Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2138
Steering Angle Calibration
Having just had new front suspension arms fitted, I need to get the alignment done.
My indies normal place couldn’t get it as they were fully booked, so I took it into another recommended place with hunter kit.
Basically that company couldn’t get one of the track rod ends undone, so they gave me the car back, with some adjustments made. I spoke to my Indy and they said bring it back and they would free it off, fairly common!
So left alignment place, steering wheel pointing now point at 2 o’clock, with wheels straight. After 5 mins, got all the warning lights, and car lowers.
So, I think it’s because the steering is off centre, and needs calibrating.
So my question is, can I calibrate the steering sensor with the steering set at 2 o’clock and wheels straight until I get the suspension alignment done to avoid alll the warnings, then calibrate it again after alignment when wheels straight, and everything correct?
I’m getting it sorted tomorrow, but have about two twenty minutes journeys between the different garages and don’t want to drive around with no suspension and warning lights?
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29th Apr 2019 8:32 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5068
Its a good question but I imagine nobody has deliberately miscalibrated one before. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
29th Apr 2019 10:09 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
Very strange to have the wheel that far off-centre.
If you have an IID then you can just set the calibration with the wheels straight, irrespective of wheel position.
Without it there are 2 options, but seeing as you presumably can't budge the track rod yourself there's effectively one option:
The steering angle sensor collar on the column is a friction fit.
It is possible to rotated it on the column to get the reading aligned with the way the wheels are actually pointing. It's not precise or desirable but I've done it in an 'emergency' once before and it stopped the bongs and suspension lowering etc. In that case the collar was already a bit loose (common) and had slipped on the column by itself. If you have the off-road screen you can check where it is when the wheels point to each side of centre and then position it in the middle of the range.
Pathetic for any place that does alignment to not be able to free a track rod though.Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
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29th Apr 2019 10:40 pm
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2138
Yeah it’s a pain for sure! My Indy said the alignment place were lazy not freeing off the track rod!
Not really keen on moving the sensor, I would rather just calibrate it wrong if that works. All a pain!
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30th Apr 2019 5:27 am
Narpy
Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Stockport
Posts: 7830
Good god there's a total mash up of advice here.
Rob, all the steering angle sensor does is tell the car where straight ahead is. This allows the car to set up the suspension and steering dynamics so everything runs smoothly. After you've had steering or suspension work done, the car will need to be told where straight ahead is again as it will now have changed. You re-tell the car by recalibrating the steering angle sensor which in effect, resets the straight ahead position. There's nothing simpler than that.
You definitely don't need to go fixing things that ain't bust. Mods:
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30th Apr 2019 5:49 am
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2138
Thanks Narpy.
So I will recalibrate the angle sensor with the wheels straight and steering off until I get the alignment completed properly, then recalibrate it again with the wheels and steering wheel straight.
Current: D4 HSE
Previous: BMW Z4M Coupe
Previous: Land Rover Defender 90 CSW Td5
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30th Apr 2019 6:02 am
Narpy
Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Stockport
Posts: 7830
Yep, that'll all work out fine.
It will need resetting once the steering wheel has been recentred.Mods:
Front Fogs + Halos
FBH Remote Control
The 1st Ever RRS Modded Grill
Garmin Nuvi + D4 Surround + Reversing Camera.
D4 Steering Wheel.
Rear Boot Spoiler.
Twin Brake Lights.
Wing Mirror Indicator Repeaters.
Long Roof Rails
Make your own Narpy grill thread
I'm not scared, I'm outta here.
30th Apr 2019 6:07 am
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2138
Cheers Narpy
Current: D4 HSE
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30th Apr 2019 6:26 am
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
Didn't see that you had the IID sig earlier, although presumably you would have stopped at:
me wrote:
If you have an IID then you can just set the calibration with the wheels straight, irrespective of wheel position.
I did find being able to 'adjust' the sensor when it had gone out of adjustment due to slippage (very much before I purchased an IID) was handy.Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
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