X5M Steering Feel

[E90076]

Just bought a 2010 CPO and the only thing that bugs me about these M's is the amount of play in the steering on center...requires at least a few degrees of turn before the steering weights up. I'm coming from a Cayenne Turbo which was almost darty with even the slightest input. Is this normal?

[TheBingoBalls]

Normal. Its not just the X5(M), the E9X 3er has it too and its the complaint E46 drivers had. I mean it could be worse, ask Mercedes and Audi drivers.

[E90076]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Normal. Its not just the X5(M), the E9X 3er has it too and its the complaint E46 drivers had. I mean it could be worse, ask Mercedes and Audi drivers.

I've had e9x's and a X6 (without active steering) and have not experienced the issue.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by E90076

I've had e9x's and a X6 (without active steering) and have not experienced the issue.

It's definitely there, perhaps not to the degree as your X5M or what you're feeling isn't the same thing as what I think you're feeling.

The E9X's are all numb on centre and feedback/weight kicks in once the wheel is turned a bit. Although the the feedback and steering were good on the E9X, it's more "softer" if you will, than the E46 where the feedback and weight was more apparent dead centre.

[E90076]

Is it typical for the X5M to have very light steering at slow speeds and weight up at higher speeds?

[Marilyn Horne]

I honestly haven't test driven a f10 M5 yet but dislike the softness and numb steering of my wife's f10 m-sport 535i compared to our old e92 335i and e90 m3. I've even considered an x5m (which I have driven) in order to get the TTV8 with the "old" BMW feel.

[E90076]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Horne

I honestly haven't test driven a f10 M5 yet but dislike the softness and numb steering of my wife's f10 m-sport 535i compared to our old e92 335i and e90 m3. I've even considered an x5m (which I have driven) in order to get the TTV8 with the "old" BMW feel.

I hated my wife's f10 535 steering as well. The X5M is certainly better, I just wish it didn't have the boosted assist at low speeds. It's just not very consistent at medium, around town, speeds. Sometimes the steering is very light and sometimes it's heavy. At low, parking lot, speeds it's always light and at higher highway speeds it's traditional BMW heavy.

[zeroboot]

Originally Posted by E90076

I hated my wife's f10 535 steering as well. The X5M is certainly better, I just wish it didn't have the boosted assist at low speeds. It's just not very consistent at medium, around town, speeds. Sometimes the steering is very light and sometimes it's heavy. At low, parking lot, speeds it's always light and at higher highway speeds it's traditional BMW heavy.

Its a feature of the servotronic steering...its meant to be that way to make steering a big heavy vehicle easier at low speed, so you dont get big arms!

[zeroboot]

Originally Posted by E90076

Just bought a 2010 CPO and the only thing that bugs me about these M's is the amount of play in the steering on center...requires at least a few degrees of turn before the steering weights up. I'm coming from a Cayenne Turbo which was almost darty with even the slightest input. Is this normal?

I hated the steering on my Cayenne Turbo...it was far too "assisted" didnt feel like it was connected to anything.

[Supreme Machine]

Anyone's steering a bit too heavy? I just bought a 2013 X5M and unlike other folks, I find it annoying. Yes I can muscle it around but I feel maybe here in Minnesota that the cold might play a role in this heaviness. Or I might have an issue with my power steering, I'm not sure. What I am sure is that I'm definitely not going to get used to yanking a steering wheel around and calling it "fun".

I've had the car in for service this last weekend and they said it was fine, but I'm not sure if they even road tested it. I'm headed in tomorrow to test drive a lower miles 2013 to get an idea if it's my car or just the way they are. If it's mine (which I suspect) then I think I'll end up doing the turkey baster suck out fluid, fill with new, start car and turn wheel, repeat. Oooor maybe there's a setting somewhere that I can fiddle with?

[Supreme Machine]

Well, instead of a turkey baster I bought a fluid transfer pump. Worked great. Sucked out about 30 ounces of power steering fluid. It was jet black. I only had enough to replace what I sucked out. Gave it a drive after. It most definitely loosened up a bit. Test drive tomorrow on a low miles 2013 X5M to compare.

[frankenm]

Steering in mine is very light, I test drove 5 or 6 X5M's (2010-2012) during my quest to find mine and they all were the same.

Only problems with mine is the pump whine that is loud enough to hear inside the cabin with all windows rolled up.

[eswimm]

Originally Posted by frankenm

Steering in mine is very light, I test drove 5 or 6 X5M's (2010-2012) during my quest to find mine and they all were the same.

Only problems with mine is the pump whine that is loud enough to hear inside the cabin with all windows rolled up.

Had horrible pump whine in my 2010 X5M and it turned out to be a bad pump that was aerating the fluid.

Replacement was near silent.

[frankenm]

Originally Posted by eswimm

Had horrible pump whine in my 2010 X5M and it turned out to be a bad pump that was aerating the fluid.

Replacement was near silent.

Yup my pump is bad ... replaced the fluid and no matter how much I bleed the system there is foam and air in the reservoir.

I'm just waiting for it to fail or I scalp a cheap one somewhere ... pump is $1,300 new.

[Supreme Machine]

Test drove a low miles 2013 X5M yesterday. Steering feel is very similar to mine, heavy. Mine is a touch heavier in that after I come out of a corner I have to help the wheel back to straight. This to me feels like a problem and definitely annoying.