[Ed Wiest]

We have a 2016 Versa Note with an oddball issue I noticed for the first time yesterday evening. I was sitting at a railroad crossing waiting for a train to clear, brakes applied and the car in drive, idling. I noticed the steering wheel was centered, and I noticed it "wobbling" or oscillating back and forth about a half inch. It seemed to go away after a few seconds, but my wife told me she felt the car wandering when she drove it. I didn't experience the wandering she felt when I drove it, but the "wobble" really caught my attention.

I could understand things like ball joints or tie rod ends, or a bent wheel or something like that if the car was moving, but this was stationary. Anyone have any ideas as to what might cause that wobble?

 

[dkmura]

Have you checked the steering wheel "wobble" when the car is stationary and not running?

 

[Ed Wiest]

Have you checked the steering wheel "wobble" when the car is stationary and not running?

Yes. Key on, not running, same "wobble". It seems like it does it for a few seconds then dies out. If I move the steering wheel a slight amount to either side, it starts the wobble again. It's an active thing, not something like a loose steering wheel.

 

[dkmura]

This is a dangerous issue and one that should be repaired ASAP. Your 2016 Versa Note has had the steering wheel tampered with and may not be securely on the spline shaft. Did you buy this car used? Does it have some type of aftermarket steering wheel on it?

 

[Ed Wiest]

This is a dangerous issue and one that should be repaired ASAP. Your 2016 Versa Note has had the steering wheel tampered with and may not be securely on the spline shaft. Did you buy this car used? Does it have some type of aftermarket steering wheel on it?

Car was purchased used a couple years ago, and as I said, the steering wheel isn't loose on the shaft. This is a new issue that just appeared, not one that came with the car. It's a factory steering wheel, not an aftermarket wheel. The fact that it starts the wobble, then it dies out on it's own when you release the wheel makes me think it's an issue with the electric assist power steering, but I'm not sure where the issue might lie or how to start troubleshooting the issue.

 

[Keith Wagner]

IMO you are on the right track with the steering motor. I would pull power to the motor/controller and see if the wobble stops.

 

[Ed Wiest]

IMO you are on the right track with the steering motor. I would pull power to the motor/controller and see if the wobble stops.

I'll try that. Within that system, any idea as to what might be the issue? I'm not familiar with how these systems are configured. Is there a separate torque sensor that may be going bad? Or is this one big part that encompasses the motor and sensors?

 

[SlickVersa]

If there is a separate fuse for the electric PS, you may try to temporary remove it and see how it impacts wheel "wobble". You still should be able to drive the car without PS. This is just to make sure it is really related to electric PS.
BTW, do you have any codes saved?

 

[Ed Wiest]

If there is a separate fuse for the electric PS, you may try to temporary remove it and see how it impacts wheel "wobble". You still should be able to drive the car without PS. This is just to make sure it is really related to electric PS.
BTW, do you have any codes saved?

I'll try pulling fuses to see if that affects the issue. Have to look those up as the manual doesn't tell you what fuse does what. I wouldn't have any issue driving the car with no assist, but my wife probably would.
No codes saved, but I have to get my hands on a newer ODBII reader since mine won't work on this car (mine's an old reader bought back in the 90's). I don't have any dash lights indicating an issue, although that may be just that the issue isn't severe enough to set a dash light.

 

[SlickVersa]

You could have saved codes without CEL.

 

[Keith Wagner]

He would need a high end code reader that reads non powertrain codes to see any.

 

[Zanthros]

Well if you are getting the wobble while standing still the it is something in the electrical assisted steering. This can be verified by pulling the fuse and you wil now have manual steering with no assist. If the wobble is gone then it’s the electrical assisted steering. Now if it is that the you have narrowed it down to that. As far as beyond that I can only suggest finding someone who has experience with that to troubleshoot the exact issue/repair of it. It may be something simple or something more extensive. Just my 2 cents.