MG ZS Steering Fault - clicking when turning

[Bigheadedpig]

[ Edit Coulomb: If you are having this issue, please see also the thread below; get it checked, as it could be very serious, especially if it fails at high speed:

Steering gone on my 2021 ZS EV

Just started car and my steering just went. some sort of bracket fell dow at side of break pedal. Just waiting for RAC Anyone had this problem joe

www.mgevs.com

]

Can anyone advise what may be causing this issue? The car is only a few months old and after around 1000 miles it making a clicking / creaking noise when turning the steering wheel.

I have uploaded a video of it to YouTube for you to view. It’s been to the garage three times and they are either saying they can’t hear anything or they don’t know what’s causing it.


Anything would help !
Many Thanks
Will

 

[Bigheadedpig]

Why would that be causing the steering to click ?

 

[Mgzs ev]

Why would that be causing the steering to click ?

The bolt is for the steering installation .
If there comes clearance on it you get this sound ..more members had the same 'issue' with the same click.

 

[Bigheadedpig]

The bolt is for the steering installation .
If there comes clearance on it you get this sound ..more members had the same 'issue' with the same click.

Is it straight forward or does it need to go in to the garage ?

 

[Mgzs ev]

My mg is the same from day 1, i see a lot of story's about this problem from members that fix it . The problem is that the mg dealer still has too little knowledge about the car, Many members fix it by them self . Thigten the bolt i have read many times. I hope more members react on your post. With more info.

 

[Mgzs ev]

Sorry for my bad english

 

[SteveP]

Sorry for my bad english

Better than our Dutch

 

[Gomev]

Can anyone advise what may be causing this issue? The car is only a few months old and after around 1000 miles it making a clicking / creaking noise when turning the steering wheel.

I have uploaded a video of it to YouTube for you to view. It’s been to the garage three times and they are either saying they can’t hear anything or they don’t know what’s causing it.


Anything would help !
Many Thanks
Will

Have a look at this thread, it may help

An update on the increasing play on my loose steering column :)

You might remember my post about play in my steering column from a while ago. well it got gradually worse until it could be moved up and down about 5mm. Today, I had the plastic panels off to wire in my auto dimming mirror, and sort out the buzzy rattle from the A pillar cover, so had a good...

www.mgevs.com

 

[Dave S]

Sorry for my bad english

Don't apologise - It's way better than our Dutch!!!

 

[Lovemyev]

Is it straight forward or does it need to go in to the garage ?

You can fix it yourself, it depends on comfortable you are doing this and if you have tool kit in order to carry out the task really.
The process has been covered extremely well by @Mgzs ev .
I am sure that @Mgzs ev will add a comment, but I suspect the whole job can be completed in roughly about one hour by following his excellent guide.
For what it worth, my car ( I suspect many others ) makes the same “clicking” noise when travelling from full lock - to full lock quickly.
It would appear by tightening the three steering column bolts to the structure, the problem is rectified.
Therefore, is it safe to conclude that the torque valve on these bolts are under rated and should be increased slightly ?.
If dealers where able to diagnose the problem and then provided feedback to MG Tech, then I am sure that this should and would, be covered by a future service bulletin.
However, as some dealers are not able to locate the problem, this is unlikely to happen !.
Another classic case of “The Tail Waging The Dog”.

 

[Bigheadedpig]

It seems that people have done this and the issue has come back I’m so frustrated with MG that a brand new car is doing this. It’s been to the garage three times and we are back to square one. Looking to get rid of the car as no a garages are able to rectify the issue.

 

[Mgzs ev]

It seems that people have done this and the issue has come back I’m so frustrated with MG that a brand new car is doing this. It’s been to the garage three times and we are back to square one. Looking to get rid of the car as no a garages are able to rectify the issue.

The garage must use loctite!!

 

[Kithmo]

The garage must use loctite!!

The one I nipped up, on the column adjuster was a nyloc nut and is still tight, the clicking seemed to go away but came back after a short while.
I think things coming loose is to do with the wrong type of plastic used on the column mountings IMO.

 

[Lovemyev]

The garage must use loctite!!

Can I ask, do the bolts have both spring washers and flat washers actually under the head of the bolts ?.
Can it be proven that the bolts are constantly coming loose, then if so loctite could be a solution I guess.
I doubt they will be working loose if they have flat and spring washers fixed and are correctly torqued in the first place.
As @Kithmo suggests, is it the tolerance in the mounting points to large, that allows the clicking we are hearing ?.
If that is the case, you can increase the torque value as much as you like, it will never completely cure the problem.
Although both annoying and feels concerning, I don’t believe it offers a major safety concern.
But like a few other things, it could have been done better.

 

[Kithmo]

When I was tightening mine I felt that if I had tightened it any more it would crack or distort the plastic.

 

[Elec Car Aust]

Can anyone advise what may be causing this issue? The car is only a few months old and after around 1000 miles it making a clicking / creaking noise when turning the steering wheel.

I have uploaded a video of it to YouTube for you to view. It’s been to the garage three times and they are either saying they can’t hear anything or they don’t know what’s causing it.


Anything would help !
Many Thanks
Will

Hi BHP, there is 4 or 5 different issues with the steering, all with different fixes which you will find on this forum.

Ours was a collapsed universal joint in the short 35cm steering column arm under the dash. Replaced under warranty. Photos available elsewhere on the forum. We are doing a follow up YouTube video in the next few weeks showing the experience.

 

[Lovemyev]

Anybody with the steering column "Knock" on their cars, may find this video very interesting !.
No is no wonder that MG have released a service bulletin with regards to this problem.
I think it classified as:- "MG Service Bulletin number :- 0020".
My understanding is that MG has recommended that the whole steering column assembly should be replace, to rectify the knock that is present from the steering wheel when manoeuvring.
In this customer case, one of the UJ joints had almost completely failed.
( Clearly seen in the video link I have provided ).
I am MORE than a little surprised, why this problem has NOT been subject to a safety recall ????.
When you view the video, I am sure you will be asking yourself very same question as myself !.
I could be totally wrong here, but I don't believe it is the upper steering column that is at fault, BUT they DO appear to have a genuine quality issue in the short lower section of the lower column that contains BOTH of the UJ joints.
After viewing this video, do we honestly think that MG considers it safe enough for owners to continue using their on cars, with this level of possible defect on their cars ?.
Will it be safe for customers, who still has too to while they are still waiting for there next annual service appointment date until the cars are submitted for the next annual service ?.

 

[RichardC]

I am surprised that it is still happening. I wonder how many steering columns have been replaced under warranty?

I bought my ICE ZS in September 2018 and I had the ”clicking” problem back then. It was replaced under warranty by the dealer. You would have thought that it would have been sorted out by now!

 

[Lovemyev]

I am surprised that it is still happening. I wonder how many steering columns have been replaced under warranty?

I bought my ICE ZS in September 2018 and I had the ”clicking” problem back then. It was replaced under warranty by the dealer. You would have thought that it would have been sorted out by now!

Did it cure the knock on your old ZS ICE successfully by replacing the whole steering column ?.
The knocking noise appears to be travelling "UP" from the lower end of the steering column assembly.
The firmly believe that the knocking noise will be being omitted from either, one or both of the UJ joints.
The upper steering column shaft, is generally supported at each end by a fairly simple plastic type top and bottom bush arrangement.
The UJ joints are located at a very lower end of the steering column.
This double ended UJ joint, enables the mechanical transition between the end of the steering column and into the entry point of the steering rack.
The angle required between both steering components, is very steep and offset.
This therefore necessitates the need of two UJ joints to overcome the difficult connection angle of both items.
This type of UJ joint system has been widely used on cars over the years.
What is very uncommon, is to witness a failure like this so early in the cars life span.

 

[ARealHuman]

I only skipped through the video quickly, will watch it properly at a later date but my car certainly as started making a clunk now when steering Without checking, it's probably only got about 2500 miles on it due to lockdown and the first service is in September.