Hello there,

I am new to Ford and new to the club and just looking for some advice.

I have just bought a Fiesta ST Line 125 MHEV 2023 4500miles.

I have owned the car for 2 weeks  now and have gradually noticed that the steering wheel seems to wrestle itself out of my grip. For example if I am tootling down the road at 30mph I seem to have to keep correcting the steering and hold the steering wheel straight. It feels like it is following the camber of the road.

I also get a weird sensation when I accelerate reasonably briskly. It feels like the front of the car is lifting and the steering becomes very light and floaty and you really have to hold the steering wheel to stop it turning on its own. 

I checked the front tyre pressures and they were 32.5 and 33 so I reduced them to 30psi as per the recommendation.  No noticeable difference from that adjustment though. The wheels are 17s so recommended 30 front 26 back. I didn't check the back so will maybe do that later.

Any advice much appreciated hoping its something simple.

Thank you all

 

 

Hi Scott, welcome.

I'm just wondering what car you had previously?

The steering on the Fiesta is pretty direct compared to some cars, more so in a version with sports suspension and low profile tyres, and can be prone to "tramlining" as you describe.

Similarly, we all have a different idea of "briskly" but you could be experiencing torque steer when accelerating - the MHEV versions do pull quite well from low speed.

So it could just be a matter of getting used to the car and perhaps relaxing a little and letting it do it's thing.

As an example, I need to recalibrate my brain when swapping from the Fiesta to my wife's Seat Mii which has very light steering which takes more turns lock to lock.

Do make sure the tyres are the correct pressure front and back and check for uneven tyre wear which could indicate steering misalignment.

NB if the roads in your part of Yorkshire are anything like in my area, it is sometimes quite a fight to keep the car going where you want it to!😀

 

3 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Hi Scott, welcome.

I'm just wondering what car you had previously?

The steering on the Fiesta is pretty direct compared to some cars, more so in a version with sports suspension and low profile tyres, and can be prone to "tramlining" as you describe.

Similarly, we all have a different idea of "briskly" but you could be experiencing torque steer when accelerating - the MHEV versions do pull quite well from low speed.

So it could just be a matter of getting used to the car and perhaps relaxing a little and letting it do it's thing.

As an example, I need to recalibrate my brain when swapping from the Fiesta to my wife's Seat Mii which has very light steering which takes more turns lock to lock.

Do make sure the tyres are the correct pressure front and back and check for uneven tyre wear which could indicate steering misalignment.

NB if the roads in your part of Yorkshire are anything like in my area, it is sometimes quite a fight to keep the car going where you want it to!😀

 

Many thanks for the reply and welcome Eric.

I had a VW Polo 1.2 TSI for the last 6 years so suppose its naturally going to take a bit of time to get used to.

Will check all the pressures and tyres tomorrow with a different gauge just in case. From what I've read the pressure accuracy is important. 

Noted about the torque steer. It is quite nippy with the foot down not that I am a boy racer or anything like that. Just feels a bit wooly.

Thanks for the reassurance. Sounds like it is probably a quirk of the car rather than a fault. I might get the tracking checked though for peace of mind.

Yes. The roads seem terrible everywhere!!

Many thanks 

Scott

 

 

 

13 hours ago, Casbantam said:

I had a VW Polo 1.2 TSI for the last 6 years so suppose its naturally going to take a bit of time to get used to.

Polo and Fiesta are both very good cars but do things differently - Fiesta is a sharper drive, Polo tends to be a bit more comfortable/relaxing. If you've had your Polo 6 years it could well just be a matter of getting used to the Fiesta.

I presume a recent car will be a dealer purchase and if you're still not happy raise it with them. Even nearly new cars can have faults. I once bought a near new Fiesta via the Ford Direct scheme and was not at all happy to find a "wheel wobble". To cut a long story short, the issue was sorted to my satisfaction but it turned out that all 4 alloys were distorted from (presumably) pothole damage!

Yes it's a Ford Direct car. I have just sent an email to the dealer to call me tomorrow to discuss. Unfortunately they are 80 miles away in Nottingham. 

I know it's a different car but it just doesn't feel right. Checked the tyre pressures today and it should be 30 front 26 rear. It was 32.5 and 33 front and 32.5 and 24.5 rear. That is pretty poor really. 

I adjusted them but still feels the same unfortunately.

To update. 

I spoke to the selling dealership and they say I should take to my local dealership to have the steering checked under warranty if I feel something isn't right.

Before I do this I have used the tyre pressure gauge at the petrol station to adjust the tyre pressures which I assume would be more accurate than my portable. I think it does feel a bit better but not loads better.

I don't want to waste the dealerships time if this is a characteristic of the car. Can anyone out there relate to this sensation? It feels like you are constantly having to steer the car. Even on a straight road it feels like the wheel is being slightly tugged. You feel like you always need to have 2 hands on the wheel all the time or the car would wander. Then on not even fast acceleration the steering feels lighter and like if I let go of the steering wheel it would spin on its own, I feel like I have to grip it to stop it moving.

Could it just be that I am used to a smaller steering wheel from previous car? Must admit it feels like I am driving a van in this car as it feels so big!!

All info/advice greatly appreciated. Cheers

 

On 9/24/2024 at 7:50 PM, Casbantam said:

Could it just be that I am used to a smaller steering wheel from previous car? Must admit it feels like I am driving a van in this car as it feels so big!!

Very difficult to comment on a feeling!

I wouldn't suggest you take both hands off the wheel altogether, but what happens if you relax your grip but keep your fingers just lightly circling the rim ready to grip it firmly if necessary? It would normally drift fairly gently to the nearside on a decent road (if you can find one). 

I'm assuming your Polo would have been the 2009-17 generation which "felt" pretty compact. The current Polo feels more like a Golf in comparison and the Mk 8 Fiesta is similar. Somehow I've always felt the Mk 8 seemed noticeably bigger than the previous generation. Also imo the visibility is not great compared to the Polo which might contribute to your unease.

Not sure what wheel tyre/combo you had on the Polo but your Fiesta will have either 205/45x17 or 205/40x18 which are more prone to following camber as already said. 

I suspect though, that you're going to have to get it checked out for your peace of mind. Just be clear about who will pick up the tab for the inspection in the event that no fault is found.

 

1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Very difficult to comment on a feeling!

I wouldn't suggest you take both hands off the wheel altogether, but what happens if you relax your grip but keep your fingers just lightly circling the rim ready to grip it firmly if necessary? It would normally drift fairly gently to the nearside on a decent road (if you can find one). 

I'm assuming your Polo would have been the 2009-17 generation which "felt" pretty compact. The current Polo feels more like a Golf in comparison and the Mk 8 Fiesta is similar. Somehow I've always felt the Mk 8 seemed noticeably bigger than the previous generation. Also imo the visibility is not great compared to the Polo which might contribute to your unease.

Not sure what wheel tyre/combo you had on the Polo but your Fiesta will have either 205/45x17 or 205/40x18 which are more prone to following camber as already said. 

I suspect though, that you're going to have to get it checked out for your peace of mind.

Thank you for the info EB.

As above, yes it does drift slightly to the left when allowed to and also follows the camber or any uneven surface of the road especially at slower speeds. At motorway speeds it is not noticeable. In the Polo it would not move at all so again from what you say this seems normal in this car.

The wheel combo are the 17" as you state. I've changed the pressures to spec as were o er inflated and checked the tread. All tread is 6mm apart from 1 that is 5.5mm on the front but this looks to be a slightly different tyre. They are all Continental but this is a different spec. Something like compact or economy compared to the others. Could this be an issue in a sensitive set up?

If I was driving a previous car I would assume it might be the tracking so might have that checked. I can't get it looked at at my local dealers till mid October unfortunately. I bought from a dealership 80 miles away.

A colleague of mine who has had Fiestas in the recent past took it for a spin today to see what he thought. He liked the car especially in 3rd and 4th gear and he did notice the car wanted to go to the left slightly.

Thanks again 

 

1 hour ago, Casbantam said:

The wheel combo are the 17" as you state. I've changed the pressures to spec as were o er inflated and checked the tread. All tread is 6mm apart from 1 that is 5.5mm on the front but this looks to be a slightly different tyre. They are all Continental but this is a different spec. Something like compact or economy compared to the others. Could this be an issue in a sensitive set up?

I have known one badly fitted Tyre to cause problems with the Steering on a friends car.

If you can't get the car looked at soon then changing the Tyres from front to back may cause the issue to go away or get better.

3 hours ago, Casbantam said:

They are all Continental but this is a different spec. Something like compact or economy compared to the others. Could this be an issue in a sensitive set up?

Something's obviously happened then for the tyre to be changed. Ideally you would have the exact same tyres all round,or at least on the steering end, so a swap to the rear as John suggests could help.

It does sound as if it might be a very different tyre to the rest though (economy rather than performance compound) so I'd check carefully the rating information on the sidewall and try and get another, matching, tyre if you're not happy.

On a slightly different tack, I haven't seen the Ford Direct conditions lately, but it used to be the case that you could swap the car for another Ford Direct car within 30 days if you weren't happy with it, with a cash adjustment if necessary. I just wonder if a Titanium or similar might suit you better than the ST-L? 

 

11 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

but it used to be the case that you could swap the car for another Ford Direct car within 30 days if you weren't happy with it

Looks like that still applies:

EXCHANGE PLAN

If you're not happy with your choice, you can exchange it once within the first 30 days or 1,000 miles (whichever comes first) for cars and 14 days or 500 miles (whichever comes first) for commercial vehicles (including Ranger & Tourneo models). As long as it is:

• Returned to the Dealer you bought it from

• The vehicle sold to you, with all options and extras

• In the same condition as sold 

• Exchanged for another car of the same or higher price

If you bought your car on finance, you'll need to settle the balance and sign a new agreement.

Thank you both for the replies and good information it's much appreciated.

Food for thought. I've had the car for 3 weeks but on the T&Cs I thought it said 14 days exchange so will check that out tonight as I thought I had missed the boat on that option.

Had the alignment checked today and was all OK. Will be changing the wheels around next as Tizer mentioned and try rule that out.

Interestingly the technician asked what made me have the alignment checked as it was virtually perfect. He said a few people comment on the steering of these cars.

He suggested changing the pressures from 30 front and 26 rear to 27 all round to see how that felt. Seems strange advice to me?? Not sure I would defer from the recommended pressures tbh.

Update.

Not really used sport mode that much but used it all way to work today and I would say it makes the situation 80% better. As the steering has a firmer feel it doesn't move around as much when not gripped.

On the tyre situation on the front axle. I have both Continental. Driver side is Eco contact 6 Load rating 88V with 5.5mm and passenger side is Ultra contact Load 88W with 6.5mm. Could this really make my handling feel vague?

Cheers guys

13 minutes ago, Casbantam said:

Update.

Not really used sport mode that much but used it all way to work today and I would say it makes the situation 80% better. As the steering has a firmer feel it doesn't move around as much when not gripped.

On the tyre situation on the front axle. I have both Continental. Driver side is Eco contact 6 Load rating 88V with 5.5mm and passenger side is Ultra contact Load 88W with 6.5mm. Could this really make my handling feel vague?

Cheers guys

The Tyre may have been changed because of a normal puncture or maybe the car hit a big pothole or kerb and the tyre and possibly other things were damaged slightly.

When you swap the Wheels around have a look at the inner side of the Wheel for damage, that's the side that is cantilevered and most likely to be damaged.

If there are too many Balance Weights on that wheel as well I would be suspicious.

2 hours ago, Casbantam said:

On the tyre situation on the front axle. I have both Continental. Driver side is Eco contact 6 Load rating 88V with 5.5mm and passenger side is Ultra contact Load 88W with 6.5mm. Could this really make my handling feel vague?

From the reviews/product information here they seem to do pretty much the same job, described as "premium summer touring" tyres:

https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/b2c/car/tyres/ecocontact-6

https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/b2c/car/tyres/ultracontact/

https://www.tyrereviews.com/Tyre/Continental/UltraContact.htm

https://www.tyrereviews.com/Tyre/Continental/EcoContact-6.htm

So probably just swapped after puncture or damage for the nearest available equivalent.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Casbantam said:

Not really used sport mode that much but used it all way to work today and I would say it makes the situation 80% better. As the steering has a firmer feel it doesn't move around as much when not gripped.

Sport mode does weight up the steering, effectively making it less sensitive so I do wonder if you were gripping things a little too firmly.

I recall many years back my brother in law buying a Mk 1 Focus which had much more sensitive  steering than what he'd driven previously. It took him ages to get his head around it, I'm not sure he ever really did tbh!

 

Thanks for the info guys very much appreciated. Will try get the wheels swapped later today and see how that is.

Finally got round to having the tyres checked today. There was a big chunk missing out of the tyre on the inner wall of the odd tyre!!

Getting this replaced this week. Also on the free health check it showed that the engine oil was over the maximum and had to be drained. 

Makes me wonder how vigilant the pre sale checks are? The tyre pressures were also way out. Really not happy with the selling Ford garage. I have spoken to them today and they are paying the costs.

13 hours ago, Casbantam said:

Makes me wonder how vigilant the pre sale checks are? 

According to the Ford Direct blurb they are supposed to be "comprehensively reconditioned".

I did wonder myself after the experience I mentioned earlier. My dealer dealt with things very well, so no reflection on them. It's a while back now, but I recall they mentioned that in theory the cars should be A1 when received from Ford Direct, so the dealer should have no need to make further checks.

I did buy another Ford Direct car a few years later and it was absolutely faultless. I did wonder then if my earlier experience was just a "one off" but from your posts it seems perhaps not!

No doubt you'll let us know how the car feels with 4 complete tyres!😀

4 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

According to the Ford Direct blurb they are supposed to be "comprehensively reconditioned".

I did wonder myself after the experience I mentioned earlier. My dealer dealt with things very well, so no reflection on them. It's a while back now, but I recall they mentioned that in theory the cars should be A1 when received from Ford Direct, so the dealer should have no need to make further checks.

I did buy another Ford Direct car a few years later and it was absolutely faultless. I did wonder then if my earlier experience was just a "one off" but from your posts it seems perhaps not!

No doubt you'll let us know how the car feels with 4 complete tyres!😀

Yes will let you know next week when I can get it replaced.

Got to say though, I think I have got used to the car a lot more now and really enjoying it. Really surprised by the performance and economy.

Thanks all for the help and advice

On 9/21/2024 at 4:14 PM, Casbantam said:

Hello there,

I am new to Ford and new to the club and just looking for some advice.

I have just bought a Fiesta ST Line 125 MHEV 2023 4500miles.

I have owned the car for 2 weeks  now and have gradually noticed that the steering wheel seems to wrestle itself out of my grip. For example if I am tootling down the road at 30mph I seem to have to keep correcting the steering and hold the steering wheel straight. It feels like it is following the camber of the road.

I also get a weird sensation when I accelerate reasonably briskly. It feels like the front of the car is lifting and the steering becomes very light and floaty and you really have to hold the steering wheel to stop it turning on its own. 

I checked the front tyre pressures and they were 32.5 and 33 so I reduced them to 30psi as per the recommendation.  No noticeable difference from that adjustment though. The wheels are 17s so recommended 30 front 26 back. I didn't check the back so will maybe do that later.

Any advice much appreciated hoping its something simple.

Thank you all

 

 

I have the exact same issue with my Fiesta. I have the exact same model, Fiesta ST Line 125 MHEV 2020 19K miles. Had the alignment done on it twice and still no difference. Mine slightly pulls to the left and the steering wrestles itself and feels alarming to control. 

13 hours ago, AjitBassan said:

I have the exact same issue with my Fiesta. I have the exact same model, Fiesta ST Line 125 MHEV 2020 19K miles. Had the alignment done on it twice and still no difference. Mine slightly pulls to the left and the steering wrestles itself and feels alarming to control. 

How long have you had the car Ajit?

I have had mine for just over a month. I think and as per the friendly forum members on here have mentioned having the correct tyre pressures and spec tyres are key. Have you checked this? 

I would also say that it is a totally different animal from my previous VW which I owned for 6 years.

As the steering wheel is bigger and lighter it is a lot more sensitive to the surface if the road.

Saying all that I do think I am used to the car now so don't really feel it as much. Also you may need to hold the steering wheel differently to your previous car (what was it?) 

Hope this helps and like me you will adapt in time.

 

On 10/9/2024 at 12:33 PM, Casbantam said:

How long have you had the car Ajit?

I have had mine for just over a month. I think and as per the friendly forum members on here have mentioned having the correct tyre pressures and spec tyres are key. Have you checked this? 

I would also say that it is a totally different animal from my previous VW which I owned for 6 years.

As the steering wheel is bigger and lighter it is a lot more sensitive to the surface if the road.

Saying all that I do think I am used to the car now so don't really feel it as much. Also you may need to hold the steering wheel differently to your previous car (what was it?) 

Hope this helps and like me you will adapt in time.

 

I've had the car for 5 months now. Bought it at 15k miles, it has now done 19k miles. I have the exact same tyres that come from factory with between 33-36psi on all 4 tyres. My steering feels noticeably heavier and pulls to the left when the steering wheel is centred. I do notice the torque steer but I just feel the steering has a mind of its own. I come from a 2012 toyota aygo which didn't have no problem with the steering like this. I am going to a professional alignment shop called GeoByLuke to get this checked to make sure all is fine.

Make sure your tyre pressures are spot on in accordance with the sticker on the B pillar (which is usually on the passenger side) or check with the below table from the owners handbook.

As with Scott's earlier query, you really are comparing 2 entirely different cars. The steering on the Fiesta will be far weightier, and more precise than an Aygo, and very low profile tyres (I assume you have either 205/45x17 or 205/40x18) will react much more to road imperfections. Slight pull to the left is perfectly normal due to road camber.

My wife has a SEAT Mii which is a similar sort of car to the Aygo in many ways. Compared to the Fiesta the steering is very light and less precise, and though we've had it 10 years I still need to re-calibrate my brain every time I drive it.

I can understand your wish to get the alignment checked for peace of mind though and hope all is fine. Do let us know how you get on.

TIRE PRESSURE SPECIFICATIONS - 1.0L ECOBOOST™, MANUAL TRANSMISSION



The recommended tire inflation pressures are on the tire information label on the driver side B-pillar.

Check all tire pressures when they are cold, at least once every two weeks.

Note:   You may need to remove the spare wheel from the spare wheel well to check the tire pressure.

ATire size. BVehicle model. CFront tire pressure. DRear tire pressure. EVehicle load. FMeasure unit. GSpare wheel tire pressure. HIntended constant vehicle speed. ISpare wheel tire size.

Up to 160 km/h (100 mph)

 

Tire Size	Normal Load		Full Load
	Front	Rear	Front	Rear
	bar (psi)	bar (psi)	bar (psi)	bar (psi)
195/60R15 88V Winter	2.1 (30)	1.8 (26)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/60R15 88V Summer	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/60R15 92V XL All Season	2.1 (30)	1.8 (26)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/55R16 87V	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.6 (38)	2.6 (38)
195/55R16 91V XL Summer	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.6 (38)	2.6 (38)
195/55R16 91V XL All Season	2.1 (30)	1.8 (26)	2.3 (33)	2.6 (38)
205/45R17 88V XL Summer	2.5 (36)	2.1 (30)	2.5 (36)	2.9 (42)
205/45R17 88W XL All Season	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.4 (35)	2.6 (38)
205/45R17 88Y XL	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.4 (35)	2.6 (38)
205/40R18 86W XL	2.5 (36)	1.8 (26)	2.6 (38)	2.8 (41)
205/40R18 86Y XL	2.3 (33)	1.8 (26)	2.6 (38)	2.8 (41)

 

Continuous Speed in Excess of 160 km/h (100 mph) or With Trailer Towing up to 100 km/h (60 mph)

 

Tire Size	Normal Load		Full Load
	Front	Rear	Front	Rear
	bar (psi)	bar (psi)	bar (psi)	bar (psi)
195/60R15 88V Winter	2.1 (30)	2 (29)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/60R15 88V Summer	2.3 (33)	2 (29)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/60R15 92V XL All Season	2.1 (30)	2 (29)	2.8 (41)	2.8 (41)
195/55R16 87V	2.3 (33)	2 (29)	2.6 (38)	2.6 (38)
195/55R16 91V XL Summer	2.3 (33)	2 (29)	2.6 (38)	2.6 (38)
195/55R16 91V XL All Season	2.1 (30)	2 (29)	2.3 (33)	2.6 (38)
205/45R17 88V XL Summer	2.5 (36)	2.3 (33)	2.6 (38)	2.9 (42)
205/45R17 88W XL All Season	2.5 (36)	2 (29)	2.6 (38)	2.6 (38)
205/45R17 88Y XL	2.3 (33)	2 (29)	2.4 (35)	2.6 (38)
205/40R18 86W XL	2.5 (36)	2 (29)	2.7 (39)	2.8 (41)
205/40R18 86Y XL	2.3 (33)	2 (29)	2.6 (38)	2.8 (41)

 

Temporary Spare Wheel (If Equipped)

WARNING:  Do not switch off stability control or select sport mode, when using a temporary spare wheel or after repairing a tire using the temporary mobility kit.

 

Tire Size	bar (psi)
175/65R14 86T XL	3.2 (46)

 

Do not exceed the maximum speed stated on the label attached to the temporary spare wheel.