Sticky steering

[Tanuktun]

I've been running tsp for a while now, so far my only issues have been factory defects. One noted by cristian brothers during an oil change ended up being a failed carrier bearing.

Last month I went in because I was finally fed up with this awkward jerky sticky feeling. Was thinking it was the electric power steering or maybe some weird mechanical thing. I had to go back twice cause the first time the tech said he just "tightened everything down" and granted I didn't notice it but then a week later it came back. Took it back in and they said they feel it too still. The head tech diagnosed it and it ended up being the clock spring in the steering wheel, people call it different things. Hour later, it's gone and back to smooth rolling.

Both of these issues happened under 25k miles. I've had the tuner since I got the car because I swapped my sedan for hatch.

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[SnappingCobra]

I've been running tsp for a while now, so far my only issues have been factory defects. One noted by cristian brothers during an oil change ended up being a failed carrier bearing.

Last month I went in because I was finally fed up with this awkward jerky sticky feeling. Was thinking it was the electric power steering or maybe some weird mechanical thing. I had to go back twice cause the first time the tech said he just "tightened everything down" and granted I didn't notice it but then a week later it came back. Took it back in and they said they feel it too still. The head tech diagnosed it and it ended up being the clock spring in the steering wheel, people call it different things. Hour later, it's gone and back to smooth rolling.

Both of these issues happened under 25k miles. I've had the tuner since I got the car because I swapped my sedan for hatch.

I’m having a problem with my steering as well lately. It’s like it’s sticky and jerky feeling when driving, causing me to have to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to center. Obviously more noticeable with highway driving. Can you please elaborate more on what your issue was with your steering so I can see if perhaps my situation is the same as yours?

 

[Tanuktun]

I’m having a problem with my steering as well lately. It’s like it’s sticky and jerky feeling when driving, causing me to have to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to center. Obviously more noticeable with highway driving. Can you please elaborate more on what your issue was with your steering so I can see if perhaps my situation is the same as yours?

Sounds the same. It wasn't consistent but you feel it mostly when holding turns like an exchange ramp or in a parking lot when navigating. And if you turn off your radio, roll down the window and hat a distinct click or pop when it snaps loose, that's exactly what mine was doing

 

[SnappingCobra]

Hmmm, it could be similar or perhaps not. Mine is most noticeable like when trying to stay straight in a lane, like when trying to make minor adjustments left or right, it would feel like the steering wheel will stick, causing it to jerk more in the direction I’m trying to steer, which causes slight over steering and having to correct back the other direction. It doesn’t happen all the time though. It’s random, but once it starts doing it, it stays that way till I’m done driving.

 

[Tanuktun]

Hmmm, it could be similar or perhaps not. Mine is most noticeable like when trying to stay straight in a lane, like when trying to make minor adjustments left or right, it would feel like the steering wheel will stick, causing it to jerk more in the direction I’m trying to steer, which causes slight over steering and having to correct back the other direction. It doesn’t happen all the time though. It’s random, but once it starts doing it, it stays that way till I’m done driving.

Sounds worth asking the question cause that was my second defective part on the car. Took an hour to replace. I was antsy of my airbag going off on me after lol. It controls the power steering, volume controls, horn, everything in the column.

 

[neonjed]

Have you tried putting it in sport mode?

 

[LexiR]

I’m having a problem with my steering as well lately. It’s like it’s sticky and jerky feeling when driving, causing me to have to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to center. Obviously more noticeable with highway driving. Can you please elaborate more on what your issue was with your steering so I can see if perhaps my situation is the same as yours?

Please report this issue to the NHTSA. This issue is widely identified by majority of Honda owners however, it is not currently a recall yet until the NHTSA passes it as a safety hazard. Dealing with Honda about this problem will result in a headache and looking at about $4K in repairs to this vehicle issue. According to the service department it is likely the steering rack pinion and this part is on back order because so many individuals are having complications with this. Dealerships have gotten much better at avoiding high cost recalls so they will charge you an arm and a leg to have it fixed and lets not forget the already $100 inspection fee on top of it. I have contacted the NHTSA and they stated that nothing can be done unless they get enough people to pass this as a recall. From the sounds of it they are waiting for those complaints or worse, someone to perish from the very possible chance of a serious crash. The process to submit this complaint is a very manageable, and crucial to the foreseeable future of safety moving forward for all Honda owners or even anyone with a similar point at issue. I highly advise doing this to save a life, save the money in your pocket and raise awareness for dealerships not wanting to accept the ramifications of THEIR engineering, rather than vehicle owners having to pay that price may it be with their wallet or unfortunately their life.

 

[LexiR]

I've been running tsp for a while now, so far my only issues have been factory defects. One noted by cristian brothers during an oil change ended up being a failed carrier bearing.

Last month I went in because I was finally fed up with this awkward jerky sticky feeling. Was thinking it was the electric power steering or maybe some weird mechanical thing. I had to go back twice cause the first time the tech said he just "tightened everything down" and granted I didn't notice it but then a week later it came back. Took it back in and they said they feel it too still. The head tech diagnosed it and it ended up being the clock spring in the steering wheel, people call it different things. Hour later, it's gone and back to smooth rolling.

Both of these issues happened under 25k miles. I've had the tuner since I got the car because I swapped my sedan for hatch.

Please report this issue to the NHTSA. This issue is widely identified by majority of Honda owners however, it is not currently a recall yet until the NHTSA passes it as a safety hazard. Dealing with Honda about this problem will result in a headache and looking at about $4K in repairs to this vehicle issue. According to the service department it is likely the steering rack pinion and this part is on back order because so many individuals are having complications with this. Dealerships have gotten much better at avoiding high cost recalls so they will charge you an arm and a leg to have it fixed and lets not forget the already $100 inspection fee on top of it. I have contacted the NHTSA and they stated that nothing can be done unless they get enough people to pass this as a recall. From the sounds of it they are waiting for those complaints or worse, someone to perish from the very possible chance of a serious crash. The process to submit this complaint is a very manageable, and crucial to the foreseeable future of safety moving forward for all Honda owners or even anyone with a similar point at issue. I highly advise doing this to save a life, save the money in your pocket and raise awareness for dealerships not wanting to accept the ramifications of THEIR engineering, rather than vehicle owners having to pay that price may it be with their wallet or unfortunately their life.

 

[LexiR]

I’m having a problem with my steering as well lately. It’s like it’s sticky and jerky feeling when driving, causing me to have to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to center. Obviously more noticeable with highway driving. Can you please elaborate more on what your issue was with your steering so I can see if perhaps my situation is the same as yours?

Please report this issue to the NHTSA. This issue is widely identified by majority of Honda owners however, it is not currently a recall yet until the NHTSA passes it as a safety hazard. Dealing with Honda about this problem will result in a headache and looking at about $4K in repairs to this vehicle issue. According to the service department it is likely the steering rack pinion and this part is on back order because so many individuals are having complications with this. Dealerships have gotten much better at avoiding high cost recalls so they will charge you an arm and a leg to have it fixed and lets not forget the already $100 inspection fee on top of it. I have contacted the NHTSA and they stated that nothing can be done unless they get enough people to pass this as a recall. From the sounds of it they are waiting for those complaints or worse, someone to perish from the very possible chance of a serious crash. The process to submit this complaint is a very manageable, and crucial to the foreseeable future of safety moving forward for all Honda owners or even anyone with a similar point at issue. I highly advise doing this to save a life, save the money in your pocket and raise awareness for dealerships not wanting to accept the ramifications of THEIR engineering, rather than vehicle owners having to pay that price may it be with their wallet or unfortunately their life.

 

[casper]

I had weird/off steering before, but an alignment fixed it.

 

[JustAHatchback]

Hmmm, it could be similar or perhaps not. Mine is most noticeable like when trying to stay straight in a lane, like when trying to make minor adjustments left or right, it would feel like the steering wheel will stick, causing it to jerk more in the direction I’m trying to steer, which causes slight over steering and having to correct back the other direction. It doesn’t happen all the time though. It’s random, but once it starts doing it, it stays that way till I’m done driving.

Did you ever resolve this issue? I have a similar issue and can't seem to figure it out...

 

[ajwalter89]

With the warmer weather this has started again for me. Has anyone found a definitive fix for this, or at the very least a way to get the dealership to acknowledge it? Last year around this time I went and they just told me they can’t feel it and never heard what I’m talking about. It’s coming down to most likely having to sell my car, while I don’t really want to do.

 

[dt10g]

I've posted about Sticky Steering here before, and provided links off to another forum and a YouTube video where the issue was more widely discussed.

I will try and dig that up later, but have a Search under my username related to Steering, EPS, etc.

The clock spring thing noted earlier in this thread is interesting, that seems like a cheap thing to try, but most of the issues that I have seen diagnosed involved replacing the EPS rack. Not cheap. The part is nearly $2K CAD and the labour would also be expensive as they have to drop the sub-frame.

Please also try your car with VSA (stability) on and off...

VSA is one of the systems that can dick with your steering inputs.

If you have any other nanny systems, try disabling those also - it may not solve your problem but then you can at least rule things out for your technican.

Someone shared some technical service manual before that REALLY explained what the car is doing. Once you know those factors, you can at least explain your issue to your service tech with that context.

I have yet to try and recreate the problem myself with VSA off, since it requires a long straight highway drive... but I have a long drive planned Monday and a very long drive next Saturday, so I will be sure and test this during those trips. I have no other nanny systems like LaneWatch or anything like that.

PS.
Update: some further reading as promised ...

This thread had the links to the YouTube guy etc.
He gives an excellent summary.

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/2018-ex-t-steering.79940/#post-1213980

This thread had a bunch of related links...

https://www.civicx.com/forum/thread...st-used-honda-civic.85733/page-2#post-1291764

This next thread was primarily driven by me wanting to get rid of Power Steering, but the Field Service manual was supplied by another member, and half-way through this post, I summarized my own sticky steering experience against the relevant factors that I had read in that manual. So you can read the manual yourself if you want, or you can just steal my diagnosis factors... it's under the heading "More on the Problem Side (...)"

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/disable-electric-power-steering-eps.85899/page-3#post-1291651

 

[CMeehan]

Report this to NHTSA. https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#vehicle/form-submit.

this should be recalled and fixed. Definitely a poor design and faulty part.

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