2004 FX35 steering rack questions

[schwarz633]

My 2004 FX35 (sport package) with 50K miles had a small steering rack leak and was in the last month of the 4 year warranty period, so I took it in to the dealer to see if I could get the rack replaced. They agreed that it was leaking and they ordered the part. Got the FX back and after driving it for a couple of days I discovered that they never put the rear screws in the plastic shield under the steering rack. By the time I discovered it dragging on the ground, it must have gotten caught on some snow/ice while I was backing and broke one the front mounting tabs. So it was hanging on by one front screw. I let the dealer know that they had f'd up and they agreed to order a replacement, to be installed along with the rack. My confidence level isn't very high at this point.

Fast forward to yesterday when I pick the FX up after having the steering rack replaced and now I'm thinking that they screwed that up as well. I made a point of telling them that I expected the steering wheel to be centered when the car is going straight. I shouldn't have had to mention that, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to let them know what I consider to be acceptable.

The steering wheel is about 5 degrees off and I've got a slight pull to the left. I figured I could get the wheel centered by adjusting the tie rods, but from what I've read, the pull could be caused by the rack not being centered. A steering rack apparently has a slight natural tendency to drive to the centered position. The bigger clue that something isn't just right is that the number of steering wheel turns from center to lock is different from side to side. Center to left = 520 degrees. Center to right = 470 degrees. I think it should be exactly the same for both sides. The FSM show a bolt attaching the lower steering column joint to the rack. Is it possible that they could have made that connection 180 degrees off? Are there any measurements that I can make to determine if the rack is centered properly?

It seems to me that the proper procedure would be to:1) center the steering rack2) center the steering wheel to the rack3) adjust the tie rods to get the car to go straight and toe-in

Can anyone confirm that for me? Does anyone have any technical knowledge about replacing a steering rack?

I'm trying to get all the facts together before I go back to the dealer with this problem.

Thanks

[SteveTheTech]

First off I would like to welcome you to our group

There is no need to over analyze this the center is off 1 tooth or so. It sounds like you are making a larger deal than needs to be made. In my experience calling and cussing people out is not going to get you what you want in a timely manner.

There is no indexing mark on the steering shaft so this may happen. This is not something I would advise you take on yourself. If your in a foul mood over this, think about how pissed you'll be if you break something or "adjust the tie rods" without an alignment machine that is setup for your car. Having the steering shaft off 180* is not even possible that would have broken the clock spring and the VDC light would be on.

Try a little patience and understand that things happen, I am sorry they happened to you and the shield incident is just bad work. Since it seems that you take a typical cheery attitude with service representatives they would have given your car to someone they can count on to get it right, as I am sure they do not want to cross you.

Don't take that as a personal slight, I do not know you I do however know your demeanor and attitude and share it when I take my cars to the dealer. Patience.

[Q451990]

There is no way to replace the steering rack without a front end alignment. They just "forgot" the last step.

Heath

[schwarz633]

SteveTheTech,

Thanks for your reply. I want you to know that I am being very patient with them, and at this point haven't even talked to the service writer since I picked it up. I did get a follow-up courtesy call from the dealership inquiring about my service experience, and I did mention to her that the wheel wasn't centered and I would be contacting the service writer in the near future.

Anyway, I'd like to better understand how it's possible to get it 1 tooth off. Like I stated, the FSM diagram makes it look like there's a bolt going through the universal joint, so I assumed that you could only attach it correctly or off 180 degrees. I realize that it's not off 180 degrees. Or is the 1 tooth you're referring to at the steering wheel to shaft connection?

[SteveTheTech]

Sorry, I caught made this on my way to bed, I'll elaborate tomorrow.

[schwarz633]

2 more questions:

When you turn the steering wheel and it stops full left or right, is the rack bottoming out, or is there a hard stop out on the spindle/strut assemblies?

Is whatever cancels the turn signals attached to the steering wheel or the shaft?

[SteveTheTech]

2 more questions:

1.When you turn the steering wheel and it stops full left or right, is the rack bottoming out, or is there a hard stop out on the spindle/strut assemblies?

2.Is whatever cancels the turn signals attached to the steering wheel or the shaft?

1. There is not a bump stop per say, it hits the end rack and stops. I seriously think you are one maybe two splines off on your steering collar. This is a pretty simple fix, however if it is not done then verified the wheel is in the neutral position.

In my experiences with disconnecting steering shaft I always paint mark the location and 4 out of 5 times I am off a tooth. I have spent over an hour checking and resetting one position the take it out on the the street, then performing the alignment. The lock to lock ratio is an important oversight, I cannot speak for the service that was performed on your car.

2. There is a small device inside the combination switch that clicks it back, I have gone through several ESMs and I think I may have broken Google looking for a picture of this. I am guessing I am going to have to take one out and take some pics an I know I have seen whats in there. I know the combination switch has a small plastic tab sticking out of the end of it that clicks it back but I will be honest with you I do not know what the inside of the column (I have not looked in the hole).

[schwarz633]

OK, after reading your posts a few times and looking at the FSM illustrations again, I think that I finally understand. I always thought that the bolt on the lower joint clamp went through the shaft on the rack, but now I see that it goes along side of it. So the clamp and shaft are both splined and that's where my 1 or 2 teeth off problem probably is. Right? Between the lower joint clamp and the rack input shaft?

I'm still not sure what you mean when you say steering collar.

Am I being unreasonable if I ask the dealer to:

1) make the center-to-lock steering wheel turns equal in both directions2) make the steering wheel perfectly straight when driving straight

[SteveTheTech]

So the clamp and shaft are both splined and that's where my 1 or 2 teeth off problem probably is. Right? Between the lower joint clamp and the rack input shaft?

Bingo,

I'm still not sure what you mean when you say steering collar.

Am I being unreasonable if I ask the dealer to:

1) make the center-to-lock steering wheel turns equal in both directions2) make the steering wheel perfectly straight when driving straight

I do not think that is unreasonable at all it's a shame that a return trip is indeed required in this case. I really think going back in and explaining to them what you are experiencing they should fix it with no hassle.

[schwarz633]

Thanks for the help. I sent them the following email today, I'll let you know how things work out:

Xxx, Hope your holidays were enjoyable. As you probably heard from your follow-up courtesy caller, I have some issues with the steering rack replacement. 1) The steering wheel is about 5 degrees off center when driving straight. 2) There is a slight pull to the left. I understand road crown and wind issues, so I wanted to give this some time, but at this point I would still say that it's pulling to the left. 3) The number of steering wheel turns from center-to-lock is different from side to side. Center to left = 520 degrees. Center to right = 470 degrees. I can't say for sure that it wasn't like this when I brought it in, but I suspect that if you get into most any car on your lot, you will find that the center-to-lock turns will be the same on both sides. I initially thought that I would center the wheel by making some equal/opposite adjustments on the tie rods, but as I researched the problem and discovered the center-to-lock turns disparity, I decided that the problem possibly ran a little deeper than tie rod adjustment. I suspect that the connection between the lower steering joint and the steering rack input shaft is off by 1 or 2 teeth on the spline. You didn't reposition the steering wheel on the shaft did you? That would potentially introduce some turn signal cancelling issues. I don't know if this applies to an Infiniti rack, but some steering racks have a natural tendency to self center, using hydraulic pressure. If the steering rack isn't "centered" when the car is driving straight, this self centering force would result in a pull. If I were doing this myself, I would:

1) center the steering rack (measuring the length on each side)2) center the steering wheel to the rack (connecting lower joint)3) confirm equal center-to-lock steering wheel turns4) adjust the tie rods to get the car to go straight and toe-in Please let me know what your thoughts are on this. Sorry about being a PITA about this, but I just want it right. Best regards,

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

[schwarz633]

OK, dropped the FX off yesterday afternoon for today's service appointment. Of course, the service writer I had been dealing with was off sick yesterday and today.

I get a call from the service manager about 10AM and he tells me that they found that the right rear alignment was off a little bit.

I told him that if that's all they were going to do, they weren't addressing the problem, and I wasn't going to be happy. I went over the whole rack centering theory and he tried to tell me that the steering shaft to rack input connection only went on one way and that I basically didn't know what I was talking about.

I finally was able to convince him to at least do the center-to-lock turns L&R test on some cars on the lot. He reluctantly agreed to do that and to talk to the technician. A couple of hours later he called me back and finally said that he had determined that, yes every car that he looked at had equal center-to-lock turns L&R and that the technician told him that there was an adjustment that could be made to correct this. Unfortunately, the service manager seemed technically challenged (where do they get these guys?), so I can only assume that this adjustment was to re-index the spline on the rack input shaft.

I picked the car up and they did manage to get the center-to-lock turns equalized, but now the steering wheel is off center a little the other way, and I still think that it pulls to the left. I only wish that they were as concerned about actually fixing the car as much as they worry about washing it before giving it back to you. They put 15 miles on the car, so it's not like they didn't road test it .... a lot.

Anyway, I'm done with them now and am planning on switching some tires around to see if that could be the source of the pull and adjusting the tie rods to get the steering wheel centered.

SteveTheTech,

How much tie rod adjustment would you suggest to move the steering wheel about 1/2" on the OD?

[SteveTheTech]

Oh that sounds like fun. I am sorry that some people do not share our passion for these cars.

The lack of mechanical inclination on your SAs part, is merely due to the fact that the system in place at many dealers and the company itself leads to poor survey numbers and increased turnover. With enough turnover all the right people have been lost. It's a shi*ty business.

Do not align your own car. I know you are getting frustrated and desperate but that is not advised. The increments are minute and a small offset in the total front toe will off set your steering angle and wheel position. I know that is what you are looking for but in this case it is not ideal. If the wheel is straight, and you think that splines are lined you may want to take your FX to a specialty shop and have the alignment done by people who know what they are doing. I know you should expect a fixed right the first time experience from an Infiniti dealer and I am embarrassed for them. Call the manager, if there are no other dealers in your area that you can go to.

As for the 15 miles, don't sweat the small stuff. If it were me I would drive the car once to verify the complaint. Once after the initial alignment, once after you spoke with the writer and again after it was fixed, in any combination of attempts. I understand being stressed about a less than satisfactory job, it sounds like a break in the chain of communication. I do not know which dealer you are going to and the internal setup of their operation, but I know they should want to fix your car.

You mentioned tires and that is a wide place to go. What condition are they on? Still RSAs? Is there any evidence of featheredging? (run an open palm over the width of the tread).

Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

[schwarz633]

Since my bad dealer experience a while back, I've being putting up with the steering wheel being a little off-center. I finally found time to get the FX up on my lift to change the oil and rotate the tires (I don't put many miles on it), and decided to address that problem. I lengthened the left tie-rod 1/2 turn and shortened the right tie-rod 1/2 turn. The results were good, but next time I have it on the lift, I'll probably take out about 1/8 turn of the correction, as it's very slightly off center the other way now.