Weak Self-centering steering?

[bus_ter]

My little Jazz is new to me. I haven't noticed the notchy steering others have described but I have noticed a generally weak self-centering effect. I find it gets back to about 45def and you have to give it a little help to straighten it up.

Is this normal? I'm wondering if I need a caster alignment or something?

[Jocko]

I'm having mine done on Monday. I'll let you know if it makes a difference to the steering.

[sparky Paul]

From what you say, I would say that you are probably experiencing the normal 'dead' feeling of the Jazz steering.

The self-centreing is generally quite weak. If you drive down the centre of a quiet straight road with a normal crown, it should feel okay on the crown of the road, on the left side of the road it will struggle to centre from a left input, and on the right, it will struggle to centre from a right input. This is how mine is, and as far as I know, this is quite normal.

If you feel it is excessive, get the front wheel alignment checked for excessive toe-out, look for the tell tale feathering of the tread on the insides of the tyres. Mine was terrible for centreing when I got it, the front toe was a mile out when I checked it.

The notchy feel that many complain of is really odd. If you hold a steering position around centre for more than a few seconds, the wheel becomes 'stuck' and needs a little more pressure to overcome this - it gives suddenly and the wheel turns normally. This effect is a common issue, but can be very subtle... and once you notice it, it drives you nuts.

[MikeG1944]

The notchy feel that many complain of is really odd. If you hold a steering position around centre for more than a few seconds, the wheel becomes 'stuck' and needs a little more pressure to overcome this - it gives suddenly and the wheel turns normally. This effect is a common issue, but can be very subtle... and once you notice it, it drives you nuts.

The steering anomaly is the only thing I don't like about the Jazz; due to it's electric power steering.
Never been experienced with any other car I've owned. Constantly correcting it to keep it straight.
One thing I have noticed is that the drivers behind me seem to leave quite a large space behind me LOL! 

[sparky Paul]

The steering anomaly is the only thing I don't like about the Jazz; due to it's electric power steering.
Never been experienced with any other car I've owned. Constantly correcting it to keep it straight.
One thing I have noticed is that the drivers behind me seem to leave quite a large space behind me LOL! 

I would call it a fault, rather than an 'anomaly'.

Ours hasn't done this since I removed the steering wheel and replaced it with a nearly new one. It sounds unlikely, but I must have done something to the rack or column when I thumped the old wheel upwards to free the splines off. If it did come back, the first thing I would do it give the steering wheel another good thumping!

[bus_ter]

I've had a fair bit more time driving the Jazz now. I'm starting to pick up on the slightly notchy steering effect. The steering in general is pretty rubbish -the worst of any car I've driven. I'm still noticing the weak self-centering effect, especially when I jump in from my other car. Wear on the tyres looks even at the moment but I will keep an eye on it.

However I have to remember this was a cheap second car I picked up as a runabout/Winter driver so I can live with a less than perfect drive. I don't want to be throwing money at it but may find somewhere cheap for a basic alignment check.

[Jocko]

My alignment check cost me £29. I will try it tomorrow, on the new, smooth, M90, and see if the steering feels smoother. I have never had a problem round town, and that is all I have driven since getting the alignment adjusted.

[sparky Paul]

I can live with the dead steering feel and lack of self-centreing, but the notchiness thing is horrible. It's like the the column is rotating in a tight rubber bush.

[Jocko]

I am not sure if the alignment adjustment made any difference to my steering. I don't particularly feel there is a lack of self centring with my car. Under normal driving the steering feels fine. heavier than the Volvo the Jazz replaced, but I always felt that was too light to be ideal.
The only thing I find with my Jazz is that on a smooth level road, at around 50 - 60 mph, the steering is quite firm, but at the centre spot there is just a vague, lightness. That is the only complaint I have about the steering.

[Kenneve]

I'm not sure about a weak self cantering action, if you let the wheel go from full lock, it will spin back to centre very easily. What I find is a tendency to wander from a straight line when cruising at 70 on a motorway and the need to continually make minor corrections to maintain direction.

[MikeG1944]

What I find is a tendency to wander from a straight line when cruising at 70 on a motorway and the need to continually make minor corrections to maintain direction.

Exactly; and mine seems to do that on minor roads too; to be honest I didn't think it had any self-centering steering at all when in the forward driving situation. I thought it simply stayed in the same direction where you left it after altering the wheel.

[Jocko]

What I find is a tendency to wander from a straight line when cruising at 70 on a motorway and the need to continually make minor corrections to maintain direction.

That is the same with any car I have ever driven and it is a result of camber on the road. Where the Jazz shows this up is in the vague centre spot, which amplifies the effect of making steering corrections. If there was the same resistance throughout the movement of the wheel you would not be aware of it, but the Jazz electric power steering, with the light centre spot, shows it up rather than hiding it.

[culzean]

Unfortunately Honda were at the forefront of EPS and its first iteration was probably a bit of a beta version.  I posted a few weeks ago that one of the changes from mk1 to mk2 was revised steering geometry and increasing EPS current from 40 amps to 60 amps - steering on mk2 was much improved (although to be honest we never really had a problem on our mk1's in the steering department ). Servo systems work on an 'error' (and system tries to correct that error) it may be that the low power of the assist motor and the less than perfect sensors in the mk1 especially around the straight ahead position ( may be a flat spot in sensor range) contribute to vague feeling and lack of centring that drivers complain about - one thing is for sure though, the small turning circle on the Jazz is useful.

[Jocko]

although to be honest we never really had a problem on our mk1's in the steering department

It never bothered me and I would never have given it a second thought if I hadn't read comments here. I cut my teeth on cars with recirculating-ball steering, with all the precision of a marshmallow. No power steering, so much slack and cross-ply tyres meant you just had to point the thing somewhere roughly in the direction you hoped to go!
Jazz steering is wonderful compared to that.

[culzean]

Jazz steering is wonderful compared to that.

People's expectations keep rising, can you believe that nowadays some people want cars that steer themselves and  park themselves  .