[Mac545]

Is anyone else thinking/feeling the electric power steering is absolutely horrible!?
It’s starting to ruin my long commutes, mainly on motorway/highway driving, but I also feel it on faster country roads too. (I don’t really feel it when slower, below 40mph, and moving the wheel more often)

The issue is…you can’t make small adjustments….its as if the electric motor switches off and the steering wheel gets “stuck” in a dead spot, and then if you try and turn either way to stay in lane, or tighten the turn slightly there’s a resistance that you need to “push” past to make any difference….which usually goes too far of that required……(only a slight touch left or right was needed)
And this goes on and on and on…….so you end up constantly correcting either way….
It doesn’t make for a relaxing drive!!

Weirdly…. No reviews mention this, nor has anyone else on here…..wondered if I need to take to a dealer, or this is just normal now…??

(I did experience this also in my old ‘17 X5)

* I have had other cars with electric power steering and never had this issue….seems to only be with the BMW’s I’ve had

[PsychDoc]

Though the steering is a bit light, I find it to be pretty linear and responsive.

[RichardInCA]

I’m not experiencing that with my M60 and I’m driving highway/motorways on a regular basis. Is there any chance that this is related to the lane keeping function?

[PsychDoc]

This?

[COBodom]

No issues with the steering here. It's fast and precise.

I much prefer it over the heavier G30 steering.

[Mac545]

It’s not the assist- I can feel that when it kicks in.

It’s as if when the steering wheel is not moving the power assist servos switch off and the wheel gets “stuck” in its present position So when I try to adjust a little, eg the bend tightens up etc, there’s a very noticeable resistance to push through to get any small corrections, and the servos “wake up” and kick in and over assist.

The wheel can’t be turned smoothly and make little adjustments….it’s really annoying!

Only seems to be on higher speed roads (45/50mph+)

[PsychDoc]

That doesn't sound right. Maybe a trip to the dealership's service department is in order. As you said earlier, I don't recall anyone noticing or talking about this in any review or discussion I've read or seen so it's likely a problem of some sort. I hope they can diagnosis it and get it fixed for you.

[AddyDaddy]

Sounds like the assistance is kicking in or something’s not right. Turn assistance totally off and see if it’s still happening. Sorry if someone already suggested that.

[elbmw]

Originally Posted by Mac545

Is anyone else thinking/feeling the electric power steering is absolutely horrible!?
It’s starting to ruin my long commutes, mainly on motorway/highway driving, but I also feel it on faster country roads too. (I don’t really feel it when slower, below 40mph, and moving the wheel more often)

The issue is…you can’t make small adjustments….its as if the electric motor switches off and the steering wheel gets “stuck” in a dead spot, and then if you try and turn either way to stay in lane, or tighten the turn slightly there’s a resistance that you need to “push” past to make any difference….which usually goes too far of that required……(only a slight touch left or right was needed)
And this goes on and on and on…….so you end up constantly correcting either way….
It doesn’t make for a relaxing drive!!

Weirdly…. No reviews mention this, nor has anyone else on here…..wondered if I need to take to a dealer, or this is just normal now…??

(I did experience this also in my old ‘17 X5)

* I have had other cars with electric power steering and never had this issue….seems to only be with the BMW’s I’ve had

Ha! I was thinking for a week or so about creating a thread about how horrible the steering is.

I got my e40 three weeks ago and thought I'd get used to the feel but I came to the conclusion that I simply can't fully rely on it, especially at high speeds.

I also feel like mine switches on/off for a millisecond or changes the angle at one degree more or less without me controlling it. It's hard to describe the feeling.

I also noticed that the lane assist is acting differently than in G30 and thought about completely disabling it. Will see if that helps.

But it definitely sounds like it's time to visit the dealer.

[PsychDoc]

On a long highway drive today I think I felt what others have described. At higher speeds it feels like when turning slightly (mostly to the right), the steering wheel gives you a little resistance when you want it to come back to the center. It's easily overcome and is not present at all at speeds under 40-50mph. It does kind of feel like the car's nanny system is trying to do something that you don't want it to do but I'm not sure. This is going to be a hard one to describe and have the service department replicate but I probably will bring it in to have it checked out. As much as I really don't want to bring it in for this, I know it's going to bug me until I do. Otherwise the car is flawless. Ughhhhh. I hate little gremlins like this.

[Scrapula]

Definitely, if you try to change lanes or start to veer out of your lane, it will try to nudge you back. I turned my lane keep assist off and it is perfect.

[elbmw]

So I completely disabled the lane departure assist, and while it seems to have made the steering feel much more consistent, it still feels slightly unnatural right around the dead center.

BTW, the blind spot assist still interferes with the steering.

I also remembered that I did have a similar issue once with my F30 340i but it was a bit more pronounced, also around the dead center, and happened around 10Kmi.
It took multiple visits to figure the issue out, only the shop foreman was able to notice the issue. The steering rack had to be replaced.

[richpat69]

Originally Posted by COBodom

No issues with the steering here. It's fast and precise.

I much prefer it over the heavier G30 steering.

I was quite surprised over how much lighter the G-60 steering is compared to the G-30. You get used to it. At low speeds the lighter feel seems more noticeable.

[elbmw]

Originally Posted by richpat69

I was quite surprised over how much lighter the G-60 steering is compared to the G-30. You get used to it. At low speeds the lighter feel seems more noticeable.

So it's also very light in the 540iX as well?
I was wondering if BMW programmed the steering in the gas version any different.

[Mac545]

Originally Posted by Scrapula

Definitely, if you try to change lanes or start to veer out of your lane, it will try to nudge you back. I turned my lane keep assist off and it is perfect.

When you turn it off does it re-activate again after switching off the car then on again…? (Like the speed limit warning?)

[Scrapula]

Originally Posted by Mac545

When you turn it off does it re-activate again after switching off the car then on again…? (Like the speed limit warning?)

No, it stays off. In the US, the speed limit warning stays off as well.

[Nighthawks]

Originally Posted by Scrapula

Definitely, if you try to change lanes or start to veer out of your lane, it will try to nudge you back. I turned my lane keep assist off and it is perfect.

I actually like to keep lane assist on. There are some terrible drivers here in North Carolina.

[Mac545]

Originally Posted by Scrapula

No, it stays off. In the US, the speed limit warning stays off as well.

Lucky for you guys! lol. Here in uk I need to disable speed limit warning EVERY single drive…..not that I go above obviously….

I tried switching everything off and still have steering issues, (I knew it wasn’t the assistance anyway, but thought I’d try).
It’s bordering on dangerous now, as when in less wide lanes through roadworks on motorway, it “jumps” as if stuck when I want to adjust ever so slightly.
Weirdly it’s not consistent with speed or roads either, so think a dealer visit is required…..

[Martin751]

Hi Mac545,
yeah, I'm happy to see your thread. As I face to exactly the same problem!
I got 530e, and driving at high speed is horribly bad. Service- "no issue". However what they do is just a crap not a service.
anyway, the most important question: have you solved problem?
In my 530e they change steering gear, but nothing improved.
Service has no idea how to fix problem, so they try to persadue me, that there is "all ok", while I know, and you know, it is not.
My car is driving like cheap remote model toy, where you can turn left or right, and never go really straight on.
I hope you already fixed problem and will tell me some advices, please.

Originally Posted by Mac545

Lucky for you guys! lol. Here in uk I need to disable speed limit warning EVERY single drive…..not that I go above obviously….

I tried switching everything off and still have steering issues, (I knew it wasn’t the assistance anyway, but thought I’d try).
It’s bordering on dangerous now, as when in less wide lanes through roadworks on motorway, it “jumps” as if stuck when I want to adjust ever so slightly.
Weirdly it’s not consistent with speed or roads either, so think a dealer visit is required…..

[Mac545]

Originally Posted by Martin751

Hi Mac545,
yeah, I'm happy to see your thread. As I face to exactly the same problem!
I got 530e, and driving at high speed is horribly bad. Service- "no issue". However what they do is just a crap not a service.
anyway, the most important question: have you solved problem?
In my 530e they change steering gear, but nothing improved.
Service has no idea how to fix problem, so they try to persadue me, that there is "all ok", while I know, and you know, it is not.
My car is driving like cheap remote model toy, where you can turn left or right, and never go really straight on.
I hope you already fixed problem and will tell me some advices, please.

I’ll let you know how it goes…..but it definitely doesn’t feel right.

[Dragonfly Trumpeter]

I always leave my lane assistance on, it is excellent for keeping your road position on boring motorway / highway drives when you may 'drift'. But I do feel a little resistance if I cut the line a bit and way more noticeable, obviously, if I forget to signal that I am actually changing lane.

I think the steering and handling are brilliant, much better and lighter than I expected in such a heavy car to be honest.

[Martin751]

Originally Posted by Mac545

I’ll let you know how it goes…..but it definitely doesn’t feel right.

It is horrible. Dangerous at higher speed.
And, I did test drive with i5, 520d, and other 530e.
All of them goes normally and no issue like mine (ours).
But dealer is hopeless, no solution.
So far, I still have MB e-class, where driving is totally comfortable, car is handling stable as rock. It can not be rule of BMW, it is issue of my 530e.