06 Jetta Steering seems loose

Tfoster100 · Aug 4, 2006

I just got a new Jetta. Very happy with it overall. One question though. The steering seems to be loose. It weaves a bit on the road. Not a lot, but just seems to wander a bit from side to side. I am wondering if this is normal or am I just used to a heavier car. Or could it be an alignment issue. Has this happened to anyone else? I checked previous posts and didn't see anything on this.

Overall it seems like a great car, just curious about this part of it.

whitedog · Aug 4, 2006

There is an adjustment that can be made with a computer. Apparently there are different settings that can be chnaged with VAG COM. Check for someone local from the VAG COM list at the top of the page and see if they can give you some help.

cujet · Aug 4, 2006

OK, here is what I think I know. The Jetta has electric/electronic steering. It is very responsive and accurate. So, VW designed an electronic system to compensate for crosswinds, road crown and the like. It seemed like a good idea, to reduce driver load such as constantly holding a slight pressure on the steering wheel.

Too bad it is so sensitive. It will over compensate for the road crown or wind (such as passing a truck). My car was unsafe. I am a trained, experienced race car driver and it took all my concentration to drive my car straight.

So, with the advice from this forum, I found a guy with the Vag-Com hookup cable and laptop. He adjusted my steering setting from an initial "3" to a "1".

Anyway, after driving many Jetta, I have discovered that no 2 have the same sensitivity. Some cars wander and some are rock solid.

Really does not matter much as it is easy to adjust the problem away.

Some here will say that you are adjusting the steering effort. But that is not true. You are adjusting the steering compensation setting. If you set it to "0", the car will not be any stiffer steering, it just won't have any electronic compensation for crosswinds and the like.

Whatever your initial setting is, try 2 numbers lower. A change of only 1 is difficult to impossible to discern.

Chris

dieseldave2006 · Aug 4, 2006

Tfoster100 said:
I just got a new Jetta. Very happy with it overall. One question though. The steering seems to be loose. It weaves a bit on the road. Not a lot, but just seems to wander a bit from side to side. I am wondering if this is normal or am I just used to a heavier car. Or could it be an alignment issue. Has this happened to anyone else? I checked previous posts and didn't see anything on this.

Overall it seems like a great car, just curious about this part of it.

"Loose has never been a trait of my Jetta" These cars' (A5) steering is very sensitive to road camber and wind... and on a perfect road, the car will track straight. The steering does give the driver alot of feedback, and you have to push the wheel to keep it straight when the road is cambered hard or if you have a lot of cross wind. The steering on this car is not suplimented by a hydraulic steering pump... which has far less feedback. Reading Bentleys, the steering system is composed of sensors and electric assist motor that reads steering wheel input vs. wheel direction with speed. Kinda cool, but keep driving it and you will see the advantage.

dieseldave2006 · Aug 4, 2006

cujet said:
OK, here is what I think I know. The Jetta has electric/electronic steering. It is very responsive and accurate. So, VW designed an electronic system to compensate for crosswinds, road crown and the like. It seemed like a good idea, to reduce driver load such as constantly holding a slight pressure on the steering wheel.

Too bad it is so sensitive. It will over compensate for the road crown or wind (such as passing a truck). My car was unsafe. I am a trained, experienced race car driver and it took all my concentration to drive my car straight.

So, with the advice from this forum, I found a guy with the Vag-Com hookup cable and laptop. He adjusted my steering setting from an initial "3" to a "1".

Anyway, after driving many Jetta, I have discovered that no 2 have the same sensitivity. Some cars wander and some are rock solid.

Really does not matter much as it is easy to adjust the problem away.

Some here will say that you are adjusting the steering effort. But that is not true. You are adjusting the steering compensation setting. If you set it to "0", the car will not be any stiffer steering, it just won't have any electronic compensation for crosswinds and the like.

Whatever your initial setting is, try 2 numbers lower. A change of only 1 is difficult to impossible to discern.

Chris

This would be nice, but ther is no steering device that will compensate for crosswinds... unless hooked into GPS.

whitedog · Aug 4, 2006

dieseldave2006 said:
This would be nice, but ther is no steering device that will compensate for crosswinds... unless hooked into GPS.

Note that GPS isn't accurate enough to read a foot or two side to side. If I am looking for a geocache and my Magellan shows I'm within 30 feet, it is time to stop amd let it settle in and get some good readings before jumping in to the coordinates.

I do understand what you are saying though. If the car is pushed to the side, how does the steering system know this and compensate for it?

DrewD · Aug 4, 2006

I had same problem with my new 06. I HATED how it wandered on the road but a local Vagcom owner (hex-can capable) fixed the problem by decreasing the sensitivity.

Tfoster100 · Aug 4, 2006

Can't the dealership make that adjustment. It is very new and it seems like they should be able to adjust it.

wjdell · Aug 4, 2006

MIne seems to be fine - At high speeds it did take some getting used to but I only found mine over sensative around 90+ - I am still in my break in.

where is that adjustment - block ???

cujet · Aug 4, 2006

Yes, the dealership can make the adjustment, but will they? Mine would not!

Yes, the car has rate and position sensors that control yaw. It is easy to do and requires no GPS input.

Find a local Vag-Com owner through the list on this site. Generally they will do the job for free. Maybe a case of beer.

Chris

DrewD · Aug 4, 2006

Many dealers will plead ignorance since the mechanic works on commission and he won't get much, if any money, for doing the electronic adjustment.

MPGeez! · Aug 5, 2006

Make sure your tires are properly inflated too.

cujet · Aug 5, 2006

I have found that the higher tire pressures some of us TDI fuel economy nuts run make the wandering more pronounced. At least in my car. It may be that the small tweeks produced by the electronic system get translated into movement more effectively.

FYI, while following my car and viewing from the rear at 70MPH was quite interesting. The nose of the car would dart left and right (in a random manner) about 1 to 2 inches. Of course, this would translate into wandering out of the lane as the driver compensated.

I even tried bracing the steering wheel as best as I could and the car still darted L-R and wandered right out of the lane within 2 to 3 seconds.

Changing the steering setting cured the problem.

Chris

plug_it · Aug 5, 2006

Gps

Heh... you don't need a GPS. Spacecraft don't have them, but they correct for minor deviations in course. All you need are some accelerometers, which the Jetta has.

DrewD · Aug 5, 2006

Here is what I don't understand. IIRC, the "default" steering setting is a 3 but mine was a 5 out of the factory. Is Miguel who sets the ECU defaults at the factory slacking off or having a little fun changing the default settings?

tomo366 · Aug 5, 2006

I changed mine from "5" to "3" and it is great now!!

cujet · Aug 5, 2006

Mine was set at 3 and needed to be a 1. Maybe 0.

Chris

Tim Birney · Aug 6, 2006

DrewD said:
Here is what I don't understand. IIRC, the "default" steering setting is a 3 but mine was a 5 out of the factory. Is Miguel who sets the ECU defaults at the factory slacking off or having a little fun changing the default settings?

Based on the cars I've scanned, and the posts that others have made, there is no "default" setting.
If you do not like the feel of your steering, then it will have to be changed to your liking, regardless of the starting point.

wjdell · Aug 8, 2006

so I take this adjustment is in steering and suspension - I wish vag com could be run without a car but a compter car so we could learn

wjdell · Aug 8, 2006

so I take this adjustment is in steering and suspension - I wish vag com could be run without a car but a compter car so we could learn

dieseldave2006 · Aug 10, 2006

whitedog said:
Note that GPS isn't accurate enough to read a foot or two side to side. If I am looking for a geocache and my Magellan shows I'm within 30 feet, it is time to stop amd let it settle in and get some good readings before jumping in to the coordinates.

I do understand what you are saying though. If the car is pushed to the side, how does the steering system know this and compensate for it?

You are correct regarding civilian use of GPS... not amazimgly accurate. This I hear of people wanting Jetta steering to compensate for cross winds and road camber is amazing to me. Mine has never done the explained, but I still like having real feedback, not being absorbed by a power steering pump and a sloppy steering wheel.

whitedog · Aug 10, 2006

dieseldave2006 said:
You are correct regarding civilian use of GPS... not amazimgly accurate. This I hear of people wanting Jetta steering to compensate for cross winds is amazing me.

I'm not sure how an acellerometer works, but the name sounds like it could work.

dieseldave2006 · Aug 10, 2006

whitedog said:
I'm not sure how an acellerometer works, but the name sounds like it could work.

Are you suggesting that here is an accellerometer is linked into the steering? It is still confusing to me since there are no sensors that can actually see the road.

whitedog · Aug 11, 2006

dieseldave2006 said:
Are you suggesting that here is an accellerometer is linked into the steering? It is still confusing to me since there are no sensors that can actually see the road.

I dunno, but here is what plug it said:

plug it said:
Heh... you don't need a GPS. Spacecraft don't have them, but they correct for minor deviations in course. All you need are some accelerometers, which the Jetta has.

cujet · Aug 11, 2006

Systems such as stability control, anti lock brakes, traction control, tire pressure warning systems, throttle by wire and the like are common place today. Some times they are inter related.

For example, Traction control can apply brake pressure to a spinning wheel. How does it know it is spinning? Sensors on each wheel sense rotation. Likewise, stability control can apply brake pressure to certain wheels to asssit in controlling a skid. How does it know you are in a skid? Steering wheel position, wheel rotational rates and some form of YAW sensor. This can take the form of a FOG (fiber optic gyro) (simply a coil of fishing line with an LED at each end) This type of sensor detects the rate of rotation, such as when you turn around a corner. Or a simple set of accelerometers can be used. All of which are so small, they are typically mounted on the circuit board itself.

Anyone here who flys radio controlled helicopters knows about these sensors. That is how the RC heli controls the tail rotor.

I am not sure what method the Jetta uses, but I suspect some form of steering wheel positon sensor coupled with data from the anti lock system and a rate of change accelerometer.

Chris

Andrewh · Aug 11, 2006

Well, I tried to get this adjusted, and VW told the dealer, they could only do it if I was handicap. Don't understand that.
I called VW, and they said they would call me back, still haven't heard from them.
Still not sure I want to invest 350 bucks for a couple of minor changes, but the dealer inspires no confidence now.

40X40 · Aug 11, 2006

Andrew and Tfoster,
If we knew where you are, maybe one of us with vag-com could
make the adjustment for you.......
Please read my sig, especially regarding info in your profile.(location!)

Bill

Andrewh · Aug 12, 2006

sorry. Thought I would edit my profile, but can't seem to find how.
Allen, TX.
There is a guy listed in the vag-com here, but I can't tell if he has it for the new stuff or just the old. Hate to bug someone for that.

lvleph · Aug 12, 2006

I had to change my sterring with VAG-COM. I changed it from 5 to 3 to tighten the stearing up.

40X40 · Aug 12, 2006

Andrewh,

Here you go.... TO EDIT PROFILE:

Log in,
Scroll to top of page.
Look at the far left.
Find USER CP.
Click it.
look for EDIT PROFILE
I think you have to save changes too.........after you edit...
ahhh, you get the idea!
Cheers!

HTH

Bill

06 Jetta Steering seems loose

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