Hello All,

I am a new member here, and the recent owner of a 2009 FIT with only 40k miles. The steering is stiff, but still has power assist, and I am trying to figure out why. A non-Honda mechanic I took it to suggested either that the strut bearings were bad (or stiff from disuse), that the ball joints were bad (or stiff from disuse), or that something was wrong with the rack and pinion. My mechanic said that to diagnose further would require taking out/replacing the struts, and/or taking out/apart the steering box. He also suggested that I just drive it for a while and see if it loosens up on its own -- hoping that it is just stiff from disuse.

Can anyone suggest any alternate methods for either diagnosing or repairing the problem? Is there any harm to just ignoring the stiffness for a few weeks, or should it be attended to right away? Is the stiffness apt to get worse slowly or quickly? Will anything fail catastrophically if not dealt with promptly?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

That is not many miles for those items to be worn and I would expect them to also create a noise if they were bad or worn.

The alignment plays an important role in how the steering feels. Does it drive straight? Pull to one side? Is there another Fit you can drive for comparison? It might be normal just something you are not used to if your previous car had super light steering.

 

No, I don't hear any unusual steering noise. And yes, the car tracks straight.

I don't have easy access to another FIT to compare against, but I have driven many cars and trucks with power steering, as has my mechanic, and we both think that the steering is atypically stiff. It's stiff enough that the car will not self-center after going around a corner. I have to steer into a corner, and steer out of the corner.

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm open to any other thoughts.

 

That sounds like an alignment issue. I would get it checked.

 

Just took mine for a drive and yes, when turning a corner, my Fit does "self-center" with no help from me. The steering on these Fits are very tight and good but yes, you have some kind of problem. Sorry I can't help you with it but it will be good to follow your thread for future problems and answers. Good luck.

 

My FIT tracks well, and there is not uneven wear on the front tires or feathering of the tread.

I found an online repair manual for a 2009 FIT

Honda Jazz / Honda Fit GE8 2009 onwards Online Repair Manual

Under the section called "STEERING" they give these test instructions:
I don't have a spring scale, but do have a platform scale. So I subjectively tested the pressure needed to turn the steering wheel against the pressure needed to depress the platform scale, and I estimate that I use about 4 pounds of pressure at a 6" radius to turn the steering wheel -- well under the limit of 6.6 pounds. I also did the same test on my 1998 Camry and estimate a similar pressure of ~ 4lbs was needed to turn its steering wheel.

However, even though the Camry and the FIT appear to require roughly the same about of force to turn the steering wheel when in my garage, the Camry (and all the other cars I've driven with power steering) is much easier to steer when going down a highway.