extremely tight steering after dealership service..
 

I have had my 09 370z for a year and a half (60K miles on the car) and I've always loved how it drives until yesterday..

My fiancé took it in for a complimentary oil and filter change + multi-point inspection. They informed him there was a leak in the steering rack so they topped off fluid and tightened the adjustment screw. When he left the dealership, the steering was so stiff, he immediately went back. They loosened it a half turn and he was pleased. I, however, am not pleased. He never drives the car and doesn't really know how it was before. It is so stiff now, the steering wheel doesn't return at all when making a turn. I am constantly fighting it.

FYI.. there are no alignment problems... My front tires need replaced but this was not a problem until the service was performed.
I work in a body shop and have NEVER driven a car with a steering wheel that does not return after a turn.

My question is... how tight is the steering on YOUR Z? Does your steering wheel return on its own or do you have to manually return it? I don't know anyone else with a 370z and the 350z I had previously was NOT like this!! :mad:
I feel like the ruined my baby!!

hmmm... I might adjust mine to make it stiffer. I didnt know that was an adjustable item. I always liked how the BMWs had a stiffer wheel.

Mine will return on its own within reason.

Looking at some posts elsewhere. Is it possible some air got into the system if there was a leak? Maybe eh? A suggested fix for this is to fully crank the steering wheel left and right to the stops a few times. Good luck. Hate to see service shops screwing the works.

I did not know this either... apparently it can be made tighter than the Virgin Mary!

I already have any appointment with Nissan on Wednesday, but I am ticked I have to drive my car like this all weekend. I am a 120 lb female.. I'm not a wimp, but this steering wheel is absolutely ridiculous!!
If I was racing the car on a track I can see a need for a tighter steering wheel... but not on my everyday driver :)
Thanks for the replies so far! keep em coming!

yah, try the lock to lock and see if the fluid drops or not i guess.

my Z's steering is heavier than my other cars, but not stiff at all.

Mine lightened after lighter rotors were installed.

If there is air in the system, the steering wouldn't be smooth but would be jerky due to steering pump compressing the air. Like kenchan said, turning it lock to lock will get out the air.

What is sounds like though, is the adjustment screw not being put back to the original place.

As stated above about the steering correcting itself if you let go of the wheel, this is due to caster (alignment) and it should correct itself so the car will result in going straight with the hands off the wheel.

More information than you probably wanted but knowledge is power.

I hate that stiffer wheel on bmw's. You have to turn it so much, it seems, to simply make a right turn. I like just tossing the steering wheel around and making it turn.

If you drove like your technically supposed to its ideal. Two hands on the wheel and I think it feels great. I also like how their have a bigger (thicker) steering wheel than our Z's.

I do like the looser wheels on say my truck or on SUVs, but a sports car I do like it that way.

Work on those forearm and bicep curls guuuurrrl

BMW as far as when I knew them well, used speed sensing steering wheel. Faster you go the stiffer it got, slower you drive the less ..

Not this particular one we have. Maybe its because it has the M package on it? It is fairly stiff no matter what the speed. Either way I do like it, its a huge change from going from the Z to the Bimmer.

Just be glad the Z steering isn't as loose as the over boosted steering BMW threw into the 01 E46's. Horrible horrible steering feel.