Steering Loosen up after break-in?

[Accathla]

So far loving this Car and not missing my old one at all. But something i just noticed last week is that the steering has loosened up alot. It still responds to all the inputs fine but the resistance in the steering is not like it used to be and personally liked there being a bit of resistance in the wheel. Now it sorta feels to much like my 08 Lancer I had before in how loose it is.

I got the car back in August 1st and has 3200 miles on it now. Is it normal after some time for the steering to do this? I heard some members mention that the car "comes alive" after couple thousand miles....

[CBR600RR]

Maybe you are just getting used to the car?

I just don't see how the steering would loosen up to a noticeable amount.

[Accathla]

Most likely just feels so different. And never heard of a car steering feel change like this after a while nor have any of my previous cars steering changed like this. You would think if i was just getting used to it i would gradually adjust and not notice anything but couples months loving the steering and then one week feeling completely different.

[Dake]

Obvious question, but you didn't change the tires or wheels did you?

[Accathla]

nope still all stock.

[ahausheer]

could be tire pressure. experiment with that, it can very significantly change steering effort.

[Accathla]

Ye thats what i was thinking about tire pressue. Just put some air in the tires today and one was really low, the back driver side. I can see high tire pressure making causing the steering to loosen up. Least in my lancer when the air was low vs being at the correct pressure felt like night and day. But the tire pressure was low.

Theres a topic on the suspension technical forums where the guy describes it as a floating feeling it described it perfectly.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20857

[Subie]

It could perhaps be your tire pressure or alignment. The steering itself should not have changed; the members to which you refer were most likely speaking of the engine; I noticed a definitive increase in power as I put on a few miles.

I have noticed that my BRZ has become more floaty on the highway than it was when I first bought it. I noticed an improvement when I added air to my tires before my last road trip, but the benefit was short-lived. I have a feeling all the potholes where I live (not all are avoidable) may have caused a slight change in the alignment, if the tire pressure isn't solely to blame.

[BMWDavid]

I have noticed this on my BRZ. I'm at 4900 miles and I like the fact that it has become a bit more "free" feeling. When I bought the car I thought there was a bit of stiction in the steering. Now I'm more pleased with the overall feeling of the steering.

[nedmundo]

Tire wear could have something to do with this, but maybe electrically assisted steering does somehow "break in." I thought the steering feel changed a little in my TSX in the early months, but I assumed it was tire related.

[Bg8780]

I have also felt a difference. I think it has to do with the electronic steering. A few months ago I spun the car out in an empty parking lot. After all the aids seemed to come into play (TCS was in sport) the steering was significantly looser. Even a bit of it's axis it seemed. I almost immediatly turned the car completely off and turned it back on. After the car "rebooted" it went back to normal. I thought this was a bit strange.

[Razz]

Impossible with electronic steering.

Your feeling more confident and now now how easy it is to spin it out with those skinny tires.

However if they used fish oil in the shocks... Thhey could be wearing out quickly.

[Burrcold]

I posted this in another topic, but figured my experience should be in the BRZ section as well.

Funny that you wrote this, as I was just logging on to try to explain this exact same feeling (mostly while driving in a straight line, and at freeway speeds). Kind of like the rear is planted, but the front not so much, and a VERY similar feeling to other cars I've owned moving around, but that would be on a windy day.

Strange feeling that maybe I'll get used to, but reading all the reviews about how balanced the car is, and planted, I was beginning to think something was wrong.

I've also got the little bit of play in the steering wheel before the car actually moves left to right (as in I can do a little left right left right jerk to the steering wheel a few degrees, and the car will stay straight).

Strange indeed.

[BMWDavid]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

I posted this in another topic, but figured my experience should be in the BRZ section as well.

Funny that you wrote this, as I was just logging on to try to explain this exact same feeling (mostly while driving in a straight line, and at freeway speeds). Kind of like the rear is planted, but the front not so much, and a VERY similar feeling to other cars I've owned moving around, but that would be on a windy day.

Strange feeling that maybe I'll get used to, but reading all the reviews about how balanced the car is, and planted, I was beginning to think something was wrong.

I've also got the little bit of play in the steering wheel before the car actually moves left to right (as in I can do a little left right left right jerk to the steering wheel a few degrees, and the car will stay straight).

Strange indeed.

This is pretty much what I felt at first. Now with 5,750 miles the steering is great. Dead nuts tight on center with no stiction...move the steering wheel just a fraction either way and the car responds. Pretty amazing for the price this car sells for.