Technical Steering wheel not returning..

[Pepandaros]

Hi all,

Although I bought it back in October last year I just started to use my 1.2 for commuting to work this week and I noticed that the steering wheel doesn't return to neutral on "higher" speed like bends on motorways but it seems fine at lower speeds in town (where I test drove the car before purchase).

I see lots of power steering threads but this issue seems not discussed before, any thoughts or advice where to start looking please?

 

[The Panda Nut]

if the power steering is not heavy, I would suspect the strut top bearings. Not an expensive fix on the whole.

 

[koalar]

The amount of assistance is proportional to speed

Almost all the centreing is done electrically, so at higher speed there is very little self centering almost zero

Are you sure that's not normal

If the city button is pressed the steering doesn't feel great at 50ish MPH

When the suspension arms rear bushes are worn, the car will not steer as expect at speed and you have to make constant correction, very common, needs checking as you haven't had the car long.

 

[Pepandaros]

I never use the city button as the steering is very light anyway and I use both the 1.1 and the 1.2 for the same regular journeys.
The 1.1 has a large amount of body roll, I guess due unbalanced suspension setup as the rear springs and axle are replaced and the front springs seem low and tired but the steering is very light and smooth. I do compare the steering behavior between the two at the same corners and long faster bends and the 1.1 does return to neutral anytime which feels normal whether the 1.2 seem to have the orginal springs and is a way better ride regarding stabillty in corners but the steering feels ever so slighty heavier which I thought that could be due different make tyres. It feels very odd when the 1.2 keeps following the curve by itself apart from sharper lower speeds corners.
I will investigate the above and report back

 

[koalar]

Having two cars makes life simpler

It's simple to confirm or eliminate the control arm

Drive the car forward a few feet and hit the brake
Drive the car backwards a few feet and hit the brake

Observer the wheel in the wheel arch forwards to rear movement, if there's nobody to help you can take a video and compare from side to side and between the two cars