Self-centering steering issue on pre-facelift Maruti Ignis? Here's how to fix it

STEERING ISSUES

I purchased a Maruti Suzuki Ignis Zeta AGS in March 2017. I am very happy with the vehicle and it has clocked over 24,500km.

The problem, however, is that the steering doesn’t return to centre once you make a turn. As the vehicle is getting older, the problem has increased and I find that quite dangerous. I wanted to know if this is a common issue and if it can be rectified.

S Raajkumar Kalingarayar, Coimbatore

The self-centering problem is not unique to your Ignis, but is a common issue in the first-generation version of the hatchback, owing to the design of the car’s steering geometry. The steering wheel doesn’t automatically return to its straight position after making a U-turn, thereby demanding manual assistance from the driver. The solution lies in making alterations to the car’s caster angle as well as assistance from the power steering motor.

While Maruti Suzuki India hasn’t categorised this as a steering issue, and only identified it as a general steering behaviour, the company has resolved it to a great extent in the facelifted version launched in 2020.

Therefore, it would be advisable to check with a Maruti Suzuki service centre if the relevant parts could be replaced from the updated model to your car, along with making the necessary mechanical tweaks to improve the steering’s behaviour.

Also See:

2017 Maruti Suzuki Ignis long term review, final report

2017 Maruti Ignis long term review, first report