Hey All,

So I recently replaced my steering rack to chase down an EPS CODE 3. The problem I am having is the steering wheel does not center it self and infact just stays where you put it.
So If you turn 10 degree in any direction. The steering will stay there. Sometime if I am making a sharp turn the wheel will start to try to center itself but then not go all the way back.

I tried to get car aligned and currently have this for an alignment. I know it not the best alignment but even with everything as is. Shouldnt the wheel return to center or even try to move the wheel back? I took it to a new shop today and they said that they prob can't do better than that. That is next to impossible to get caster to match and that my toe is good....so I got my keys back and left that place.
So do you guys think that the rack could be bent? Is there something I can check on it?

Caster: 5.8/6.1
Toe: 0.02 / -0.02
Camber: 0.04 / 0.05

Camber: -2.9 / -2.8
Toe: 0.24 / 0.22

 

That caster is within spec and should be returning to center pretty well there. Its possible there is something else influencing this issue. I know when moving to a smaller 330mm steering wheel that my car wasn't as eager to snap back to center with everything else being same. Other then that i'm at a bit of a loss and would just be grabbing at straws like you, thinking either it could be in the rack itself maybe some mechanical stiction, or something eps related that's causing poor response in rack based on speed since it is variable. I assume front tire pressure is up to proper inflation.

 

Tires are set to 32 PSI. Yea I am pretty lost on what it could be. lol

 

Engine off.
jack front of car and rotate to check for a flat spot

 

Did you mean flat spot in tire or flat stop in how the steering wheel feels going left to right

 

So I jacked up the front of the car with the wheels straight and steering wheel center,

Turning to the left has a little resistance but turns. I then put the steering wheel back to center with wheels straight.
Turning to the right is very hard alot of resistance. I have to use both hands. I turned the car on and try it and it a little easier to turn right.

As for the tires they are brand new tires so don't have any flat spots.

 

a bent rack will exhibit those symptoms, I had the exact same thing on my newer Civic. You need to hit a curb to get that to happen, if your car didn't impact a curb then it might be electronic, perhaps the torque sensor is starting to die.

 

I bought it used along with torque sensor. Seller said car was 100% functional...I. 8 alignments in so far replace, both front lca, lower ball joint, end links, outer tie rods, both rear LCA, rear end links chasing this steering issue down lol

 

I would say it is bent internally, it doesn't take much to do that. No real way to test it, just going by the symptoms. Still driveable but it just feels like crap, I drove my Civic like that for a month waiting for parts to arrive from Honda, I hated it.

 

Yea driving it isn't that fun. I guess time for a new rack. :-/