i'll go on record stating i prefer the old style steering setup. easy, to steer, repairs easy to make and will last a lifetime if maintained. i owned a civic and cruiser and the cars were constantly drifting and pulling even tho the alignment was always perfect. then it dawned on me the other day that these cars have rack and pinion too and they don't drift or pull. now that could be due to the smaller wheels or the narrow front track or the outrigger wheelbase. but either way it is a joy to drive a car the drives like the older american cars.
if steering assist is electric then why does it still steer and feel the same if the motor is not running and all electrical items are turned off (i turned the key off and coasted into my parking space)
Not all smarts have power steering. Maybe yours doesn't have it. Or, maybe yours doesn't work. It's such a lightweight car, I'm surprised any of them have power steering. IMO it's probably something they should have left off completely and lowered the price of the cars by $100. Other than parked at a complete standstill, you probably won't notice much of a difference in steering.
Since a smart is quite a light car, the effort needed for steering is not much. especially when the wheels are turning (car in motion) The only time you will feel the full effects of the steering assist would be at a complete stop and turning the steering wheel.
As for maintenance, normal lubrication of the steering ball joints if they have grease points , otherwise just a replacement of the electrical juice is all it needs. (by turning the car on )
I was told if you had
the steering wheel idiot light on the right side of the cluster when starting the car then you had steering assist. I just can't find any reference as to how it works and if any maintenance can be done on it. the ball joints do not have zerk fittings to allow greasing
Electric steering is maintenance free on the smart, just like the ball joints. Think of it this way. The car is so light in the front end, if the assist goes out you may not even notice, so forget about it.
But if you just can't help messing around with your toy car. Pull the fuse and see how much of difference there is.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Smart Car of America Forum
797K posts
63.7K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to all Smart Car owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, troubleshooting, economy, maintenance, and more!