[Alex_Leaf_Adventures]

Good Evening,

I picked up my new i3 this week and have been loving every minute of it.
I seem to be finding the steering a little heavier than I am use to (Nissan Leaf). Today I went for a 20 mile countryside drive and found the steering was actually tiring my arms out, I was only going 20-30mph.

Is there anything I can do to lighten the steering so it requires a little less effort? (Apart for going to the gym)

For info, my tyres are 38psi rear and 32psi front.

Thanks in advance
Alex

 

[Uzi2]

I've never heard anyone describe the I3 steering as heavy. There have been complaints in the opposite direction. Best advice would be to take it back to the seller to get it checked out.

 

[Alex_Leaf_Adventures]

I've never heard anyone describe the I3 steering as heavy. There have been complaints in the opposite direction. Best advice would be to take it back to the seller to get it checked out.

Thank you for your reply, maybe mine has a fault. My Nissan Leaf 40 steering Is so effortless, it requires very little force to turn the wheel when driving. I just found the i3 to be very heavy at speed of 20-30mph

 

[2020i3]

I am sure my i3 has higher recommended tyre pressures than that. Are you sure those figures you quote are correct?

 

[srichards]

32 seems a bit low.

Is the steering the same weight in both directions? If it's heavier turning one way then there might be a problem.

 

[mrdr_ev]

The i3 steering is slightly heavier in ECOPRO mode (or SPORT on the i3S), but the difference is really quite subtle. I think you have to bear in mind that the i3 is a BMW and as such attempts to engage the driver, whereas a Leaf is, well, a Leaf, and is a matter transport device for humans, humans who are expected to never ever notice that they were even in a vehicle for the duration of the journey.
As others have said; definitely check the tyre pressures against the specs inside the door jam and note that the steering is very sharp - it's the fastest steering rack I've ever used outside an actual go-kart, and as such you may spend a lot of time learning to be ultra-precise with your steering, which can be tiring for a while as you get used to it.

 

[Alex_Leaf_Adventures]

Thank you for all your responses, I’ve pumped the tyres up to the recommended pressures and it’s sadly not made any difference.
I’ve started to think that the above statement is correct, it’s a BMW and not a Leaf and the heavy steering is part and parcel of the BMW experience.

Just to clarify that the steering is very heavy when making minor movements, the type you don’t really notice your making. An example would be keeping the car in the middle of the lane, slight bends in the road.
However when turning a shaper corner or using a roundabout the steering feels perfectly normal. Its that first initial movement.
Ive owned a 1 series so I do understand that BMW’s do have different steering to most cars.
I think I’ll book it in with the garage and if all is well and that’s how the steering should be then I’ll probably trade it in.

Thank you for your help
Alex

 

[2020i3]

It sounds like it has an issue to me. There is nothing ‘heavy’ about the i3 power steering. See what they say. If they tell you all is well drive another at a dealership and see how it compares.

 

[mrdr_ev]

Umm, if it's an initial resistance to movement, followed by normal assistance then yeah you maybe do have a fault in the steering torque sensing parts on the rack. There is a small initial resistance just due to friction in the steering column parts which an older car won't display but it shouldn't be significant at all, just barely noticeable.
Have to say I had the software on our golf glitch once and it disabled the steering assistance. What a joy it was to drive until I got it home!!

 

[srichards]

Has the wheel alignment been checked? It is a 4 year old car so it's possible there is wear to something that is making the steering heavier than usual.

Does the i3 have multiple steering modes?

 

[AdrianMc]

Has the wheel alignment been checked? It is a 4 year old car so it's possible there is wear to something that is making the steering heavier than usual.

Does the i3 have multiple steering modes?

Should not cause steering be this heavy.

As some one has suggest. Try to drive another.
I3 steering is not that heavy.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk