Steering Wheel is not straight (angle sensor calibration?

PeterFaludi · 01-11-2018, 12:14 PM

Hi!

My steering wheel is not straight as you can see below the picture, I tried to reset and set to straight, it has around -9° with it. How can I set the steering wheel straight as the wheels also? I tried with BMW Rheingold ISTA.

Any suggestions?
Thx.

View post on imgur.com

RocketSurgeon · 01-11-2018, 12:18 PM

Are you saying that you need the wheel turned slightly to get the car to track straight? That is an alignment issue.

PeterFaludi · 01-11-2018, 12:21 PM

I need the steering wheel straight as the wheels also, the front alignment is correct. The total toe is almost 0°, its okey, I just need to set the steering wheel straight also.

5tony · 01-11-2018, 04:31 PM

Needs to be realigned with the steering wheel straight. Can't be done electronically.

bkwld · 01-11-2018, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5tony

Needs to be realigned with the steering wheel straight. Can't be done electronically.

This is correct. I get my alignment done every 3 months and 1out of every 3 alignments this happens to me. I have them redo it.

techwhiz · 01-11-2018, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterFaludi

Hi!

My steering wheel is not straight as you can see below the picture, I tried to reset and set to straight, it has around -9° with it. How can I set the steering wheel straight as the wheels also? I tried with BMW Rheingold ISTA.

Any suggestions?
Thx.

View post on imgur.com

The wheel was not straight ahead when aligned.
Have them redo it. The wheel needs to be neutral when the alignment is done.

Efthreeoh · 01-12-2018, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkwld

This is correct. I get my alignment done every 3 months and 1out of every 3 alignments this happens to me. I have them redo it.

Really?

Wolf 335 · 01-12-2018, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkwld

This is correct. I get my alignment done every 3 months and 1out of every 3 alignments this happens to me. I have them redo it.

Every 3 months? But why?

I assuming you're not paying for this, as you'd be wasting your money.

Let me guess, you change your oil every 2,000 miles as well.

asiflicious · 01-12-2018, 01:18 PM

My wheel is tilted to the left right now. Super annoying. Weirdly enough my alignment was shifted when I put my fmic in. Or maybe I just noticed after I put it in the fmic? Don't see how they can possibly be related so I'm assuming it's the latter. Do you guys go to BMW for alignments or just anywhere?

bkwld · 01-12-2018, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Really?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

Every 3 months? But why?

I assuming you're not paying for this, as you'd be wasting your money.

Let me guess, you change your oil every 2,000 miles as well.

Yeah. I guess I'm little OCD... and from my observations, tires do last longer. I do have one of those lifetime alignments. but man when our cars are pointed correctly, they are smooth and confident in spirited driving

.

Efthreeoh · 01-12-2018, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkwld

Yeah. I guess I'm little OCD... and from my observations, tires do last longer. I do have one of those lifetime alignments. but man when our cars are pointed correctly, they are smooth and confident in spirited driving

.

Okay, but does it really get out of alignment in 3 months?

DrRobert · 01-12-2018, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterFaludi

I need the steering wheel straight as the wheels also, the front alignment is correct. The total toe is almost 0°, its okey, I just need to set the steering wheel straight also.

So is the car pulling to the right? Have you gotten new tires recently?

BravoJohny33 · 01-12-2018, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkwld

Yeah. I guess I'm little OCD... and from my observations, tires do last longer. I do have one of those lifetime alignments. but man when our cars are pointed correctly, they are smooth and confident in spirited driving

.

I have lifetime alignment too and I don't think I have ever got a car back from them 100% straight wheel.

PeterFaludi · 01-15-2018, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrRobert

So is the car pulling to the right? Have you gotten new tires recently?

No, just the steering wheel is little right when I go STRAIGHT!

I know I can set this to straight by ISTA, but doesnt work for me...

Service functions > Chassis > Active Steering > ABL

djh2 · 01-15-2018, 09:04 PM

The car's steering wheel is mechanically connected to the steering rack.

The steering rack connects the wheels by the tie rods, which are set by the alignment to the desired total toe. However the absolute position of "center" on the steering rack is not guaranteed, even with the desired toe, because these two are independent of each other. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering2.htm

In other words, you have the 0 degree toe as needed, but the steering rack is not centered, evident by your steering wheel not being centered.

The steering angle sensor tells the car where it is expected to be, relative to the actual motion detected by the gyroscope sensor, used in things like stability control.

As far as I understand, active steering modifies the steering ratio by a variable gear setup, but is not any sort of drive-by-wire arrangement where this can be changed with software.

Just go underneath, turn your tie rods equal amounts in the direction that makes the wheel go left. Or have your preferred alignment shop get it right this time?

Adieu · 01-20-2018, 09:19 PM

Theres some calibration BS steering it from lock to lock and back again while parked..... but really you probably just need tie rods

maxoutput · 01-21-2018, 05:29 AM

As mentioned the calibration won’t do anything for the direction the wheels are pointed in in relation to the steering wheel. This is a mechanical alignment issue.
Calibration is only used to tell the car where your steering wheel is or will be in relation to the wheels when turned. If the sensor is reading incorrectly it’s needs to be calibrated but that will have no effect on the direction the wheels are pointed in relation to where the steering wheel is pointing as that’s a mechanical connection .

N52UNED · 01-21-2018, 11:04 AM

Yup ... an alignment is needed. A perfectly straight steering wheel along with straight tracking is the sign of a good alignment.

I had a offset collision in a Subaru (11k repair bill) and when taking it for a ride with the mechanic and owner ... the owner kept bragging how they were able to get an almost perfectly steering wheel after all the damage.

01-11-2018, 12:14 PM	#1
PeterFaludi New Member 5 Rep 11 Posts Drives: 2008 E91 330d M-Paket Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Eger, Hungary iTrader: (0)	Steering Wheel is not straight (angle sensor calibration? Hi! My steering wheel is not straight as you can see below the picture, I tried to reset and set to straight, it has around -9° with it. How can I set the steering wheel straight as the wheels also? I tried with BMW Rheingold ISTA. Any suggestions? Thx. View post on imgur.com Attached Images
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01-11-2018, 12:18 PM	#2
RocketSurgeon Lieutenant 264 Rep 459 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Manual, CBR650F Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	Are you saying that you need the wheel turned slightly to get the car to track straight? That is an alignment issue.
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01-11-2018, 12:21 PM	#3
PeterFaludi New Member 5 Rep 11 Posts Drives: 2008 E91 330d M-Paket Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Eger, Hungary iTrader: (0)	I need the steering wheel straight as the wheels also, the front alignment is correct. The total toe is almost 0°, its okey, I just need to set the steering wheel straight also.
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01-11-2018, 04:31 PM	#4
5tony Lieutenant 146 Rep 499 Posts Drives: '21 M5/'15 X5 35i/'88 M3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (1)	Needs to be realigned with the steering wheel straight. Can't be done electronically. __________________
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01-12-2018, 01:18 PM	#9
asiflicious Captain 670 Rep 963 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Winchester, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW M2 [10.00]	My wheel is tilted to the left right now. Super annoying. Weirdly enough my alignment was shifted when I put my fmic in. Or maybe I just noticed after I put it in the fmic? Don't see how they can possibly be related so I'm assuming it's the latter. Do you guys go to BMW for alignments or just anywhere?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-15-2018, 09:04 PM	#15
djh2 Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 298 Posts Drives: '16 330e Join Date: May 2015 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 BMW 328i [0.00]	The car's steering wheel is mechanically connected to the steering rack. The steering rack connects the wheels by the tie rods, which are set by the alignment to the desired total toe. However the absolute position of "center" on the steering rack is not guaranteed, even with the desired toe, because these two are independent of each other. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering2.htm In other words, you have the 0 degree toe as needed, but the steering rack is not centered, evident by your steering wheel not being centered. The steering angle sensor tells the car where it is expected to be, relative to the actual motion detected by the gyroscope sensor, used in things like stability control. As far as I understand, active steering modifies the steering ratio by a variable gear setup, but is not any sort of drive-by-wire arrangement where this can be changed with software. Just go underneath, turn your tie rods equal amounts in the direction that makes the wheel go left. Or have your preferred alignment shop get it right this time?
	Appreciate 1 BravoJohny33309.50 Quote

01-20-2018, 09:19 PM	#16
Adieu First Lieutenant 73 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: socal iTrader: (0)	Theres some calibration BS steering it from lock to lock and back again while parked..... but really you probably just need tie rods
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01-21-2018, 05:29 AM	#17
maxoutput Private First Class 33 Rep 182 Posts Drives: E90 2005 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: U.K. iTrader: (0)	As mentioned the calibration won’t do anything for the direction the wheels are pointed in in relation to the steering wheel. This is a mechanical alignment issue. Calibration is only used to tell the car where your steering wheel is or will be in relation to the wheels when turned. If the sensor is reading incorrectly it’s needs to be calibrated but that will have no effect on the direction the wheels are pointed in relation to where the steering wheel is pointing as that’s a mechanical connection .
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01-21-2018, 11:04 AM	#18
N52UNED Captain 179 Rep 601 Posts Drives: '07 328i/330BPC Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Sunshine State iTrader: (1)	Yup ... an alignment is needed. A perfectly straight steering wheel along with straight tracking is the sign of a good alignment. I had a offset collision in a Subaru (11k repair bill) and when taking it for a ride with the mechanic and owner ... the owner kept bragging how they were able to get an almost perfectly steering wheel after all the damage.
	Appreciate 0 Quote