Switchable power steering

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 18:20
Switchable power steering - henry k
FIAT Punto. Just back from hiring one.
It had a button on the dash marked Town with a symbol like a T inside a circle.
It was for selecting an increased amount of power steering assistance, I guess for use in town and carparks where more steering effort may be required or is useful.
I am aware of variable/ switchable power steering on up market cars but not come accross this switchable type varient on smaller/cheaper cars.
What other varients are around on small cars?
Will it become the norm?
It seemed quite a good idea and I guess is cheaper than the variable alternative.
It was very interesting to switch it on and off and notice the difference between light and little finger steering.
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 18:32
Switchable power steering - PR {P}
Puntos have had this feature for about 4 years now (the previous new one had it), and no one else seems to have copied....yet.
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 19:10
Switchable power steering - Honestjohn
A Punto has electric power steering. Basically the shaft from the wheel to the rack becomes an electric motor and variable assistance is provided to the wheel that way. It\'s very crude. VAG has come up with a much better way for the new A3, Touran and Golf V which uses electro hydraulics to feed power to the rack itself according to how the car is being driven. So at low speeds, for parking, you get a lot of assistance. At high speeds, when you don\'t need or want assistance, you don\'t get much. Works sensationally well.

HJ
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Fri 23 Jan 2004 08:14
Switchable power steering - Deryck Tintagel
Electro-hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) is becoming quite common - some Vauxhalls such as the new Vectra and Astra, VAG such as the Polo and Skoda Fabia.

The new Megane, Micra and Stilo all have Electric Power Steering (EPS). It seems to be on the smaller cars due to technical limitations
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Fri 23 Jan 2004 08:20
Switchable power steering - matt35 {P}
HJ

Something like the system I had on the Citroen CX in 1977?

Matt35.
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 23:17
Switchable power steering - Dizzy {P}
I'd never come across this until someone mentioned the FIAT's "girlie switch" at the weekend. Good job my sexual-equality daughter wasn't within hearing range!
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 23:50
Switchable power steering - SjB {P}
The current MG TF also has EPAS (Electric Power Assisted Steering), as I believe did its predecessor, and although I understand it crashes and thumps over bumps as a result of a very firm set-up, each article I have read has praised the steering and handling.
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Fri 23 Jan 2004 00:35
Switchable power steering - NowWheels
I'd never come across this until someone mentioned the FIAT's "girlie
switch" at the weekend. Good job my sexual-equality daughter wasn't within
hearing range!


I drove one recently, and thought it was great -- made parking really easy, and it was handy for other city manoeuvres too.

I wouldn't mind it being called a "girlie-swtch" -- I called it that myself, because I have no desire to have to develop huge biceps to park a car!
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Fri 23 Jan 2004 08:10
Switchable power steering - daveyjp
The sister-in-law calls it the "girlie switch". I had a Punto as a hire car in Ireland last year and forgot to turn this off once - very interesting at speed on sweeping corners! The feedback from the steering was zilch - imagine driving on ice!
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Sun 25 Jan 2004 23:44
Switchable power steering - henry k
Thanks HJ and all others for the usual quick info on the subject.

daveyjp. I was not brave enough to try it at speed especially as it was a max 40mph limit (in Jersey). It was useful in the multi storey carparks.

Except for my son's Focus 2.0 Ghia I only get to try new / modern cars when I rent them on holiday.
Oh joy, back to a non power steering Sierra (with tyres soon to be replaced). Just leave me a good parking space so that non of this reverse parking shimmy is needed.
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Sun 25 Jan 2004 23:52
Switchable power steering - Baskerville
The girlie switch was what they called it in the ads. All Peugeots and Citroens, right across the range, have power steering that varies according to engine speed--low revs=lots of assistance--and it works very well. Everything is levelling out I think and the manufacturers are going to have to think of other ways to justify price differentials: a friend of mine with a four year-old Mercedes was appalled when I told him my Peugeot has a three year warranty. He said I'll need it, but then he didn't make his money as a standup comic.
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