[DoZZa]

Is there anything special that has to be done after having a wheel alignment?

Does the car need to have anything reset?

Like the EPS or steering angle sensor?

Cheers 😎

[D.Yooras]

Depends on what you mean by "need" to be. Technically, in the North American market you're supposed to do a steering angle calibration by way of "starting up" (which is really a not so direct translate for initialize) the EPS. When you do this the torque tables of the EPS are rebalanced based on the results of the calibration routine.

In my opinion, it's overkill for a normal alignment since the factory front adjustment is toe only. However, it's not a bad idea if you just significantly changed ride height, camber, or control arms. If you want it done correctly, it should be done on an alignment rack (though BMW doesn't stipulate this, it does produce the best results but isn't mandated for serviceability reasons). And if you're going to go that precise, calibrating the DSC sensors (not the whole unit, just the yaw rate, longitudinal sensors, etc) while you're at it.

Food for thought, Toyota requires an entire VSA calibration (which includes the steering angle sensor) subsequent to alignment work. On normal cars this is pretty quick but hybrids, and any car with electric brake booster, it calibrates the entire braking system as well. Just for an alignment.

[DoZZa]

Thanks for the information.

The reason I asked is because I had noticed really bad steering feel around the centre of the steering wheel, it's been driving me mad!

When I first got the car back in 2017, I had Eibach springs and spacers installed, but no alignment done afterwards as the garage said they checked it and it didn't need it.

I was hit by another car in April last year, lots of work had to be done to get the car back on the road, entire new rear subframe, including control arms, struts and diff. That all went well and I am now enjoying the car again.

I had an alignment done after the repair works, and noticed then that the steering didn't feel quite right.

I have a Launch Creader Elite with the BMW software loaded, a couple of days before starting this thread, I did exactly what you described above, aside from the DSC calibration. I started up the EPS with the software.

Unless this placebo effect, I think this has sorted the steering, the sloppy feeling in the centre and the need for constantly needing to do micro corrections of the steering appear to have disappeared!

But from what you have said, I think that doing the start up of the EPS has changed 'something' in the steering which seems to have solved my issues.
I've not been on a long enough journey to try the car on different road surfaces yet, but on the poor surfaces where I live, there is an improvement.

If anyone else is having similar issues, I'd give this is a try to see if it helps you. ��

[D.Yooras]

Another general aspect that helps. If you haven't had the program/coding files updated on the EPS I'd recommend doing that, the steering center feel is much better than original file my car came with and it's a 12/18 model.

[DoZZa]

Originally Posted by D.Yooras

Another general aspect that helps. If you haven't had the program/coding files updated on the EPS I'd recommend doing that, the steering center feel is much better than original file my car came with and it's a 12/18 model.

I had the DSC, diff and steering upgraded with the M2 CS files a while ago. And that felt great. But for whatever reason, it wasn't feeling so good recently.

I've been out for a longer drive today and the car is totally different. So much better feel in the steering and no need to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep on the line.

I suppose one of the downfalls of all this electronic steering is we are forced into accepting what the software feels is best. I mean the idea is great, but perhaps the execution isn't so great.

This is my first car with EPS and I can't say I am impressed overall. Give me a hydraulic rack any day!