MG ZS Steering Fault - clicking when turning

[xichas]

Made over 1000km with no clicking... Only tightened the bolt did not replaced or added a extra bolt...

 

[Lovemyev]

Just to confirm, we are talking about the drivers adjustable column clamp bolt here ?.
Did you find it necessary to check tighten the third securing bolt that passes through the bulkhead ?.
If not then is it safe to make the call, that the majority of problem was purely down to insufficient torque being applied to the manual upper steering column clamp ?.
Thanks ?.

 

[Chris H]

I have this clicking, I only bought the car a few weeks ago (2024 ex-demonstrator, 1,800 miles), so took it back to Hendy, where I bought it asking them to fix it. They came back with:
"Clicking and movement in upper steering column, trip procedure followed but noise still apparent - new upper column required. Repair price: £1316.16"
Then a note to say it would be fixed free under warranty and booked the car in for when the parts arrive.
I'm surprised so many on here are trying to fix it themselves. Don't these cars have a 7 year warranty or something?

 

[Lovemyev]

I'm surprised so many on here are trying to fix it themselves.

Don’t be surprised if the clicking comes back after it is replaced either then ?.

 

[ZiggyStandard]

I have this clicking, I only bought the car a few weeks ago (2024 ex-demonstrator, 1,800 miles), so took it back to Hendy, where I bought it asking them to fix it. They came back with:
"Clicking and movement in upper steering column, trip procedure followed but noise still apparent - new upper column required. Repair price: £1316.16"
Then a note to say it would be fixed free under warranty and booked the car in for when the parts arrive.
I'm surprised so many on here are trying to fix it themselves. Don't these cars have a 7 year warranty or something?

If you have movement in the steering column, then that might be either the universal joint failure problem, or the problem with the bolts that secure the steering mechanism to the bulkhead.

 

[xichas]

I have this clicking, I only bought the car a few weeks ago (2024 ex-demonstrator, 1,800 miles), so took it back to Hendy, where I bought it asking them to fix it. They came back with:
"Clicking and movement in upper steering column, trip procedure followed but noise still apparent - new upper column required. Repair price: £1316.16"
Then a note to say it would be fixed free under warranty and booked the car in for when the parts arrive.
I'm surprised so many on here are trying to fix it themselves. Don't these cars have a 7 year warranty or something?

I suppose that the steering replacement it's not necessary because there is no explanation if there is any difference between the old and the new steering column. All the users that report this clicking problem do not report any mechanical wear or structural weakness on the steering column.... Maybe what solves the problem is the screw readjustment caused by the steering column replacement. Can you inform them (MG mechanic's workshop) about this procedure and obtain any reliable feedback? In my case just made the "clicking" report to MG in the annual mechanical review past July, and what they have done has they mentioned in the intervention report was "multiple ajustments" but clicking remained... After that I started seaching on the internet about it and reached to these procedures... Next mechanical revision, if the "clicking" returns will be reported again... About the 7 years warranty, in my country (Portugal) I think that it only covers battery.... But I'm not sure....

 

[Lovemyev]

I suppose that the steering replacement it's not necessary because there is no explanation if there is any difference between the old and the new steering column. All the users that report this clicking problem do not report any mechanical wear or structural weakness on the steering column.... Maybe what solves the problem is the screw readjustment caused by the steering column replacement. Can you inform them (MG mechanic's workshop) about this procedure and obtain any reliable feedback? In my case just made the "clicking" report to MG in the annual mechanical review past July, and what they have done has they mentioned in the intervention report was "multiple ajustments" but clicking remained... After that I started seaching on the internet about it and reached to these procedures... Next mechanical revision, if the "clicking" returns will be reported again... About the 7 years warranty, in my country (Portugal) I think that it only covers battery.... But I'm not sure....

Has your “clicking” stopped now after you increased the torque on the steering column clamp bolt ?????.

 

[xichas]

Has your “clicking” stopped now after you increased the torque on the steering column clamp bolt ?????.

Hi! Answering to your question, before increased the torque on the steering column clamp bolt (first image), before I had made the procedure (second image), after that both procedures until now no clicking. One thing that i have noticed, after increased the torque on the steering column clamp bolt, was that before the steering wheel when manually forced up an down was moving a little bit, after that does not move at all.
Regards

 

[Lovemyev]

Thank you for sharing your experience, I hope that by reworking with both methods, it will cure that annoying clicking problem long term.
It has crossed my mind, that in some cases owners have complained that the clicking sound returns, soon after the upper column has been replaced.
This could be because in torque value placed on the clamp bolt has being applied at the factory, is set too low ?.
The dealer will then replicate the same torque value on the second replacement column, so therefore the clicking returns ?.
This is just a theory of course !.
Only time will prove if my guy feelings are correct ?.
Please post again on your thoughts ?.

 

[xichas]

After these two procedures, it only remains to tighten the bolt under the scuttle panel, see picture... Some info I read was in this forum, in this old thread An update on the increasing play on my loose steering column :)
Maybe we need the three procedures all together, and perhaps someone with proper tools (torque meter) can give a complete and definitive solution to the problem, and make a video tutorial with torque values to show MG how to solve the problem!

 

[Wdavies73]

Hi everyone

I don't normally use forums and the is only my 2nd post here. But being a little apprehensive about buying an EV I though it would be good to see what other mg EV owners had to say. I apologise if this has already been mentioned as I can see this is an old thread.

I brought a 21 plate gen 1 back in April, the clicking noise mentioned above started after a month or so. The 3rd year service was due in July so I asked for the issues to be looked into.

The diagnosis was the steering column motor? After several months wait for the parts it was fitted yesterday. So far so good although only driven about 50 miles since.

Along with the door latch replacement all work was completed under warranty with a courtesy car thrown in at no cost to me.

I have no technical or mechanical back ground so I left it to the experts.

Not sure if this helps anyone but Id thought a share my experience which hope maybe useful to someone.

 

[Tim Green]

Looming at the pictures, it seems the fixing bolts include a thick rubber washer, probably to reduce vibration on the steering wheel. Tightening these bolts will obviously reduce the damping effect, although that may not matter. This may also explain why the noise returns.

 

[Lovemyev]

I don’t recall any other member having the electric power steering motor replaced ?.
Its replacement would therefore likely necessitate some break down of the steering column itself ?.
The reassembly of the column assemble could be more attributed to rectifying the original fault, than replacing the motor itself ?.
Time will tell I guess ??.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

I noticed a click/clunk more pronounced at about 35 degree lock right and less so same left. Mine is booked in for first service tomorrow with the clunk to be looked at as well.

 

[Lovemyev]

If it’s a good long established dealer, then they will be well conversant with this problem.
It has been a long standing complaint by many owners from when the ZS was first released.
If your ZS does not have the click / clunk, then your not part of the club ?.

 

[DBedford]

Our clunks is not as bad as others, but I'm please to say we just get under the wire to be part of the 'Clunk and Click Club' (CCC). But with all the other knocks and rattles on our ZS TLR they are not really notable to other than the driver ?.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

So at first service I reported a click and my dealer has said it needs a new column but no rush booked in for November! Battery state of health 100%

 

[Lovemyev]

After these two procedures, it only remains to tighten the bolt under the scuttle panel, see picture... Some info I read was in this forum, in this old thread An update on the increasing play on my loose steering column :)
Maybe we need the three procedures all together, and perhaps someone with proper tools (torque meter) can give a complete and definitive solution to the problem, and make a video tutorial with torque values to show MG how to solve the problem!

Today I found a little time to take a very quick look at the upper securing bolts section on the steering column of our 2022 Trophy ? LR.
The “clicking” is identical to noise we had on our Gen1 ZS EV.
I removed the plastic top section only of the steering wheel cowl with a plastic trim tool.
The two 13mm steering column bolts into the dash rail and the single 13mm nyloc nut on the manual adjustment lever, could be seen straight away.
Before resorting to removing the lower plastic section, I thought I would see if it is possible to reach the fasterns.
The access is tight, but possible.
I used a long reach 13mm “Snap-on” combo spanner ? and was JUST able to get the ring end onto the bolts.
I did manage to put a small amount of increased torque on the 2 bolts, but I don’t feel it was loose enough to cause the problem, but I could be wrong of course ??.
I could not get the ring spanner ? on the nyloc nut correctly, due to the limited space.
It would be easy with bottom cowl removed, but I was clock watching ?.
I did just about get the open ended side of the spanner ? on the nut.
It turned very easily, now you know why they use a nyloc nut ?.
I did manage to get a quarter of a turn each time on the nut, bit by bit.
After a couple of turns, I checked if I could close the manual adjusting level on the column.
Each quarter turn of the nut, made the adjusting level harder to close into place of course.
At this point, I needed to be somewhere else in a hurry, so I quickly refitted the upper column cowl and rushed away .
Therefore I am unable to report if it has improved the clicking problem sorry, but I will post back.
Total time taken on this task, about 10 to 15 minutes tops.
Time well spent I feel, as this should go someway in determining if a replacement column is required / fix ??.

 

[Lovemyev]

@xichas Now you have covered a few more miles after your tightening procedure, has the clicking / knocking returned as of yet ?.

 

[xichas]

Hi my friend! Sadly the clicking has not disappeared completely, but has reduced a great deal and is not so frequent has before, and the sound that it makes is not so loud or easily noticed by my hands on the steering wheel.

Now only in few occasions, mostly when changing direction in roundabouts that involve a rapid change in centrifugal force. But not in all maybe one in ten.

I noticed that it happens mostly when there are some variations in the external temperature between trips. I made the experience to loosen and tight back the locking mechanism and the knocking sound disappears for some days.

So in that way of thinking all materials contract and expand with temperature variations, and that procedure maybe releases that force.

When exist complex hard metallic parts mounting, there should be some points to release force made by those material volume variations.

Maybe the key to solve this problem is to find where exactly the clicking sound happens and think about a way to create a point where that force is released without a click sound made by the friction between two metal parts... Maybe a hard plastic washer applied somewhere.

Tightening a structure that needs to release force might not be the right procedure because that force will be transmitted to somewhere else in the structure. The majority of the times is in the weak parts that break or wear out more rapidly...