Hi Im new to this forum. I've just bought a punto active 3 weeks ago (04 plate) and I was wondering it it will do my car any harm if I leave the city steering switched on all the time? the reason I ask is I took it for a new exhaust because the old one fell off when i went over a small bump :bang: and the guy who fixed it (someone i've known for years) told me they break down quite often and they are a few grand to get fixed so should i keep it on or off ?

thanks in advance

Even when it's switched-off the power steering is still active, the CITY button 'boosts' the assistance when you want it.

It does no harm to leave it on.

They're also under £500 to fix (worst-case senario)

boyd said:

the guy who fixed it (someone i've known for years) told me they break down quite often and they are a few grand to get fixed so should i keep it on or off ?

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Dont believe all you hear

thanks for your quick reply god this forum is quick

Us Fiat Techs don't have much of a life!

boyd said:

thanks for your quick reply god this forum is quick

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best forum on net mate

hmm i would never use it, seems most of the people who post that theirs is broke are girly button users

I use mine for parking as i'm crap at it

Have never turned ours off in the whole life of both cars. No issues.

We had a Maestro Clubman diesel once without power steering and it took around 50lbs of force to do U turns. 100lbs for a 3 pointer. We used to drive right around the block to avoid this but it still developed us the best deltoid muscles in town.

I think the 2 stage power steering, with its automatic switch to the second setting at higher speeds, is one of the best things about the Punto.

Would be a shame not to use the cars features, like only using one door for fear of getting problems with the other

Regards

it will reduce assistance once it reaches a certain mph,so leave it on all the time adn don't worry!

overassisted steering at high speed would lead to so many crashes, so fiat/all manufacturers have to control at what speds it works.

Kristian

And high assistance at low speed gives a quicker emergency swerve which might just get you that edge to avoid a car backing out of a drive straight at you. ( dont ask)

I left mine on for 5 mins while waiting for a parking space and it turned all the power stearing off
Restarted engine and power steering back
use it only for reverse parking at collage
and other tight spots

I drive without it, cause for me it would be perfect it it was on until 5mph, and then off, cause like this you can get up to 25-30mph and its still on, just doesnt feel natural for me

Oh yeah, and I also like this forum

dave said:

girly button users

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exactly right, i never use it . . . other than when i first got it and i impressed everyone how i could turn from lock to lock with one 'fling'

Oh ye, the forum's awesome

oktopod said:

its still on, just doesnt feel natural for me
:

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Thats exactly how it first felt for me. But if you leave it on all the time for a week and try a bit of `drifting` on a wide greasy roundabout, I found all the `feel` you need comes through the seat of your pants.ie the seat.
I think it actually makes you more sensitive to loss of grip, front AND back. As you feel it all move at both ends, while with it on the high setting ( more so with a car with no power steering) you`re just focussing on the steering itself, lightening as the front end loses grip.

its for old ladies you lot be driving in a pair of slippers soon :devil:

dave said:

its for old ladies you lot be driving in a pair of slippers soon :devil:

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I already am Dave

I've never used the city button, it scares the hell outta me!
Its just too light! Little finger moves the steering wheel from one side to the other.

it turns off over 30mpg AFAIK.

using it is probably better than not using it.

30 mph