kazman

Bump... I read on another forum about a resistance descrepency or something, does this sound familliar to anyone? Why doesn't anything ever run smoothly for me

Instructions should do it but some people have problems. I am still holding off doing it due to being unsure on which parts of the instructions are applied to the new and old keys...

You have obviously failed to read the 1st post - nice one I failed to notice the all important fact that you have never found it heavy...oops as said it is not that heavy, but it does firm up the faster you go Thanks for the reply. My steering does feel like others heavier when travelling faster, just feels a bit vague and light at town speeds. Going to get my indie to check it all over esp the tie rod ends when I take it for it's oil service. Hope they find something, at the moment it really does not feel like a sport drive, just a fast mondeo...

Have tried pressures between 30 and 35 psi at the fronts. As i say, there is a slight clonking sound when i turn the wheel to the left when stationary and then release it (so the steering wheel snaps back to centre). Maybe a worn tie rod is causing it? Having said that, i was parked up this morning at my workplace turning the steering wheel whilst look at the reflection of my wheels in the car alongside. It certainly did not look like there was any play (no more than a couple of mm anyway)

Thanks for the replys Tyres are falken 452s all round and have done about 1000 miles. I have had the geo done a couple of times as I was very unhappy with the feel of the steering after the first one (way too light). I put this down to the alignment centre getting all the settings wrong (readout figures were good but were then completely different to the settings the next garage gave me). Maybe a tie rod is knackered though, causing it to fail to hold an alignment. I have spent 200 quid on alignments this year so I really think that is not the root cause...

You have obviously failed to read the 1st post - nice one

Thanks as I have already targeted the tie rod (s) as potentialy worn would that be a potential component that, when worn, would cause a lighter than expected steering feel? Obviously it is subjective, but in no way does the steering feel weighty to any extent except for high speed sweepers and under braking. Do you all find the same or does the steering weight not change for you in these circumstances?

Thanks for the reply. The car has done 68,000 miles and it's the only one I have driven.

I ask this as every review I have ever read of the Z suggests the steering is super heavy etc. I have never found this the case however, far lighter than the Cooper S I had previously. It is starting to make me think that something may be worn in the suspension as the only time the steering really firms up is during high speed cornering and when under braking. Does everyone find this as well or would you say it does have heavy steering? Mine is a 55 plate. I'm starting to think it may be a worn tie rod as there is a slight knock through one of them if the steering wheel is held a few degrees to the left and then released when the car is stationary. Thoughts appreciated as I am finding it really hard to love this car and I think it is because the handling is not as communicative as I had hoped. Tyre pressures are correct and the car has had recent alignment (2 different garages as I was unhappy with the 1st, almost suggesting the car could not hold an alignment. Why niether garage informed me of a worn suspension component however is beyond me). Thanks!

Some interesting info here, may start researching some of the links you have provided. Thanks

Sorry I don't know the answer. I'm totally confused now, one key would programme but not the one you were putting in the ignition? Think I'm just going to be carefully not to lose the one key I have, this is sounding increasingly like rocket science.

Same question I keep asking! From the replies I have had I think you unlock the car with the origional fob (which may be a proble in your case, though a dead battery should not lead to it losing the alarm code) then put the new key in the barrel and do the combo with that.

Another update- removed the stereo and connected on the extra earth wire with ring terminal, did not make any difference. If I scraped the terminal along pieces of metal I can hear the scraping sound through the speakers, not sure what this signifies? I tried 4 different places to earth to but none made any improvement whatsoever. I then disconnected the aerial, expecting this to cut the power to the unit ( I had removed the ring terminal connector) and not only did it keep on running ok but the interference from the brake pedal was significantly reduced! In the end I put it all back together the way it was. Does anyone have any ideas what's going on? All the wiring seems ok. I'm starting to wonder if the amp is the issue now, but I don't know how to access it or what I should be doing if I could! I'm certain that this issue was not present when I installed the hu 6 weeks ago. Any thoughts welcomed.

Anyone solve the knocking Sound when turning the wheel left and right stationary? I think my steering is a big looser than it should be so I am wondering if it's possibly a track rod problem? When under the car and having a friend replicate the problem I thought I could feel a clunk in the inner tie rod.

Just a brief update... Removed all the stereo again this evening and checked for any loose wires etc. Everything seems how it initially was and there has been no improvement so I guess I need to sort out the extra earth wire. Do you not have one either? Look forward to hearing your findings!

Just a brief update... Removed all the stereo again this evening and checked for any loose wires etc. Everything seems how it initially was and there has been no improvement so I guess I need to sort out the extra earth wire. Do you not have one either? Look forward to hearing your findings!

Excellent cheers. My car is exactly the same spec as yours, even down to the falkens... Maybe it's something to do with that

It already had the ground modification done in the iso loom to Bose adapter, just not the additional take off ground with the ring connector crimped on. The click is there no matter how I fade the speakers etc or if the volume is down to zero. It only goes away if I turn the hu off altogether. Thanks for the replies.

Hi all fitted a new hu about a month ago. Today I noticed that there is a click coming from the front right speaker whenever I press the brake pedal. Would I be right in thinking this is an earth issue? I have not got the additional earth spliced in to my loom (I believe this is supposed to be fitted behind a metal plate)? Is this likely to be the case, or would the lack of that earth lead being the problem lead to the whole system not powering up? I had not noticed this sound until today so I'm fairly sure it has not done it since I installed it a month ago. The reason the extra lead is not in it is because I bought the set up 2nd hand, and the seller did not require it. When it all powered up ok I assumed I was ok too! Cheers.

Thanks. The engine speed sensitive type fitted to pre 06 cars (waits to be corrected) seems like a strange concept to me, in theory changing gear will lead to different handling characteristics. Or are all crank driven pas set ups actually "engine speed sensitive" and it is not really a feature at all?

Am I right in thinking that Zs up to 2006 are engine speed sensitive, whilst after this they were vehicle speed sensitive? If so, I take it you need to be driving in a lower gear than usual to feel the steering weight difference? Anyone tried this or is it only me who worries about these things?! Thanks!

Thanks for the thoughts guys, i was starting to get lonely

Dont be shy now....

Some good advice there, thanks guys!

What are these "wet waxes"? I google the nxt product you have attached a pic of but could not find many details on its application. Do you spray it on and wipe/buff it straight off again after the car has been washed? Or do you leave it on a while? I cant figure out how it is any different (and therefore quicker) than the liquid wax i use, which takes about an hour...