Hi all. Just bought an F type V6S. Very pleased, but don't know if I have an issue with the steering or not.
My wife describes it as "Heavy"
I don't find it heavy, but at normal speeds, 40 mph'ish, on single lane roads I find it will feel as if it's pulling to one side. On straightening, it might then feel as it it pulls to the other side. In other words, it doesn't seem to centralise as much as I'm used to with other cars. Is it an issue, or just the nature of fat tyres and a direct steering set up?

 

First thing to check is the tyre pressures. Which year is the car, the early ones had hydraulic, the later electric assisted steering.

 

If you have the lane assist engaged it could feel very heavy when lines are approached with out the signals activated.

 

Thanks for the rapid reply! I've checked the tyres, and they were a bit down. 2.3 bar rather than 2.5. Received the car from the dealer yesterday, so not impressed! Battery was flat too. Got the battery up with my optimate overnight, so I'll keep an eye on it now.
Been out for a drive now. Steering not heavy, but you do get this slight feeling of the car pulling either one way or another now and again. Almost as if a rough bit in the road throws the direction off a tad, and it doesn't re-centre itself completely. Hard to explain!
The car is a march 2015 car.

 

Not sure what that is! As I said above, only got the car yesterday. Do they all have lane assist? However, my issue is occurring on smaller roads, no lines as such.

 

Don't be too harsh on your dealer. The temp. in his shop could be very different than the area you have the car. Low profile tires (tyres) have a lot less volume than taller tires so temp changes result in swings of pressure. The pressure that is important is the one that registers while driving. As far as lane assist you could check your drivers handbook. Not sure if your MY has that and since we do not know where "fleet" is your market may not allow it.

 

Don't know if you bought new or used, but if you bought used and the car has the factory Pirelli P-Zero tires that have some wear on them you could be experiencing tramlining, which is not uncommon with those tires as they wear.

 

Thanks both. Fleet is in Hampshire, UK. I'll check the handbook and look up about lane assist.
The Tyres are Pirelli P Zeros, and they are a bit worn (but ok for now). Bought the car secondhand yesterday! I guess that on the smaller roads I've been on which have dodgy surfaces, it could be a form of tramlining. I'm maybe being a bit oversensitive as it's a new car and unfamiliar.

 

Make sure you inspect the tyres carefully (especially on the inside edges)! That is where the wear shows the most.

The wear on ours caught us by surprise, we had cords visible on the inner treads. An alignment has seemed to fix the issue.

 

Thanks Atwell, I'll keep an eye on them, they are all sound at the moment.

 

with much wider tires than normal cars, ridges and dips on the road will pull your car to the dip of the road, making it feel like your car has a mind of its own. if youre on the highway where the road is completely flat and it still pulls then i'd be concerned, i'd suggest doing an alignment regardless and it'll fix any problem you have with steering most likely

 

I've not experienced any tramlining with Pirellis on any of my Jaguars, even the 2001 XK8 which was supposedly renowned for it! Or maybe I've got used to it and unconsciously compensate.

I have to say my F-type feels very planted, though it does have the electric steering.

 

@unhinged says he allows at least three layers of cord to appear before he feels the urge to replace tyres!



Here's ours, as you can see it took more than a quick glance to see the extent of the wear.

Front

Rear

 

3000 miles?

 

thanks. I think that is the issue, but I'll have alignment checked in case

 

Yes...I’ve seen that image all too often. With my current alignment spec, though, the wear bars are usually gone by the time I see that much cord.
Dibby, as suggested by a few, what you describe is a classic toe issue. An alignment should fix it.

 

I’ve found all my cars to be sensitive to tramlining to some degree once the tires have lost maybe half their tread. F-type was pretty bad with 4/32” left on Michelin PS4S, great with new tires. (Also had an alignment at the same time and didn’t see the before/after.)

XE (AWD) is behaving the same way, new tires scheduled for the spring. Does depend on road surface, which is why I suspect tires rather than alignment. But may do both at the same time.

 

Thanks both. I'll have both checked. Going to take it in for an "official" battery check anyway in case I need to claim one from the dealer, so will check those things then