full concentration.  If anything, it's possibly worse when braking, even at slow speeds - 25-30mph.  It happens at constant speed and whilst accelerating.  Also when you activate the cruise control, it is very slow to respond, coming on later than when you press it, thus if you're driving at 30, the car may drop to 28mph before the cruise works.  In addition the cruise control on undulating terrain responds slowly, resulting in the vehicle accelerating beyond the set value or decreasing below it.  i.e. if set at 50mph, it may increase to 55mph when going down hill.  Don't know if this is related, but this hasn't been observed in the Golf with cruise control we also drive.

Forgetting the CC which might simply be working correctly even if not how you would like, the steering issue seems extraodinary.

If it's as you describe surely the dealer can feel it? Or are they failing to see a problem?

Unless the rack is loose (has happened) or something wierd happening with the power steering what about the possibility that the ESP (stability) has a fault and is applying the brakes randomly? Does turning it off help?

I had my rack replaced (no idea what could have been wrong with a new part) for a "rattle" on uneven surfaces and I must say I did immediately think it "cured" a problem I had accepted without reporting whereby the steering just slightly wandered. It required that I maintained forward vision and attention because then, and now, no real tactile feedback is given. I guess that's a given with electric assistance at this point in its development.

Good luck with getting to the bottom of it.

[Rof]

Hi Pip, thanks for the suggestion.  Tried turning off the ESP today and it seemed to improve the handling, although we're not sure whether this is simply because we were willing it to be better.  Apparently it "appeared" more responsive.

Incidentally, I wouldn't be surprised if the ESP had something to do with it in some way as the ESP light NEVER came on in all the time I had the car, in the snow, ice, even when turning the car on the ESP light has never shown until the brake light switch was replaced.

Since the Hyundai dealer replaced the steering rack and brake light switch recently, on the first test drive the ESP light activated at least five times in the first few hundred metres, when the road was dry and I was going at constant speed / no massive amount of acceleration (being followed by someone who also had a car with ESP that never activated when following me).  Concerned, on questioning it with the technician at the dealership he expressed concern, went out with me for a test drive and wanted to investigate further on possible electrical faults but the front of house "boss" told me the vehicle was fine and that they would do nothing further to the vehicle, basically telling me to get on my way - that it was ready for collection after the warranty repairs were considered concluded.

Since then the dealer has refused to have me as a Customer.  Pretty unbelievable diabolical service, given the shortage of "reliable" dealerships in my area who are capable of appropriately rectifying faults.

Anyhow.  There may be some relationship between the ESP, steering rack and associate handling, although I'm not technical enough to know what...  Anyone any ideas?...

I'm not sure if I misunderstand you but the ESP light should only ever come on if it is activated by the controlling computer to correct a perceived slide. An over simplification but unless you have lost steering control it won't activate. If it comes on during normal driving on firm surfaces, then that's a fault. I've never noticed mine come on... ever.

There is also an separate ESP OFF light. This will only light when ESP is switched off at the switch by your knee.

Both of these lights will momentarily display when the ignition is first turned on.

I imagine the ESP controller will use the steering position sensor (SPS) as one of its inputs. When my SPS was out of adjustment I saw the ESP light intermittantly come on and I also saw the EPS (Electronic Power Steering) light come on as well. Don't confuse ESP and EPS.

It was a long shot to suspect that the ESP could be affecting the steering and from your response I think I might have talked you into thinking turning it off had an effect. But then.... if the SPS was fooling the ESP into thinking the steering wheel was turned away from the centre when it was not then I guess it's possible that it was activating a brake (causing the steering to pull to one side) to correct a problem that didn't exist. All supposition, I have no direct knowledge of how it works.

I'd just leave the ESP off, you won't need it (most cars on the road don't have it anyway), and see whether anything has really changed with it off over a longer period. If you really think it has then try it again turned on. My guess is that it will make no difference either way.

Back to your observation that the ESP light came on while driving straight; this is not right and I'd make sure the service manager knows about it.

[Beekster]

I was going to post something similar to Pip's comment above.

I suspect the Steering Position Sensor is either faulty or has a bad connection to the ECU or ground.  This would result in activation of individual rear brakes as the ESP cuts in when it shouldn't, which seems to match the symptoms as described.  In the repairs you've mentioned so far could it have been left disconnected?

With two replacements of steering racks already, were these racks found to actually be faulty once they were out of the car?  It is possible they were misdiagnosed, and replaced as an attempt to resolve the issue, or just something to try...

Many sympathies for your situation.  And please keep us informed of your progress or lack thereof.

[Rof]

Hi all.

Thanks for the advice.  Given that I've had problems with the ESP since I got the vehicle, with it turning off "ESP OFF" randomly and never actually seeing the ESP light turn on when I turned the ignition on - until they replaced the faulty brake light switch in November just gone after everyone's help in me diagnosing to Hyundai there was a fault (after two years of complaining there was a problem), it does tend to suggest there is an electrical issue.  Only since the faulty brake light switch has been replaced has the ESP light seemed to work, and subsequently behaved oddly (coming on five times on the first test drive as I mentioned earlier).  Will ask the assessor to investigate further.

[nitram]

The advice all makes good sense, but the forced crash and need to grasp the wheel is extreme. The power steering is electric, with input from steering shaft, vehicle speed, etc. I wonde if this clever stuff is actually steering wrong, due to a fault in the system.?? If so. it is extremely dangerous. Totally different from an alignment problem, which you can normally cope with. I agree with the comment that it should not be driven. I'd ask you to describe your car, but I should be safe in Australia. Good luck getting it sorted

[Surferdude]

The advice all makes good sense, but the forced crash and need to grasp the wheel is extreme. The power steering is electric, with input from steering shaft, vehicle speed, etc. I wonde if this clever stuff is actually steering wrong, due to a fault in the system.?? If so. it is extremely dangerous. Totally different from an alignment problem, which you can normally cope with. I agree with the comment that it should not be driven. I'd ask you to describe your car, but I should be safe in Australia. Good luck getting it sorted

Hi nitram and welcome.
The last post in this thread was back in February of this year and we've heard no more so I suspect Rof has moved on.
Which is a shame because it would have been nice to know what the root cause of all this was.

[Dazzler]

The last post in this thread was back in February of this year and we've heard no more so I suspect Rof has moved on.
Which is a shame because it would have been nice to know what the root cause of all this was.

I'll PM Rof and see if I can get an update