Steering Issues - 2013

[mattchat]

Software only? I wonder if this will truly fix the problem as I've always felt it to be the rack itself and I have the old rack. Have to wait and see.

He said it would arrive on Friday, so he recommended I bring it in next week, keep in mind I live in Scotland I don't know when it will be released in the US.

[thedollardoctor]

Software only? I wonder if this will truly fix the problem as I've always felt it to be the rack itself and I have the old rack. Have to wait and see.

My rack was replaced many months ago and it immediately resolved my "notchiness" issues. The VAG COM mod cleared up "the slip" and it's been SMOOTH sailing ever since. I have no intention of letting Audi mess with any of that part of my car anymore.

[Khramov]

Yesterday I finally updated the firmware electric power steering Audi dealer. I can share my impressions:
1. Finally it disappeared these jerking the steering wheel, which were before, now steering wheel is spinning freely at any speed.
2. Steering wheel has become much harder and more accurate now it is not a "lightweight", it is felt that the electric power steering began to work on another.
3. The car was better to "obey" the steering wheel and hold the right way, without "steer".
4. Since turned on back system DSR then disappeared error in block 03 - ABS. Now all ok!

In general I am satisfied!

[Moose201]

Yesterday I finally updated the firmware electric power steering Audi dealer. I can share my impressions:
1. Finally it disappeared these jerking the steering wheel, which were before, now steering wheel is spinning freely at any speed.
2. Steering wheel has become much harder and more accurate now it is not a "lightweight", it is felt that the electric power steering began to work on another.
3. The car was better to "obey" the steering wheel and hold the right way, without "steer".
4. Since turned on back system DSR then disappeared error in block 03 - ABS. Now all ok!

In general I am satisfied!

Thanks Khramov. Hopefully this fix is coming soon to U.S. cars. Glad you are happy with the result.

[IceAero]

Yesterday I finally updated the firmware electric power steering Audi dealer. I can share my impressions:
1. Finally it disappeared these jerking the steering wheel, which were before, now steering wheel is spinning freely at any speed.
2. Steering wheel has become much harder and more accurate now it is not a "lightweight", it is felt that the electric power steering began to work on another.
3. The car was better to "obey" the steering wheel and hold the right way, without "steer".
4. Since turned on back system DSR then disappeared error in block 03 - ABS. Now all ok!

In general I am satisfied!

Great news!

Finally, proof that Audi has released a software update. Of course we have no idea how country-specific the release will be...

I suppose someone in the US should call their dealer next week?

[Celiot29]

just experienced this notchy feeling for the second time very subtle but still am convinced it was a touch of this issue. both times have been on damp roads but im sure that doesnt mean anything and the build date for my car is jan 2013. i think this has the updated steering rack so more proof that this could be a sofware issue. the notchiness was def felt going around a rotary i didnt get anythng dramatic but def felt a bit weird to say the least kind of liek the wheel was skipping over little sections as i was turning it. i wonder if i should ask my dealer about the software update in the US or is it too early for them to even have a clue cause i have noticed in the past that it takes a good 6 months for these issues to get to a point where individual dealers are addressing them with consistency.

[Moose201]

just experienced this notchy feeling for the second time very subtle but still am convinced it was a touch of this issue. both times have been on damp roads but im sure that doesnt mean anything and the build date for my car is jan 2013. i think this has the updated steering rack so more proof that this could be a sofware issue. the notchiness was def felt going around a rotary i didnt get anythng dramatic but def felt a bit weird to say the least kind of liek the wheel was skipping over little sections as i was turning it. i wonder if i should ask my dealer about the software update in the US or is it too early for them to even have a clue cause i have noticed in the past that it takes a good 6 months for these issues to get to a point where individual dealers are addressing them with consistency.

Doesn't hurt to contact your service dept. My dealer is aware of the steering issue and they have been in touch with me periodically....unfortunately the factory fix is still pending.

[cfritos]

What is the consensus on how to fix this issue, I have an AK on order, but i would like to see if the dealer can fix this before i install that, or at least make it better. Is there a steering update that I should ask my dealer about or are they just going to say that your car has already gotten that update.

[gendry]

Do the vagcom yourself. That is a complete total fix to the slip issue.

The AK has benefits which makes it well worth the cost to many of us (myself included) but it won't fix the steering issue. Not related.

What is the consensus on how to fix this issue, I have an AK on order, but i would like to see if the dealer can fix this before i install that, or at least make it better. Is there a steering update that I should ask my dealer about or are they just going to say that your car has already gotten that update.

[Moose201]

What is the consensus on how to fix this issue, I have an AK on order, but i would like to see if the dealer can fix this before i install that, or at least make it better. Is there a steering update that I should ask my dealer about or are they just going to say that your car has already gotten that update.

My dealer tells me that a steering update is coming (and, as noted elsewhere in this thread, a couple of posters outside the United States have confirmed this) but, as gendry points out, you can fix it now through vagcom.

[kasher_khan]

I got a call from customer service at Audi of America last week. This is the first time anyone from besides the dealership has tried to contact me. They told me that my name is on the list and they will continue to touch base with me until there is an official fix. I asked for ETA and they said none was available at this point in time. Seemed more like a PR move, because the lady that called wasn't technical at all. This was very recent, which leads me to believe that a U.S fix might be a little while away.

BTW: I have not had any issues with my steering for a couple of months. Can't say if it's the summer or what.

[afig367]

For at least 7 months, people have been waiting for a permanent fix with Audi saying "no ETA available." Or.... people are actually told, "very soon" or a "few weeks away." Nothing ever comes around....... I'm convinced no permanent fix is on the horizon, either intentionally because Audi doesn't give a shit, because they don't know how to fix it, or it's cheaper for them to fix racks than it is to offer a permanent solution (i.e., it's been hypothesized that any fix would drop fuel economy and force Audi to re-sticker the cars.)

[Moose201]

For at least 7 months, people have been waiting for a permanent fix with Audi saying "no ETA available." Or.... people are actually told, "very soon" or a "few weeks away." Nothing ever comes around....... I'm convinced no permanent fix is on the horizon, either intentionally because Audi doesn't give a shit, because they don't know how to fix it, or it's cheaper for them to fix racks than it is to offer a permanent solution (i.e., it's been hypothesized that any fix would drop fuel economy and force Audi to re-sticker the cars.)

That's not totally true outside the US. We now have a guy from Russia saying that they applied the fix to his car and he is happy with the result. There was another one in Scotland but he hasn't reported back yet.

[Gromit]

He said it would arrive on Friday, so he recommended I bring it in next week, keep in mind I live in Scotland I don't know when it will be released in the US.

Silica: it's been a while since you were told your software update would be available. Did you get it? If so, how has it felt? Let us know.

[Fringe]

I have a 2013 and now have started this ridiculous process with Audi. My car was officially diagnosed yesterday, after the tech and advisor initially told me that it was high air pressure causing my steering issues. I told them that simply was not true and made them both ride in my car to see what was happening. Then they do the TSB paperwork and send me on my way telling me they'll contact me when there is a fix. I looked at the paperwork they gave me and Audi is classifying this as a "comfort concern." Since when is a car that steers itself an issue related to comfort rather than safety? I am flummoxed by how lax Audi is treating this problem that spans the entire range of Audis with this kind of steering. So, in short as of yesterday, there is no fix in the U.S. though the tech told me there is no warranty issues if you do the Vagcom fix. But, I am going to continue taking Audi to task on this issue cause I think it is horribly unsafe that they have cars that steer themselves.

[stactum]

no warranty issues if you do the Vagcom fix

Just do yourself a favor: do a vag com fix

I was frustrated first couple thousand of miles; then unchecked DSR and last 8 thousand I've been very happy.

Audi tech is correct for the most part, it is a comfort concern. Car doesn't steer itself, but it feels like it drifting since steering is too light that you can't feel it being connected to wheels. In general I am unhappy how audi treats the issue. I think that the drivers steering recommendation is silly feature to begin with so I hope they would completely ditch it and make steering feel consistent.

[Celiot29]

Just do yourself a favor: do a vag com fix

I was frustrated first couple thousand of miles; then unchecked DSR and last 8 thousand I've been very happy.

Audi tech is correct for the most part, it is a comfort concern. Car doesn't steer itself, but it feels like it drifting since steering is too light that you can't feel it being connected to wheels. In general I am unhappy how audi treats the issue. I think that the drivers steering recommendation is silly feature to begin with so I hope they would completely ditch it and make steering feel consistent.

in my case it has been more of the effect of the wheel skipping little sections where it slips thru and catches again, it really seems to me that the electromagnetic steering was Made to be too light and in essence is causing this problem. my question is would the vag com fix this or does that just fix the issue of having to constantly correct the wheel to stay in straight line which I am guessing is he drifting issue which I have not experienced. Regardless I think I am going To mention it to the my dealer and ask them to keep me updated on a software fix.

on a side note there's been a few times I have actually felt the old steering hose issue that plagued the b8s I got mine replaced and it fixed the issue In my 09 but I'm confused because that was the result of a faulty hose. If I am feeling this(again although rare) when stopped or parking lot speeds why? Forgive me for not knowing much about mechanics but this new steering doesn't have a hydraulic system so if I am intact feeling the same issue why is it happening In my 2013

also I have an a4 I am just noticing this is s4 forum and I don't see this subject in the a4 forums is it not as prominent in s4 or are s4 owners a little more picky

[bpc135798642]

Hi,
This is my first post, but I did a lot of research in these forums before upgrading my 2009 A4 to a 2014 S4, so I was aware of potential issues with the steering. The S4 is so awesome in every other way it did not do enough to deter me from buying. I got my new S4 last weekend and have not had any of the "notchiness" or deadspots that other members have complained about. I do have a generally loose feeling at all speeds on center, but most noticeable at highway speeds. I had the hydraulic steering on my A4, and compared to that, the steering is very light (low resistance to my inputs), I have to make a significant turn of the wheel (vs what I had to do in the old A4) to make the car change direction by the same amount, and there appears to be a slight delay between when I turn the wheel and when the car changes direction (but that may be related to me now having to turn the wheel further than before). I do not have the Dynamic Steering package, but I do have the steering set to Dynamic in the ADS menu, since the effect is a bit less than in Comfort, but not as much of a difference as I thought there should be. All this adds up to a steering feel that is more akin to a 1950's Caddy vs a 2014 Audi S4.
I am very keen to hear if Silica666 from Scotland sees the same results as Khramov from Russia regarding the firmware update. I have an engineering background, and my sense is this should be fixable in software. Audi needs to increase resistance felt at the wheel (decrease assist), and make the front wheels turn more based on the same steering wheel angle change, especially when set to Dynamic via ADS. I have emailed my dealer about the firmware update availability in the US, but no response yet.

[gendry]

You have the standard slip issue but not the notchiness - which is what we would expect based on your build date as a 2014.

Assuming 2014 works the same as 2013, do the Vagcom fix and the slip will be gone. Its a 30 seconds complete cure to this light drift/slippage feel, the though steering will never have as much feel as you might like.

Hi,
This is my first post, but I did a lot of research in these forums before upgrading my 2009 A4 to a 2014 S4, so I was aware of potential issues with the steering. The S4 is so awesome in every other way it did not do enough to deter me from buying. I got my new S4 last weekend and have not had any of the "notchiness" or deadspots that other members have complained about. I do have a generally loose feeling at all speeds on center, but most noticeable at highway speeds. I had the hydraulic steering on my A4, and compared to that, the steering is very light (low resistance to my inputs), I have to make a significant turn of the wheel (vs what I had to do in the old A4) to make the car change direction by the same amount, and there appears to be a slight delay between when I turn the wheel and when the car changes direction (but that may be related to me now having to turn the wheel further than before). I do not have the Dynamic Steering package, but I do have the steering set to Dynamic in the ADS menu, since the effect is a bit less than in Comfort, but not as much of a difference as I thought there should be. All this adds up to a steering feel that is more akin to a 1950's Caddy vs a 2014 Audi S4.
I am very keen to hear if Silica666 from Scotland sees the same results as Khramov from Russia regarding the firmware update. I have an engineering background, and my sense is this should be fixable in software. Audi needs to increase resistance felt at the wheel (decrease assist), and make the front wheels turn more based on the same steering wheel angle change, especially when set to Dynamic via ADS. I have emailed my dealer about the firmware update availability in the US, but no response yet.

[drob23]

Hi,
This is my first post, but I did a lot of research in these forums before upgrading my 2009 A4 to a 2014 S4, so I was aware of potential issues with the steering. The S4 is so awesome in every other way it did not do enough to deter me from buying. I got my new S4 last weekend and have not had any of the "notchiness" or deadspots that other members have complained about. I do have a generally loose feeling at all speeds on center, but most noticeable at highway speeds. I had the hydraulic steering on my A4, and compared to that, the steering is very light (low resistance to my inputs), I have to make a significant turn of the wheel (vs what I had to do in the old A4) to make the car change direction by the same amount, and there appears to be a slight delay between when I turn the wheel and when the car changes direction (but that may be related to me now having to turn the wheel further than before). I do not have the Dynamic Steering package, but I do have the steering set to Dynamic in the ADS menu, since the effect is a bit less than in Comfort, but not as much of a difference as I thought there should be. All this adds up to a steering feel that is more akin to a 1950's Caddy vs a 2014 Audi S4.
I am very keen to hear if Silica666 from Scotland sees the same results as Khramov from Russia regarding the firmware update. I have an engineering background, and my sense is this should be fixable in software. Audi needs to increase resistance felt at the wheel (decrease assist), and make the front wheels turn more based on the same steering wheel angle change, especially when set to Dynamic via ADS. I have emailed my dealer about the firmware update availability in the US, but no response yet.

There's a couple issues buried in your post.

1) The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) technology itself is fundamentally different than hydraulic steering - the biggest general complaints being lack of road feedback and lightness of effort. The road feedback, which used to be a natural property of the hydraulically assisted racks, will never be the same, and must now be implemented by feedback control algorithms in the power steering control unit. Different companies do a better job, often carried out by suppliers, for instance TRW is supposed to have the best EPS. The effort needed is something that can be tuned, but IMO you get used to what you have and it's fine. I always drive in dynamic steering mode and wouldn't complain about the weight.

2) A lot of the sloppiness of the steering can be traced to the flimsy subframe which connects the lower control arms of the front suspension. The purpose of this brace is to reject torsional flex in the yaw plane while turning. The part you want to order is the Alu Kreuz from Euro Code. Owners of both B8 and B8.5 S4's have put this part on and felt a dramatic improvement of both accuracy and response time (i.e. no slop).

3) The EPS unit provides an additional feature called "driver steering recommendation" (DSR) which attempts to prevent wind gusts or road crown from inducing a swerve. They monitor your steering wheel inputs (both torque and rotation position) and compare with the same type of states on the steering rack. If it appears that the road is forcing the front wheels to turn (in the case of wind or crown) but simultaneously determines you are NOT requesting this input, then the EPS attempts to change the counter torque to keep the wheel at the same position. The general consensus is that this feature is either incorrectly implemented or incorrectly calibrated, which has the feel of changing the steering assist in an unpredictable/unwanted manner that can induce the driver to accidentally swerve the car - think of leaning up against someone only to have them pull away without telling you. People disable this feature with VAGCOM, with the caveat that it creates an error within the ABS ECU (believed to be benign).

[gendry]

Good points.

FWIW, I do NOT have an error from the vagcom slip fix.

Also, the Ala Kreuz is great, but it doesn't do anything for the "general loose feeling at all speeds on center." The Alu Kreuz keeps the steering from feeling sloppy if you jump it back and forth (because it keeps the chasy from giving).

There's a couple issues buried in your post.

1) The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) technology itself is fundamentally different than hydraulic steering - the biggest general complaints being lack of road feedback and lightness of effort. The road feedback, which used to be a natural property of the hydraulically assisted racks, will never be the same, and must now be implemented by feedback control algorithms in the power steering control unit. Different companies do a better job, often carried out by suppliers, for instance TRW is supposed to have the best EPS. The effort needed is something that can be tuned, but IMO you get used to what you have and it's fine. I always drive in dynamic steering mode and wouldn't complain about the weight.

2) A lot of the sloppiness of the steering can be traced to the flimsy subframe which connects the lower control arms of the front suspension. The purpose of this brace is to reject torsional flex in the yaw plane while turning. The part you want to order is the Alu Kreuz from Euro Code. Owners of both B8 and B8.5 S4's have put this part on and felt a dramatic improvement of both accuracy and response time (i.e. no slop).

3) The EPS unit provides an additional feature called "driver steering recommendation" (DSR) which attempts to prevent wind gusts or road crown from inducing a swerve. They monitor your steering wheel inputs (both torque and rotation position) and compare with the same type of states on the steering rack. If it appears that the road is forcing the front wheels to turn (in the case of wind or crown) but simultaneously determines you are NOT requesting this input, then the EPS attempts to change the counter torque to keep the wheel at the same position. The general consensus is that this feature is either incorrectly implemented or incorrectly calibrated, which has the feel of changing the steering assist in an unpredictable/unwanted manner that can induce the driver to accidentally swerve the car - think of leaning up against someone only to have them pull away without telling you. People disable this feature with VAGCOM, with the caveat that it creates an error within the ABS ECU (believed to be benign).

[drob23]

Good points.

FWIW, I do NOT have an error from the vagcom slip fix.

Also, the Ala Kreuz is great, but it doesn't do anything for the "general loose feeling at all speeds on center." The Alu Kreuz keeps the steering from feeling sloppy if you jump it back and forth (because it keeps the chasy from giving).

Do you have a recent scan? Would be interested to see coding on your power steering module and ABS module.

[gendry]

Nope sorry, a friend used their VAGCOM to make the change and I haven't used his cable since. Maybe there is an error that shows up sometime later I should be expecting?

Do you have a recent scan? Would be interested to see coding on your power steering module and ABS module.

[drob23]

Nope sorry, a friend used their VAGCOM to make the change and I haven't used his cable since. Maybe there is an error that shows up sometime later I should be expecting?

It's not an in-dash CEL or anything like that, you'll only see it after performing an OBD2 scan which you can do with VCDS/VAGCOM. You can find the specific error message earlier in the thread, it has priority level 3, which says "you should take the car into the dealership soon, but you don't need to do it TODAY." So far, I've only seen one car here that had DSR off with no error from the ABS module.

[gendry]

I thought I had scanned right after making the change it was clear. If I ever get a hold of a vagcom again I'll double check.

[Wilbur]

I got a call from customer service at Audi of America last week. This is the first time anyone from besides the dealership has tried to contact me. They told me that my name is on the list and they will continue to touch base with me until there is an official fix. I asked for ETA and they said none was available at this point in time. Seemed more like a PR move, because the lady that called wasn't technical at all. This was very recent, which leads me to believe that a U.S fix might be a little while away.

BTW: I have not had any issues with my steering for a couple of months. Can't say if it's the summer or what.

Me too ...weird. Its totally disappeared.

[gboogie88]

Me too ...weird. Its totally disappeared.

Wait til is colder out. I felt the notchiness a couple days ago when it was 12 degrees Celsius outside. When it's warm out, the steering doesn't feel notchy.

[IceFour]

Hmm been keeping an eye on this thread but I don't believe i've experienced this "slip" the steering is looser on comfort, pretty loose on the highway but not enough to be alarming. I suppose this is the issue though. The notchiness I have not experienced yet but then again it's summer... 2013 S4 1300 miles

[bpc135798642]

Thanks for the responses! I have a couple of questions:
gendry - I don't have a VAGCOM and would like to try this fix. From what I see I need a cable and some sw from Ross Tech? Do you know if the free version allow the modification to be made, or do I need the full version of the software? I couldn't figure this out from their website
drob23 - (1) I figure I will get used to the lack of feedback! (2) I've read about the Alu Kreuz, and checked out the website, and agree this should help. My plan is to try sw updates first, then move on to hw if I'm not satisfied by the results. (3) My understanding was the "Driver Steering Recommendation" only came with the Dynamic Steering option, which I don't believe I have as I didn't select the option at purchase, although I do have the option to select Comfort / Auto / Dynamic in the [Car] / [Individual] menu, so maybe I do?

[gendry]

I believe you need a full version but am not 100% sure as I used my friend's full version.

Thanks for the responses! I have a couple of questions:
gendry - I don't have a VAGCOM and would like to try this fix. From what I see I need a cable and some sw from Ross Tech? Do you know if the free version allow the modification to be made, or do I need the full version of the software? I couldn't figure this out from their website
drob23 - (1) I figure I will get used to the lack of feedback! (2) I've read about the Alu Kreuz, and checked out the website, and agree this should help. My plan is to try sw updates first, then move on to hw if I'm not satisfied by the results. (3) My understanding was the "Driver Steering Recommendation" only came with the Dynamic Steering option, which I don't believe I have as I didn't select the option at purchase, although I do have the option to select Comfort / Auto / Dynamic in the [Car] / [Individual] menu, so maybe I do?

The slip for me was annoying but sort of subtle. It was most noticeable on straight high way cruising. When holding the wheel dead straight, it felt like the first degree or two in either direction had absolutely zero resistance, which some have called a dead spot. Like the wheel wasn't sensitive to/didn't respond to any input until I turned it more than a little bit in a given direction, then I would feel the usual very slight feedback against my turn. This led me to drift out of my lane constantly if I wasn't concentrating on keeping in my lane. Like I said - quite annoying. With Vagcom fix, the steering is more firm and has no dead spot.

Hmm been keeping an eye on this thread but I don't believe i've experienced this "slip" the steering is looser on comfort, pretty loose on the highway but not enough to be alarming. I suppose this is the issue though. The notchiness I have not experienced yet but then again it's summer... 2013 S4 1300 miles

[rs4dreams]

Thanks for the responses! I have a couple of questions:
gendry - I don't have a VAGCOM and would like to try this fix. From what I see I need a cable and some sw from Ross Tech? Do you know if the free version allow the modification to be made, or do I need the full version of the software? I couldn't figure this out from their website
drob23 - (1) I figure I will get used to the lack of feedback! (2) I've read about the Alu Kreuz, and checked out the website, and agree this should help. My plan is to try sw updates first, then move on to hw if I'm not satisfied by the results. (3) My understanding was the "Driver Steering Recommendation" only came with the Dynamic Steering option, which I don't believe I have as I didn't select the option at purchase, although I do have the option to select Comfort / Auto / Dynamic in the [Car] / [Individual] menu, so maybe I do?

The Driver Steering Recommendation exists regardless of the dynamic steering option. I disabled it (don't have dynamic steering) and my steering got much tighter on-center.

[drob23]

Thanks for the responses! I have a couple of questions:
gendry - I don't have a VAGCOM and would like to try this fix. From what I see I need a cable and some sw from Ross Tech? Do you know if the free version allow the modification to be made, or do I need the full version of the software? I couldn't figure this out from their website
drob23 - (1) I figure I will get used to the lack of feedback! (2) I've read about the Alu Kreuz, and checked out the website, and agree this should help. My plan is to try sw updates first, then move on to hw if I'm not satisfied by the results. (3) My understanding was the "Driver Steering Recommendation" only came with the Dynamic Steering option, which I don't believe I have as I didn't select the option at purchase, although I do have the option to select Comfort / Auto / Dynamic in the [Car] / [Individual] menu, so maybe I do?

The software comes free with the hardware...there are ways to get cheap chinese knockoffs, but that whole approach with VCDS is like downloading bittorrent movies. DSR is a feature of the EPS system, has nothing to do with what options you tick. In fact, this feature is on pretty much every VAG car with EPS.

[bpc135798642]

Thanks - I didn't know that about the DSR. So now I need to find someone in Philly with VCDS to test this, or pay the $350 to get it myself, or wait for the firmware fix from Audi. If you know of someone who would be willing to help me with this in the Philly area, please let me know.
BTW - I called the dealership this afternoon, since the sales guy had not responded to my email, and asked the Service department about the steering issue. The response was that they have heard unofficially about new firmware for the EPS, but nothing official from AoA.

[thedollardoctor]

There's a couple issues buried in your post.

1) The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) technology itself is fundamentally different than hydraulic steering - the biggest general complaints being lack of road feedback and lightness of effort. The road feedback, which used to be a natural property of the hydraulically assisted racks, will never be the same, and must now be implemented by feedback control algorithms in the power steering control unit. Different companies do a better job, often carried out by suppliers, for instance TRW is supposed to have the best EPS. The effort needed is something that can be tuned, but IMO you get used to what you have and it's fine. I always drive in dynamic steering mode and wouldn't complain about the weight.

2) A lot of the sloppiness of the steering can be traced to the flimsy subframe which connects the lower control arms of the front suspension. The purpose of this brace is to reject torsional flex in the yaw plane while turning. The part you want to order is the Alu Kreuz from Euro Code. Owners of both B8 and B8.5 S4's have put this part on and felt a dramatic improvement of both accuracy and response time (i.e. no slop).

3) The EPS unit provides an additional feature called "driver steering recommendation" (DSR) which attempts to prevent wind gusts or road crown from inducing a swerve. They monitor your steering wheel inputs (both torque and rotation position) and compare with the same type of states on the steering rack. If it appears that the road is forcing the front wheels to turn (in the case of wind or crown) but simultaneously determines you are NOT requesting this input, then the EPS attempts to change the counter torque to keep the wheel at the same position. The general consensus is that this feature is either incorrectly implemented or incorrectly calibrated, which has the feel of changing the steering assist in an unpredictable/unwanted manner that can induce the driver to accidentally swerve the car - think of leaning up against someone only to have them pull away without telling you. People disable this feature with VAGCOM, with the caveat that it creates an error within the ABS ECU (believed to be benign).

Wow, pretty much the best single steering issues post of this entire thread. Any way we can just make this ONE post "THE STEERING ISSUES DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS POST"

Nice work drob!

[drob23]

Wow, pretty much the best single steering issues post of this entire thread. Any way we can just make this ONE post "THE STEERING ISSUES DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS POST"

Nice work drob!

Haha, thanks bud, let's just say this thread has sort of become a broken record, so I've had practice writing that down :D

[Celiot29]

am i the only one feeling this with the a4? i felt it slightly again this morning at highway speeds little dead spots and weird on center feel. taking it in today to get me rear passenegr side door fixed cause the handle on the inside wont open the door(no the child lock is not on haha) i will also be asking about the sfotware fix on this issue hopefully they have a clue about it

[lapisia]

I haven't done the DSR change as my steering has been fine except 1 instance of notchiness. I usually have my steering on comfort as I find the steering on dynamic to be unnecessarily stiff. Recently while I was on the highway with steering on comfort I felt the steering was unprecise and a bit more loose than usual, even at high speed, which was very uncharacteristic of how the steering behaves normally. I don't know how to describe it better. I have since then put the steering on dynamic and just left it that way. The steering on dynamic, to my surprise, feels a lot more tolerable / normal now and doesn't feel super stiff as before.

tl;dr, audis steering is shit and too inconsistent.

[Celiot29]

am i the only one feeling this with the a4? i felt it slightly again this morning at highway speeds little dead spots and weird on center feel. taking it in today to get me rear passenegr side door fixed cause the handle on the inside wont open the door(no the child lock is not on haha) i will also be asking about the sfotware fix on this issue hopefully they have a clue about it

Update!

Brought it in today for that inside door handle issue obv they took it in no questions on the spot and gave me loaner q5 wish they had a5 or a7 but that's besides the point. also I couldn't even spit out my full issue with the notchy steering before he stopped me and said they are waiting on Audi for a software fix but nothing yet. This was IRA Audi in Boston area. It was great to hear that they re awre of this issue but also alarming at how quickly he knew what I was talking about which leads me to believe many many owners are complaining bout this. Still haven't heard anyone with an a4 having this issue only me so far but I'm sure this effects both models as i imagine the software for the dsr is the same for both

Side note

The q5 loaner is a 2013 and I assume also has the electromagnetic steering which is why I'm perplexed by the fact that the steering feels a lot heavier than in my a4, im Wondering if this is due to maybe the q5 being heavier? Thoughts

[m j b]

There's a couple issues buried in your post.

Great info and summary there drob, thanks!

I've been considering buying an 2014 S4, but until these issues are resolved, I can't get a warm fuzzy about making the jump. This thread has been very helpful.

[bpc135798642]

Just an update from me here, some are FYI, but some may provide additional information:
- I called AoA to complain about the steering issue, and they admitted many people had called in about the issue already, and added me to a list to be notified when a fix was available. They also had no information about if and when this would be occurring. They also insisted I take it back to the dealer to check this was the issue with the car, and it was nothing else. I had ordered some winter wheels and tires through the dealer when I bought the car so I was due to make a trip to pick these up anyway. (Side note: dealer ordered the wheels and tires I wanted through tirerack, matched tirerack's pricing, and let me roll the whole thing into my financing. They also get a wholesale discount and they also made a profit. They left Tirerack's invoice on the wheels so I was able to figure out their margin. Tirerack gave them 11.8% off the retail price and shipping, if anyone is thinking about doing the same thing, it worked out well for all parties).
- The service guy had the head tech take my S4 out for a test drive, while I took another S4 out with the sales guy. My comments to the sales guy during my drive were that the problem was reduced in the car I drove but not completely eliminated. When the head tech got back with my car, he recommended the tire pressures be reduced. It turns out that I had been driving on over-inflated tires for a week. Apparently the factory inflates them to about 60 PSI for transportation so that flat spots do not form. My dealer had gotten the car in a trade with another dealer, so naturally my dealer blamed the other dealer for not deflating the tires when they received the car. I don't know whose job it was to prep the car in the trade situation, but someone screwed up. After driving my car after leaving the dealership, I would say it felt exactly the same as the brand new one I took on a test drive earlier in the afternoon.
- I also talked to the service guy and the sales manager about the DSR and making VAG-COM changes. They checked and insisted the DSR hardware is not present on any cars sold in the US, except the A8. They did comment it was available in the A4 range in Europe. Additionally, they told me they had been instructed by AoA to deny any warranty claims where the owner has made modifications to the car. So in the case of the steering, if I had made any changes via the VAG-COM, I would then be ineligible for any warranty repairs on the steering, whether related to the change I made or not, including any possible firmware updates. They also stated Audi has given them a tool which compares the state of the firmware on the car to what the factory loaded, and they can detect if any changes have been made.
- If they are right about the absence of the DSR hardware in the car, this could still agree with conclusions in this forum. The car could incorrectly think that there is some hardware present, which then brings about the steering response we are seeing, but really the hw is not there, and hence making the VAG-COM change to tell the car it's not there corrects the problem.
- I have taken the S4 for a decent highway drive (250 miles) since the tire pressures were set correctly, and the steering is now sharper, as expected. I have no problem with the weight (steering effort) now after getting used to it. I also don't have a problem with the lack of feedback (and I doubt that would ever be fixed anyway). However, it's still hard to make small, fast adjustments in direction at highway speed. My considered description of the problem is now this: the steering system input and output are non-linear. I have also tested while making very slow adjustments to the steering to remove any impact of the sub-frame. When I make steering wheel adjustments of about +/- 10 degrees the car wheels only turn slightly and the car turns slowly. After a certain point, it feels like the car wheels are turning more, and the car turns more sharply. This means I can either change lanes very slowly (almost drifting into the next lane, certainly not fast enough to be safe), or I turn the wheel more and almost swerve into the next lane. I haven't yet got enough practice to balance these two modes. What it also means is that avoiding highway potholes becomes difficult, when you need to place the wheels very accurately, often with little notice. I also talked to the service guy about this, and he said this is how audi designed the car. With the previous model they were getting complaints that drivers would only turn the wheel slightly and find themselves in the next highway lane, and purposely redesigned the steering this way. To make a gross generalization, there might be some A4 drivers who want their cars to now drive like this, but this design doesn't seem to work for the S4 driver!

Finally - to respond to m j b, there is so much that is so impressive about this car, that this "on center" steering issue is very minor for me. The engine, DSG, exhaust, seats, back-road steering, stereo, sports diff are all so good, I have no regrets about buying the car. The car is so good in so many ways, that I just want to make it perfect, and for me that means addressing this steering issue.