Sticky/hard spot when steering left

[M4DMAN]

Hi people, my first post here
Need some advice for my BMW F30 steering problem.


It all started last year when i had a car accident.
I was changing lane and turned to the right, second later guy hit directly my front right wheel.
Steering wheel remained at that angle, some 45 degrees right and i lost power steering, tie rod was quite bent.
At BMW specialist they informed me that i need new steering rack and they replaced rack and tie rod and did alignment.
At first it felt ok but i noticed when i turn my steering wheel to the right when cornering steering wheel when automatically returning meets some resistance spot (but quickly jumps over it).
It never stops when returning or anything but i could feel it under my fingers on the steering wheel. It didnt bother me much but then it got worse, steering wheel didnt feel smooth when returning to the center (some friction points feeling) .
That was noticeable on twisty country roads and resistance original hard point acted when i turned wheel to the left and then immediately as wheel was going to return it stopped, quickly "jumped" over it and continued to return.


Went back to the BMW specialist shop, they checked steering rack, as they rack teeth looked fine (dont know how did they come up with that), no "airiness", they've put extra grease i guess over inner tie rod ball joint area.
That fixed that initial first "jump" over that spot when returning the wheel but overall that hard spot was still there, and other friction points.


Then i started to look at it, like is there some pattern how can i tell someone else whats going on. That resistance hard spot is present at all times, no matter if car is moving or standing still.
In fact easiest way to reproduce it is to have car standing still and then turn steering wheel to the left and release it, press and release (let it pull your hand as it goes back to the center) until you hit that spot where it kinda stops (if am holding steering wheel, not letting it go back and jump over that spot). Its one particular angle, some 60 degrees to the left, and it jumps over that spot. Same position on the other right side of the steering wheel, 60 degrees opposite direction, no hard spot.
Then i made one full steering wheel rotation to get at that same angle, and i couldnt feel that spot anymore, also steering wheel at one extra rotation is much more eager to return, it pulls immediately so its hard to tell is there any "jump" over some spot, by my feeling there is none.


1. Ok then i went to other BMW shops, first one they said they dont see anything wrong, they did alignment again - nothing, same issue still there.


2. Then i went to the BMW dealer, they did some tests, again no "airiness" in the rack, test drive, seems all fine - they told me, maybe its tires and wheels as they were not original - issues still there, its not wheels or tires issue.


3. Then i went to the 4th different BMW shop - for the first time instead of just some guy in suit listening to my problems and putting it on the paper, mechanic went on a test drive with me, i was able to tell him my issue, and he did noticed that spot and friction. They lift the car and inspected it, nothing unusual, they were unable to reproduce issue again. Owner gave me advice to return to original BMW shop and get the rack replaced because it is under warranty


4. I returned to the 1st BMW specialist shop, and owner and main mechanic told me when they tried to locate and fix the issue they did everything what was in their power, as steering rack is one mystery unit, if there is issue with it, it is impossible to tell without other steering rack. Steering rack they replaced was brand new (Bosch is manufacturer of that one, and original rack found in car was ZF Lenksysteme) and they got it from BMW dealer (2. mentioned here)
He told me that we will try to get new one because this was under warranty. For that he needs to take the car to the dealer, and he did. They need to do again some tests so that BMW can approve new rack. I let him to take the car to the dealer as he will probably do better with talking about issue. He explained issue (btw after 3rd time or so he finally realized himself about that hard point i was talking about, and he told me im not crazy, it is really smth going on)


5. Dealer again tried to blame wheels and tires, but that BMW specialist guy told them that if needed he will bring to them original wheels and tires so they continued to do some actual relevant tests for that issue.
Guy pulled some strings and convicted them to change steering rack to to test if its rack at all, and they did, they've put in it some other steering rack (not brand now but doesnt matter) but the issue was STILL there!
They test then electric power supplied to the electric motor on the rack, and they noticed its not consistent, when standing still or at low speeds when car drains less electric power this can happen.
Like it forgets, blacks out at that spots and then goes on, constantly "learning" to turn, as steering is all electrically assisted at every time. But at the end they didnt do anything about it, they released it with that statement.


6. For me personally it never felt as electrical problem, it can be felt as pure mechanical issue, it always jams at that one point persistently. BMW specialist guy picked him up, informed me about situation and told me that he will change car battery.


7. Battery changed - issue is still there! Then i changed summer wheels and tires with winter ones (winter ones i have are steel ones and much lighter, also 16' unlike 18' summer ones). That kinda did more progress in steering wheel than everything they did or tried to do comnined, but that hard spot is still there, just wheels are lighter so it seems better.


8. I completely lost my patience, i ordered genuine BMW left and right control arms, left and right tie rod assemblies, left and right tension struts, and told them to replace that all - 1500$ dollar bill - steering wheel seems tighter but issue is still there! Less noticeable but still there.


9. I also have some friction feeling when turning steering wheel slightly to the left or right, just little bit using index finger, so 5 - 10 degrees left and right -> friction points.


10. Today i looked at lower joint assy, two universal joints, they were reachable when i opened the bonnet so i used WD-40 and sprayed all over upper and lower joint - i didnt notice it is any better.


Ultimate question: What else can it be? Im about to order brand new lower joint assy and let them install it. I have no time or solutions to diagnose this, car was at total 5 shops including dealer, no one knows a thing!
What isn't: probably steering rack since problems persisted when tested with other one, control arms, tension struts, and complete tie rod assemblies (inner and outer) all their bushings.


Whats left:
1. Lower joint assy (universal joints probably, dont know if they can be lubricated fro outside with WD-40)
2. Upper steering column (what can possibly fail there? any ways to test it?)
3. Something suspension related, shock absorbers? something else? (i read that it can be that even though you would never suspect in that) But dont know how that explaines steering wheel lock/stick/bind in one particlar spot
4. Is it possible that is electrical problem with power supply to steering rack?


Issue is consistent, when driving slow, fast, standing still, happens more on left side, friction feeling on both sides at very small angles...its just mechanical issue somewhere and im running out of options

[White94RX]

The U-joint could be binding up. They are sealed units, and spraying them with any lube won't likely do anything.

[gianni333]

The U-joint could be binding up. They are sealed units, and spraying them with any lube won't likely do anything.

Is there a solution till today?
My problem is exactly the same.

[Froob Loops]

So there is nothing wrong with the car when driving, doesnt feel to be leaning or sitting weird while driving? is it planted drives like how u first got it? besides that hard point? try to move the wheel back n forth quickly in park and see if there is any clunk