Notchy steering

[BrianWM]

My car's an A6 Allroad but as far as the steering is concerned it's the same as other A6s, I assume. I'm noticing that from cold the steering feels notchy. It's hard to describe really but it feels as if there's light detents where it wants to be and straight on is not one of them so it's not so easy to steer exactly straight. They are fairly loose detents so it's not a safety issue but it's not right.

It's most noticable when I set off from cold onto an open road (as opposed to town traffic) and after 5 minutes driving it's gone and the steering is as you'd expect.

I have the advanced tech. package which means I have the lane departure system. I've tried it with lane departure on and off : it makes no difference. I also tried comfort and dynamic steering : again no difference.

I haven't reported this as yet but I will; before I do, I'd be interested to know if anyone else has come across this and maybe try and understand if it's a faulty part (then I guess it'd be just me) or if it's a software bug (in which case I'd expect others to have noticed it). This issue wasn't there from new so I'm thinking it's more likely to be a faulty part.

I think it's electrical assistance on these cars; I'm wondering if the encoder that measures desired steering position is sometimes missing it's least significant bit (s), that would kind of explain it's behaviour exactly.

[Wuffles]

To throw a spanner in the works, from my motorcycling days that would be due to cold tyres. Just a thought. Seems to fit with the symptoms you describe.

[belly buster]

Check tyre pressures.

[BrianWM]

While I can't disprove tyres as a cause I also don't believe that it is the tyres. The pressures are all fine, that I can say. Over the years I've experienced tyre reactions to road surfaces like "tramlining" or if there's been repairs, this isn't either of those. It's more difficult to notice but it's not just detented in the straight ahead position but also as lock is applied, it's as if it wants to steer in steps. This isn't a tyre issue.

If there's no-one seen any symptoms such as those I describe on their A6 them I think I have to assume a faulty component on my car alone which is probably the better outcome because it means it can be fixed, if the Audi dealer can identify the component !

[Wuffles]

Yes, it's hard to put it into words I'm sure. Get them to drive it and see for themselves, although it's going to be difficult if it only happens when the car is cold.

[By-Tor]

Brian

I think I've experienced the steering sensation to which you refer, but I'd put it down to the winter tyres I've got on (Dunlop winter sports 225/55/R17).

If I think on, I'll try and be more observant as to when/how it occurs, but I can't say I ever noticed it on my normal tyres (Pirelli 255/40/R19).

Jez

[BrianWM]

I will try and be more open minded about the possibility of it being a tyre issue, I have Vredestein Quatrac 3 all season tyres fitted. I still think it's not tyres.

I won't be able to look at it or see the Audi dealer for a few weeks as I'm away but any more comments from the forum would be appreciated in the meantime.

[vegardg]

This has nothing to do with the tires, it's a problem that Audi is well aware of. My dealer told me that 2013's A4, Q5 and A6 are affected. They don't know how to solve the problem yet.


2013 Audi A4 Steering Issue, anyone seen anything like this? - YouTube
Steering Issues - 2013
2013 allroad owners ---- steering problems
2013 allroad steering issues - AudiWorld Forums
http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/fl-el...-t3981514.html

[By-Tor]

Had the same experience today. 9.0 deg C, tyres correctly inflated, was aware of it within the first five minutes or so of driving.

Let's see if this relates to vegardg's post and is something that Audi will fix.

[diecastsink]

Ask your dealer to check also the wheel alignment, we have had several cases where the alignment has been wrong from the factory. I replaced also tyres ( from Bridgestone Potenza first to Pirelli and then to Nokian which is more suitable to our roads, others are too high speed class/too hard). Still, Audi confirmed the notchy steering, study continues. See the german forums, also search "lenkung widerstand", it seem to be bigger problem already from early 2012 ...