Know your power steering

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 26th January 2008, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaronikar

My Ford ikon has the power steering. It only works when we start the car. This is not the case in my previous vehicle (Wagon R Lxi). The PS used to work even when the engine is switched off. Any particular reasons?

Err.... the PS on my WagR Lxi works only if the engine is on. What are YOU missing?

gd1418 · 26th January 2008, 12:29

AFAIK, Ikon has a hydraulic PS hence it needs the engine to be on for that to work. I dunno about WagonR but what I read in brochures, mentioned that it had EPS.

In your case unless the PS is continuously on be being connected directly to the battery, no other reason could be attributed for the PS to be working even if the engine is switched off.

Maybe this has been done so as to assist steering in the event of a breakdown and the vehicle is being towed. But as the WagonR is such a light vehicle, even if the PS doesn't work it should be easily [FONT='Times New Roman']maneuverable.[/FONT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaronikar

My Ford ikon has the power steering. It only works when we start the car. This is not the case in my previous vehicle (Wagon R Lxi). The PS used to work even when the engine is switched off. Any particular reasons?

Also, my ford ikon feels a lot sturdy when driving on a highway than the Wagon R when I will be doing 100+ kmph while driving WagonR if a slight turn of steering wheel, the vehicle used to drift sideways.

snaronikar · 26th January 2008, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Err.... the PS on my WagR Lxi works only if the engine is on. What are YOU missing?

Mine was 2002 model. Don't know why this worked even with ignition off. Maybe earlier models might have had it.

Dunno if i'm missing some thing here.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 26th January 2008, 20:14

Anyways, the only place I try the steering with engine off is my home, where it is parked in open, ordinary sand (no concrete, no tar). It is very difficult here with the engine off; but with engine even idling, it is butter smooth.

DCEite · 26th January 2008, 20:32

I have a 2004 model LXi with EPS, no the PS is not on with engine off.
One more thing i would like to add, without PS this car is a pain. I have driven Indica DLE (which is without PS), and i would say a non-PS WagonR is only around 10% lighter compared to it. That is, not as light as one might think.

wolfinstein · 26th January 2008, 21:00

I really don't know much on the maintaince issue, since both my cars have done 71,000 and 24,800 KM respectively( Lancer and XETA) with minimal drop in the Oil levels.

Both steering feel lighter when touching 100 +, but the lancer feels much stable comparitively at those speeds.

Indica and Lancer are Both HPS.

rahul18348 · 17th March 2009, 23:08

I have driven both types, a santro xing xg (HPS) and a wagonr vxi (EPS). Personally I feel HPS is much more responsive & fun to drive. ( used to take my hands off the steering wheel on straight lines while driving santro) sorry very dangerous! but did not have the same confidence in the wagonr. also i noticed that with hps turns can be made very easily just by a single stroke on the steering. With EPS, the same turn takes two full rotations of the steering wheel. ( feels disconnected somehow ).

Shashank.A · 18th March 2009, 08:37

HPS feels much more stable than EPS. Thats my 2 cents.

greenhorn · 18th March 2009, 09:15

EPS is ok, possibly better for city driving, but for high speeds and the highway, hydraulics give a better feel and control

jango · 18th March 2009, 09:50

I Just got my i10 serviced yesterday ( 2nd Free service ). Just before i picked up the car from the Hyundai service center the service engineer gave me a tip about EPS on i10 which i never knew.

As per him if i make a full tight turn and hold the steering wheel in the end position for more than 3 min the EPS would get disabled for the next 30 Mts.

Seems like its a precautionary measure taken to prevent the EPS motor from getting damaged.

travelwriter · 18th March 2009, 10:33

People,

Apologies for this very basic question.

What do we mean when we say 'feel the steering' at various speeds? Are we talking about the way steering wheel behaves when we go over a pothole at high speed? Or is it the vibrations felt in the steering wheel when driving? When I go over a pothole, the steering wheel tends to wobble and i have to ensure that I control it to maintain a straight line. Is this what we mean by feel?

mithun · 17th April 2009, 11:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn

EPS is ok, possibly better for city driving, but for high speeds and the highway, hydraulics give a better feel and control

But, HPS put a little strain on engine and I've never heard any accidents due to EPS !

ImmortalZ · 17th April 2009, 11:28

Steering feel is mostly about feedback. You should be able to know when you're at the limit of grip, what the suspension is doing etc through the steering. HPS has this connected feel to it, while EPS are very much disconnected.

Not everyone goes road/track racing in their car, so EPS' in-city ease of use is adequate for just about everyone. God knows I've wished for an EPS when I'm coming back from the gym when my hands don't have power assist...

sukrit7 · 17th April 2009, 11:36

I agree with you Immortalz, specially on the gym point but HPS is so much more fun, specially when you're taking corners hard.
I own the altura(HPS) and the swift(EPS) and the former has a much better feel about it, though i agree it can give problems, in my case it has.

alpha1 · 17th April 2009, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelwriter

People,

Apologies for this very basic question.

What do we mean when we say 'feel the steering' at various speeds? Are we talking about the way steering wheel behaves when we go over a pothole at high speed? Or is it the vibrations felt in the steering wheel when driving? When I go over a pothole, the steering wheel tends to wobble and i have to ensure that I control it to maintain a straight line. Is this what we mean by feel?

Yes. Those are few of the aspects that come under the feel.

The feel is something like this: When you drive, your wheels feel the road, and experience certain forces - like say when the road is tilted/sloping, wet, sandy/gravelly, pot holed.
When you twist your steering, the wheels turn, and face some resistance from the ground.

All these forces are more strongly felt by the wheel when it is stationary or slow.

So anything that your wheels experience, if that can be transmitted to steering wheel, so that you as a driver can also experience it - that construes the FEEL.

Now mostly in EPS it is observed that it feels dead. Its almost like those arcade racing games you play. There is a floating feeling, no resistance coming from the steering.

26th January 2008, 20:14	#49
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	Anyways, the only place I try the steering with engine off is my home, where it is parked in open, ordinary sand (no concrete, no tar). It is very difficult here with the engine off; but with engine even idling, it is butter smooth.
	() Thanks

26th January 2008, 20:32	#50
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,417 Thanked: 2,559 Times	I have a 2004 model LXi with EPS, no the PS is not on with engine off. One more thing i would like to add, without PS this car is a pain. I have driven Indica DLE (which is without PS), and i would say a non-PS WagonR is only around 10% lighter compared to it. That is, not as light as one might think.
	() Thanks

26th January 2008, 21:00	#51
wolfinstein BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 994 Thanked: 20 Times	I really don't know much on the maintaince issue, since both my cars have done 71,000 and 24,800 KM respectively( Lancer and XETA) with minimal drop in the Oil levels. Both steering feel lighter when touching 100 +, but the lancer feels much stable comparitively at those speeds. Indica and Lancer are Both HPS.
	() Thanks

17th March 2009, 23:08	#52
rahul18348 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: bilaspur Posts: 47 Thanked: Once	I have driven both types, a santro xing xg (HPS) and a wagonr vxi (EPS). Personally I feel HPS is much more responsive & fun to drive. ( used to take my hands off the steering wheel on straight lines while driving santro) sorry very dangerous! but did not have the same confidence in the wagonr. also i noticed that with hps turns can be made very easily just by a single stroke on the steering. With EPS, the same turn takes two full rotations of the steering wheel. ( feels disconnected somehow ).
	() Thanks

18th March 2009, 08:37	#53
Shashank.A BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 484 Thanked: 10 Times View My Garage	HPS feels much more stable than EPS. Thats my 2 cents.
	() Thanks

18th March 2009, 09:15	#54
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,400 Times View My Garage	EPS is ok, possibly better for city driving, but for high speeds and the highway, hydraulics give a better feel and control
	() Thanks

18th March 2009, 09:50	#55
jango BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York & kotayam Posts: 800 Thanked: 23 Times View My Garage	EPS on an i10 I Just got my i10 serviced yesterday ( 2nd Free service ). Just before i picked up the car from the Hyundai service center the service engineer gave me a tip about EPS on i10 which i never knew. As per him if i make a full tight turn and hold the steering wheel in the end position for more than 3 min the EPS would get disabled for the next 30 Mts. Seems like its a precautionary measure taken to prevent the EPS motor from getting damaged.
	() Thanks

18th March 2009, 10:33	#56
travelwriter BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 294 Thanked: 115 Times	Basic question People, Apologies for this very basic question. What do we mean when we say 'feel the steering' at various speeds? Are we talking about the way steering wheel behaves when we go over a pothole at high speed? Or is it the vibrations felt in the steering wheel when driving? When I go over a pothole, the steering wheel tends to wobble and i have to ensure that I control it to maintain a straight line. Is this what we mean by feel?
	() Thanks

17th April 2009, 11:28	#58
ImmortalZ Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 2,179 Thanked: 488 Times View My Garage	Steering feel is mostly about feedback. You should be able to know when you're at the limit of grip, what the suspension is doing etc through the steering. HPS has this connected feel to it, while EPS are very much disconnected. Not everyone goes road/track racing in their car, so EPS' in-city ease of use is adequate for just about everyone. God knows I've wished for an EPS when I'm coming back from the gym when my hands don't have power assist...
	() Thanks

17th April 2009, 11:36	#59
sukrit7 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: delhi Posts: 722 Thanked: 185 Times	I agree with you Immortalz, specially on the gym point but HPS is so much more fun, specially when you're taking corners hard. I own the altura(HPS) and the swift(EPS) and the former has a much better feel about it, though i agree it can give problems, in my case it has.
	() Thanks