[raghukodali]

Our 2018 Baleno ALP CVT had the same "not returning to centre" issue when we bought the car. We ignored it as it did not create a big trouble for us.

After crossing the 25000km mark, it started improving and now at 40000km mark on ODO, the steering is returning to centre reasonably well.


OT

While driving on ghat sections on my Innova, I have realised that it is much more comfortable to the passengers if I centre manually on the winding roads and not let it centre back on its own. So especially on the winding roads, I started to have more manual control over the steering and never letting it centre back on its own.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

Do you also realise that most driving schools (which usually deploy MSIL cars) also advocate manual return to centre by pulling and easing with either hand, without crossing hands. I have seen a lot of Learning drivers struggle with this during turns. This shouldn't have to be so if they had proper self-centering.

They teach it whatever car they use for training. Because it is a basic skill the driver must possess. Like navigating by stars is still taught to navy/merchant navy cadets, even though modern ships come with all kinds of gizmos, some even redundant, for navigation.

My son finished driving school and got his license in December'20. They used three different cars during his three week training. A Santro, Swift and Dezire. I find he instinctively corrects the steering after U turns, even though the car self corrects.

[John P Daniel]

I use self centering feature in almost all instances I make an U turn. Hydraulic units relied on steering geometry for self centering. I drove a poorly maintained Manza once and it had self centering issues. Reason for this was that the camber adjustments were way off. The car held it's lines in straights but after a turn, the steering does not return.
On a similar note, a Nano EPS had similar issue and the root cause was that the steering centre was not taught to the EPS ECU. The issue was that, after an accident repair, the steering rack was not perfectly centred and this caused an error with the EPS steering angle sensor. Due to this the steering wheel centre was not recognised and registered. The power assist was present but the self centering feature was disabled. This could be a similar issue since it's required to do steering wheel centre learning procedure in EPS units after a wheel alignment procedure.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

If I remember correctly, the IS standard for returnablity of a steering is ~75 percent for a power steering from the lock position at a speed of 10 +/- 2 kmph. The tyre has to have 90 % of the tread remaining. Do check in this exact condition and confirm the observations. This I assume should be met. Everything else is desirable ��.
The returnablity decreases with an increase in the assist provided. So in order to have a very light steering, you would need to compromise the returnablity effect.

[WhiteSierra]

I don't know if this is a right thread to post my issue or not, but my city beater car, the 2012 Wagon R LXI CNG has the same issue (steering wheel centering) after 40 K kms PMS. Prior to that the steering was butter smooth, but it had an alignment issue, the regular wheel alignment shop (Mohan Chandra wheel alignment shop) where I frequent to suggested that there is a 1 degree off on the lower arms, they were kind enough to write the issue on the bill. I got the WA & WB done at 38 K kms. When I took the car to 40 K kms PMS at Varun Motors, Begumpet I asked them to check suspension parts and also mentioned what the wheel alignment guys told and asked them to replace lower arms if needed apart from regular scheduled service. They replaced both the lower arms and after that the electronic power steering started to feel hard, and also wouldn't center after a U turn. I guess the service people messed up something while repairing my suspension components. The SA told that the tyres were a little asymmetric due to wear and tear and he explained this for hardness. I'm still unable to find solution for this, what do you guys think?

[thesidmania]

I had a similar steering behaviour with my 2011 i10 and didn't even notice it for years until someone else drove the car and pointed it out to me. I won't call it a problem because I had become habituated to it unknowingly and it didn't bother me anymore. Had given the car for detailing and the shop owner took me on a drive in my car and then his Punto to show me what exactly the problem was. I was that oblivious to it. It shows how an external driver can notice things in your car, you never might.

That said, the next time the car went for service to Hyundai I pointed out this problem. The service advisor said they'll have to adjust the EPS to make it lighter. In the end, the steering was a bit lighter than before but it still didn't centre on releasing. So, I went to them again and was given a test drive in another i10 automatic and it had the same exact steering behaviour. Strange! Looks like its not just Maruti, but Hyundai might be plagued with this problem as well.

Would love to know if any i10 owners on this forum had the same steering behaviour.

[Shwet]

I never faced this issue in my Ertiga till now. So i guess this could be a problem in the newer batches. It's hardly surprising though , Maruti these days is hell bent on compromising a lot in the basic quality of components. However I guess every manufacturer with a few honorable exceptions is indulging in such tactics. Just see what the Korean twins are doing by loading their cars with every possible gizmo but failing spectacularly in Mechanical's (Brakes) and structure of the bodyshell.

The Problem is not that such an issue has arisen , it can very well happen with any automobile manufacturer that some issues will periodically crop up, it's the attitude to rectify those issues is what counts.

[anb]

The steering of some Suzuki’s feels weird. I recently drove a friend’s 2017 Baleno. Steering feels lifeless and doesn’t return to centre.

[StarBoard]

Originally Posted by YD14

I can second those observations in my second gen Swift Dzire. While the high speed behavior of the steering is rather sorted out, at slow speeds the steering is heavy and requires a lot of effort to turn and to center back.

I would like to add another observation of my own. At speeds above 30kmph, the steering remains dead at center position and slowly turning the wheel in either direction by small angles (like 5-10 degrees) has very little effect to car. Turn it faster by the same angle and the car changes direction abruptly requiring correction. Though it is toned down at higher speed of say 80kmph so it is not dangerous, but the jerk and required correction are annoying. Those who have driven the car for long enough (like my father) do not notice it, but that is no excuse to provide poorly calibrated steering.

I own a second generation Dzire (2012) and I do not have any of the issues highlighted here. Maybe there are issues with individual steering systems. Yes, the steering is a bit heavy at low speeds but it does center back even in city driving. The non-centering issues are in the newer Marutis I think.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by d3mon

Self centering is a convenience feature of the car. If the steering geometry of the car doesn't cause it to self return, the EPS motor can be programmed to automatically come back to the center.

It sucks that some cars don't have it by design, but I disagree strongly that it's dangerous behavior.

A genuinely 'sticky' steering that doesn't move freely may need further investigation though, but that's a different issue.

I disagree. Self-centering is not a feature which is designed and built into a steering. That happened naturally in the non-assisted steerings due to the caster angle. It just becomes straight, if the driver leaves it free to rotate, after a turn. This nature is still present in hydraulic power steerings, and I think EPS steerings had to work towards making sure that the steering self centering and proper feedback is given to the user.

The very fact that the present day cars still come with a steering means that the way a car is driven is quite standardized and the behavior and feedback of the control mechanisms including the steering has to be the same in modern implementations too. It can get more sophisticated and easy to operate - yes. In this sense, a proper steering feedback is absolutely essential.

Steering feedback is an important aspect to be considered in the drivability of the car. The more lively the steering feels, the better the car is to drive, period. An EPS that doesn't give any feel of the road or a turn is completely boring to drive, and it may be outright dangerous too. In general, I've felt that Maruti EPS implementations are the worst, especially after the car has clocked few tens of thousands of kilometers.

I remember reading about steering feedback in one of the reviews of a badly implemented EPS in a car - the reviewer (not Indian) tells that the steering feels like a 'dead fish' that you're holding in your hands. He was drawing a comparison to a freshly caught fish which wiggles and jiggles in your hands, making you feel its lively presence.

[darkbull]

My baleno Zeta CVT has this problem. I have noticed the below scenarios

At speeds greater than 40 kmph, if i do a u turn, the steering comes back to the center

On the C curve on a bridge, once the curve is over, it does not return back.

In the parking area, on slower speeds post a turn, it does not come back to the center.

There is also a metal or a plastic part sound, when i move the steering wheel at low speeds, but it is not noticed at higher speeds. Removed all the coins, metal bottles, plastic bottles on the doors, but this noise is still appearing.

Any thoughts on this noise. This does not disturb the driving but is very irritating to not find the source.

Cheers

[puneetakhouri]

How is NOT self-centering a problem?
Some might argue that when other manufacturers are providing it and one does not then it is a problem. To them I can say that some manufacturers provide inverted headlight/wiper stocks while the majority does not, and it does not make it a problem. It is just a matter of getting used to it.
It might be a problem for people who are test driving such vehicles and did not expect this to happen. But for somebody whose Maruti is the only car he/she drives, they get habituated to it. Even if somebody has multiple vehicles in his/her garage, and one re-centers while the other does not, they get habituated to it.

I have a Ford Ikon with an HPS that does a perfect self-centering and a Baleno which does very little self centering. But the moment you sit in the vehicle, you immediately get used to it just like the inverted headlight/wiper stalks.

We should accept it as the characteristic (definitely not feature) of that vehicle and move on.

[Kosfactor]

Those who are having this problem of steering not returning to the center or is inconsistent. Anyone willing to volunteer getting a proper alignment done?

Find a reputed alignment shop, make sure they return Toe, Camber, Caster to factory specs. Sometimes this is not possible as some vehicles would need parts replacement to correct the Camber \ Caster.

Alignment shop process.

1. Test drive.
2. Align.
3. Test drive.
4. Re-align & center the steering.
5. Final test drive.

Let us know what happens afterwards. the very least you get to keep your tires in good shape

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by Tgo

I believe self centering is a function of the steering geometry (kingpin angle, caster etc.) before it is to do with power steering programming.

Giving it more thought, I believe a simple experiment of pulling the EPS fuse out and driving the car would confirm whether the original steering geometry is designed to provide self centering or not.

I do not have access to the offending cars otherwise would be glad to do so and report.

[sreejithkk]

I have faced the issue with my sister's Ignis, and my friend's Baleno but never faced an issue with my 2019 Ertiga. Actually compared to other newer Maruti's. I felt Ertiga's steering was better calibrated. (But still not as great compared to the original Swift (2005 Model) or the Honda cars like city, Amaze)