Looking for opinions after recent rack replacement. Pre and post op owners!

[Testa_Rossa_]

Hey friends.

In another thread I have gone over my experience having my Type R go through a worm gear recall, and shortly thereafter, a full rack replacement. Before any of this I drove the car for two years not having it done. I simply saw no issue in the steering and thought it felt firm, precise, and direct. As if it was directly linked to the wheels themselves, I never took this for being a “sticky steering” issue as it felt just right to me.

Fast forward to a few night before I had the dealer do new tires, pads, and rotors, I felt as though the steering was lightly being ‘tugged’ at while on choppy road at highway speed, so I had them add the work gear recall to the list.

all work completed and the car is given back, steering felt immediately more loose, which I though may have simply been because of the greasing of the rack. Within 24 hours the rack started knocking when turned left to right stationary in a parking lot. Took it back the next day and they found play in the rack and recommended a replacement, which is not something I wanted to do but had little choice.

since then it’s been about three to four weeks since the rack replacement and the steering feels off, steering is lighter (which I know was kinda the point) but I worry that it’s TOO light.

When at speed you can feel the EPS firm up and load up onto corners pretty well, but when coming to a stop or taking off from one steering feels so light I find it hard to believe something isn’t wrong, it forms back up again after hitting 20-30 mph. This happens even in R+ mode, which is also surprising to me. I had an independent shop look over the car and they found a few bolts pertaining to the subframe loose, they tighten them and steering fields a smidge better but I’m still not convinced there isn’t something I just haven’t found yet. In addition, I had the car back over to the same Honda dealership for them to look over and both the shop foreman as well as service manager saw nothing wrong with the car or the way it drives versus other type Rs.



All of this to say; I would like some of your opinions on what the steering feedback feels like both from those who have not had the recall done, and those who have. What has your experience been like with the steering as well as does your feedback loosen up and become more vague as you slow down or speed up from a stop? I don’t have access to nor have I driven any other type Rs (fk8 or fl5) to have a frame of reference so I wonder if the steering that I’ve been feeling for the last two years was a placebo or whether I’d actually have some type of issue.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and feelings on the steering, what it feels like, post pre-recall and post recall. I would really like to nail this down, it feels as though the car has lost some of the magic ‘bite’ it had and the steering is one of the most lauded aspects of this car, I’d hate to have fucked it up somehow.

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[frenzal]

On my DE5:
Same feeling before and after the recall. But recall was done pretty quick after I picked up the car, on the first 5k km or so.

 

[Cueyo]

I haven't had the recall done and I have a 2025 (so I don't think mine is on the list). I've seen your post over on another thread, and I have that slight play with the knocking sound when I turn the wheel quickly while stationary. As far as I understand, this is purely "cosmetic", the play is something that's normal and more than likely having someone mess with it will only make it worse. Mind you, this is how mines been since day one.

Sounds almost like they went to go fix a sound and while they fixed the play in the column by replacing it, they made everything else worse. It could even be that the sound in the column returns after a while.

I'm in the same boat as you to where it feels right, so I don't want it messed with.

 

[cryptolime]

Hey friends.

In another thread I have gone over my experience having my Type R go through a worm gear recall, and shortly thereafter, a full rack replacement. Before any of this I drove the car for two years not having it done. I simply saw no issue in the steering and thought it felt firm, precise, and direct. As if it was directly linked to the wheels themselves, I never took this for being a “sticky steering” issue as it felt just right to me.

Fast forward to a few night before I had the dealer do new tires, pads, and rotors, I felt as though the steering was lightly being ‘tugged’ at while on choppy road at highway speed, so I had them add the work gear recall to the list.

all work completed and the car is given back, steering felt immediately more loose, which I though may have simply been because of the greasing of the rack. Within 24 hours the rack started knocking when turned left to right stationary in a parking lot. Took it back the next day and they found play in the rack and recommended a replacement, which is not something I wanted to do but had little choice.

since then it’s been about three to four weeks since the rack replacement and the steering feels off, steering is lighter (which I know was kinda the point) but I worry that it’s TOO light.

When at speed you can feel the EPS firm up and load up onto corners pretty well, but when coming to a stop or taking off from one steering feels so light I find it hard to believe something isn’t wrong, it forms back up again after hitting 20-30 mph. This happens even in R+ mode, which is also surprising to me. I had an independent shop look over the car and they found a few bolts pertaining to the subframe loose, they tighten them and steering fields a smidge better but I’m still not convinced there isn’t something I just haven’t found yet. In addition, I had the car back over to the same Honda dealership for them to look over and both the shop foreman as well as service manager saw nothing wrong with the car or the way it drives versus other type Rs.



All of this to say; I would like some of your opinions on what the steering feedback feels like both from those who have not had the recall done, and those who have. What has your experience been like with the steering as well as does your feedback loosen up and become more vague as you slow down or speed up from a stop? I don’t have access to nor have I driven any other type Rs (fk8 or fl5) to have a frame of reference so I wonder if the steering that I’ve been feeling for the last two years was a placebo or whether I’d actually have some type of issue.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and feelings on the steering, what it feels like, post pre-recall and post recall. I would really like to nail this down, it feels as though the car has lost some of the magic ‘bite’ it had and the steering is one of the most lauded aspects of this car, I’d hate to have fucked it up somehow.

had the slop/knock too after the recall and had to get the whole rack replaced on my Si
$4300

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

On my DE5:
Same feeling before and after the recall. But recall was done pretty quick after I picked up the car, on the first 5k km or so.

what does your steering feel like in general? Are you finding it loosens up on deceleration and tightens when picking up speed?

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

I haven't had the recall done and I have a 2025 (so I don't think mine is on the list). I've seen your post over on another thread, and I have that slight play with the knocking sound when I turn the wheel quickly while stationary. As far as I understand, this is purely "cosmetic", the play is something that's normal and more than likely having someone mess with it will only make it worse. Mind you, this is how mines been since day one.

Sounds almost like they went to go fix a sound and while they fixed the play in the column by replacing it, they made everything else worse. It could even be that the sound in the column returns after a while.

I'm in the same boat as you to where it feels right, so I don't want it messed with.

I find it interesting the dealer states this is cosmetic and ‘how it’s supposed to be’, from my homework on the subject it seems like dealers, when encountering this issue, straight up replace the rack no questions asked. I find it disconcerting that your dealer is playing it off as a standard feature.

 

[Cueyo]

I find it interesting the dealer states this is cosmetic and ‘how it’s supposed to be’, from my homework on the subject it seems like dealers, when encountering this issue, straight up replace the rack no questions asked. I find it disconcerting that your dealer is playing it off as a standard feature.

Oh it's not my dealer, I wouldn't trust a dealer with anything, this is something a buddy with a type r, and a coworker of mine with a crv have all experienced. We threw my FL5 and their cars up on a lift and did some inspection. The steering column has play naturally that's amplified by the EHS. Driving is perfect in all of the vehicles, so the conclusion we all reached was that it's not worth it to take the vehicle in to fix a noise that doesn't effect handling. Mind you these are all 2025 vehicles after the recall. Hence the labels "cosmetic" and normal. Its in warranty still, so if it actually ever becomes an issue I'll go to a dealer.

I don't ever trust the word of dealers in general, I have just as much technical skill as whatever tech they throw at it if not more. I've already had my one bad experience with a dealer and that's enough for me.

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

Oh it's not my dealer, I wouldn't trust a dealer with anything, this is something a buddy with a type r, and a coworker of mine with a crv have all experienced. We threw my FL5 and their cars up on a lift and did some inspection. The steering column has play naturally that's amplified by the EHS. Driving is perfect in all of the vehicles, so the conclusion we all reached was that it's not worth it to take the vehicle in to fix a noise that doesn't effect handling. Mind you these are all 2025 vehicles after the recall. Hence the labels "cosmetic" and normal. Its in warranty still, so if it actually ever becomes an issue I'll go to a dealer.

I don't ever trust the word of dealers in general, I have just as much technical skill as whatever tech they throw at it if not more. I've already had my one bad experience with a dealer and that's enough for me.

forgive my ignorance, what is the EHS?

 

[cryptolime]

forgive my ignorance, what is the EHS?

probably meant EPS-electronic power steering

 

[Cueyo]

forgive my ignorance, what is the EHS?

Electronic handling system, just using it to refer to the whole system including the EPS (electronic power steering) motor - though I don't think that's a commonplace term

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

Electronic handling system, just using it to refer to the whole system including the EPS (electronic power steering) motor - though I don't think that's a commonplace term

I see, I think I’m feeling a bit of that after the recall. As I said previously, I’ve daylied the car for over two years at this point, and while I didn’t feel like it had sticky steering if it did, I’m wondering if that’s why I feel such a big discrepancy in how the handling and steering feedback feels after replacement of the rack.

I never felt like I had to fight the steering wheel for control over the vehicle, but it did feel like the moment you turned it off center the car immediately shifted in that direction and dived into whatever turn you were making, like before you could even blink, I loved it. (It also didn’t really ‘loosen’ the steering feedback when slowing or gaining speed) Given the cars handling prowess and notoriety for having the best steering under 100 grand and short of a Porsche I now wonder if the steering I felt for the last two years was not actually how the car was supposed to feel and now I’m feeling how it is supposed to feel. If that makes sense.

This whole issue is driving me absolutely insane and I’m already an anxious person generally, I still love the car, but would be lying if I didn’t say I feel a bit of the magic is lost :/

 

[Chilly613]

What mode are you driving in? I drive in Individual Mode and have the steering set to Sport so its a bit tighter than Comfort.

 

[Cueyo]

I see, I think I’m feeling a bit of that after the recall. As I said previously, I’ve daylied the car for over two years at this point, and while I didn’t feel like it had sticky steering if it did, I’m wondering if that’s why I feel such a big discrepancy in how the handling and steering feedback feels after replacement of the rack.

I never felt like I had to fight the steering wheel for control over the vehicle, but it did feel like the moment you turned it off center the car immediately shifted in that direction and dived into whatever turn you were making, like before you could even blink, I loved it. (It also didn’t really ‘loosen’ the steering feedback when slowing or gaining speed) Given the cars handling prowess and notoriety for having the best steering under 100 grand and short of a Porsche I now wonder if the steering I felt for the last two years was not actually how the car was supposed to feel and now I’m feeling how it is supposed to feel. If that makes sense.

This whole issue is driving me absolutely insane and I’m already an anxious person generally, I still love the car, but would be lying if I didn’t say I feel a bit of the magic is lost :/

I think the only real way to answer your question is to drive another type r and see how it feels. The way you're describing how it was before you had the rack replaced is a lot like how mine drives now (if I were to describe it). The car has a somewhat difficult to turn wheel (I have it on the sportiest setting forget which one), but it goes wherever I point with really good follow through.

I know @cryptolime had his rack replaced twice, maybe you just got a defective rack?

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

What mode are you driving in? I drive in Individual Mode and have the steering set to Sport so its a bit tighter than Comfort.

Individual with everything cranked as R as possible minus suspension in comfy.

 

[Testa_Rossa_]

I think the only real way to answer your question is to drive another type r and see how it feels. The way you're describing how it was before you had the rack replaced is a lot like how mine drives now (if I were to describe it). The car has a somewhat difficult to turn wheel (I have it on the sportiest setting forget which one), but it goes wherever I point with really good follow through.

I know @cryptolime had his rack replaced twice, maybe you just got a defective rack?

I’d certainly hope not, it would really make me question the reliability of Honda overall if they have every other rack fail.

but the car was seen today by the service manager at my dealer. He drove it and also gave the car a solid once over while in the air and under to hood to check for any other loose bolts. No play in the rack according to him. which I’m not sure I trust.

Edit; I suppose, if I didn’t trust the service manager, I could take it back to my independent shop and have them also check for play in the rack, if so I could take it to another dealer perhaps.

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