Steering too heavy?

[X5goldie]

Can you parallel park or pull in and out of parking lots with one handed steering? I can't! My steering feels heavy. Is this normal?

2005 X5 3.0
144K

I drove a 06 4.8 and with the wide tires, it felt lighter than mine.

[andrewwynn]

Very very normal. We joke about It in e53 circles that's how we get a workout. Apparently BMW didn't add variable boost into X5 until E70.

If you hear moans when steeing especially when cold then it might be low. Also with prescribe you can one hand steer. Maybe I'll make a tutorial. I use a trick I learned with my Z28 where I could steer from center to lock without moving my hand. I've transferred that knowledge to e53 and if helps a lot.

It's possible the 06 did have variable boost steering I'm not sure when that became an option. I do know that everybody that drives my car is pretty sure the power steering is broken.

I love it because it gives me great road feed back taking 270 off ramps at 50. It's fun watching sport sedans disappear from my rear view when they started on my bumper.

[timmyc]

I too thought that the power steering was under gunned for the X. I just replaced the reservoir and bled the system clean and went to synthetic fluid. It totally helped.

[X5goldie]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Very very normal. We joke about It in e53 circles that's how we get a workout. Apparently BMW didn't add variable boost into X5 until E70.

If you hear moans when steeing especially when cold then it might be low. Also with prescribe you can one hand steer. Maybe I'll make a tutorial. I use a trick I learned with my Z28 where I could steer from center to lock without moving my hand. I've transferred that knowledge to e53 and if helps a lot.

It's possible the 06 did have variable boost steering I'm not sure when that became an option. I do know that everybody that drives my car is pretty sure the power steering is broken.

I love it because it gives me great road feed back taking 270 off ramps at 50. It's fun watching sport sedans disappear from my rear view when they started on my bumper.

Ok Good to know. I thought our e92 was heavy but it's got nothin' on our e53

[x5Alpine]

The 3.0 and 4.4 have engine speed sensitive steering while the 4.6 and 4.8 have speed sensitive steering.

[andrewwynn]

There we go. That perfectly explains the OP experience.

[aureliusmax]

Originally Posted by X5goldie

Can you parallel park or pull in and out of parking lots with one handed steering? I can't! My steering feels heavy. Is this normal?

2005 X5 3.0
144K

I drove a 06 4.8 and with the wide tires, it felt lighter than mine.

try adding some 'cleanup' additive in there like seafoam, and then flush out the old fluid and add synthetic ATF... usually can clean up some varnish off the pump and control circuits.. gives a little more flow and power

[srmmmm]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I love it because it gives me great road feed back taking 270 off ramps at 50. It's fun watching sport sedans disappear from my rear view when they started on my bumper.

So you do that too Andrew. Mine is the cloverleaf exit from I20 Westbound to Cooper Street Southbound in Arlington. I love having a pickup truck sniffing my bumper when we enter the turn and hearing his ABS kick in. And then there's the CEO's 428i in "sport" mode



2002 X5 3.0 383,800 miles
2014 428i 72,000 miles


2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles


1970 Pontiac Firebird Under restoration (and waiting for its turn on the cloverleaf)

[Clavurion]

AFAIK Servotronic (steering assistance adjusted according to vehicle speed) was available from the start of E53 production on every variant.

[X5goldie]

Originally Posted by aureliusmax

try adding some 'cleanup' additive in there like seafoam, and then flush out the old fluid and add synthetic ATF... usually can clean up some varnish off the pump and control circuits.. gives a little more flow and power

What Synthetic ATF do you recommend?

Thanks.