Focus ST: High speed steering wander

Mulga · 21-01-2014, 11:14 AM

Any others experiencing this....there are plenty on the US Forums....I've asked the dealer to look at this.

I've been noticing some steering wander at highway speeds which requires constant adjustment to keep the car straight. There is a dead zone just off centre either side.....so basically I'm doing minor adjustments to the steering to keep it straight, which can be very tiring. Tyre pressures are all OK and I know that you sometimes get tramlining with these tyres, but this issue happens on smooth surface roads.

I currently have a loan car which is a 2013 Focus Sport which also uses the same EPAS system, but does not have this issue.

gassed250 · 21-01-2014, 03:28 PM

I don't have this problem !

mrmavx · 22-01-2014, 12:26 AM

get the toe settings checked, they are almost certainly right on the edge of the tolerances or just a little bit past them without being so far as to cause major tyre wear /scrubbing

WILDB · 22-01-2014, 01:25 AM

As above, wheel alignment settings will exaggerate the issue. I've always found the ST to be very road camber sensitive compared to other vehicles I've owned, definitely not the worst I've driven though. Under circumstances of differing road camber I have found myself having to make minor corrections, not on a flat road though.

The Focus Sport won't have the same characteristics as the ST uses a different (much quicker variable ratio) steering rack, so you can't compare the two.

**FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0** · 22-01-2014, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulga

Any others experiencing this....there are plenty on the US Forums....I've asked the dealer to look at this.

I've been noticing some steering wander at highway speeds which requires constant adjustment to keep the car straight. There is a dead zone just off centre either side.....so basically I'm doing minor adjustments to the steering to keep it straight, which can be very tiring. Tyre pressures are all OK and I know that you sometimes get tramlining with these tyres, but this issue happens on smooth surface roads.

I currently have a loan car which is a 2013 Focus Sport which also uses the same EPAS system, but does not have this issue.

I haven't picked up on any discernible difference between the FG Falcon I used to drive and the ST with respect to high speed wander. And I drive around 110kms a day to and from work, mostly at highway speeds.

Craig H

black13 · 22-01-2014, 10:04 PM

1'st long hi speed drive in mine, it was dreadful, trying to keep it from wandering was impossible, it just took all my concentration, I thought something was wrong. After that 1'st drive it went away & have never had the problem since & I've now now 25k kms.
How do your tyres look? How many kms have you done & have you had a wheel alignment done yet?

Mulga · 23-01-2014, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by black13

1'st long hi speed drive in mine, it was dreadful, trying to keep it from wandering was impossible, it just took all my concentration, I thought something was wrong. After that 1'st drive it went away & have never had the problem since & I've now now 25k kms.
How do your tyres look? How many kms have you done & have you had a wheel alignment done yet?

Car has done 15'000ks.....tyres still have at least 50% tread......no wheel alignment as yet.

Redrum · 24-01-2014, 01:17 AM

got a 2012 ST with 28k on it, no issues of such

Joshuast · 27-01-2014, 09:16 PM

I notice the same on my ST, even though it has TVC, it's just a front wheel drive thing, they usually require additional control.

marg99 · 27-01-2014, 10:00 PM

low profile tyres tend to allow irregularities in road surface to bump steer the car more

raprior · 31-03-2014, 09:38 AM

I'm a newbie on this forum. I have a 2010 G6E that wanders even at low speeds. I have had wheel balance and alignment of all four wheels and it makes no difference. At highway speeds it becomes somewhat un-nerving.
I have had Fords from an old Ford Popular, Zephyr, XW, XY, XA, XB, XD, AU1 -2 and now this FG, none have this wandering problem, only the G6E.
I've been to dealer and to so-called 'steering specialist', no one can find why it does this. Mechanically it seems to be OK, so could it possibly be the tyres that the dealer I bought the car one year ago froml; as a pre-owned vehicle , put a set of new Achilles Sport RT tyres on the car. Could it be that these tyres are the cause? I'd hate to spend $1000 on new tyres only to find I still have the problem. Any suggestions?

marg99 · 31-03-2014, 02:36 PM

Low profile tires are much more prone to this wandering and bump steering as they do not absorb the bumps and ruts like the higher side wall tyres

Focusfan · 14-04-2014, 08:05 PM

Raprior seriously consider different tyres. Had cheap tyres on my EF years
ago when I purchased it. After 4 months of terrible steering I changed to
good years and steering issues went away, tyres wore out quick. Tried
Toyo Teo Plus and got twice the mileage and still great steering without
all the wandering. Only gripe about the Teo was not as good in the wet
after they were about half worn. Have a 2013 Focus sport petrol manual
and cant say I have any steering issues at all so far.