HICAS and my steering wheel (with pics)

[NRB]

Ok, so we all know HICAS shits itself easily if the steering wheel is non-standard with a non-HICAS boss, and when our steering wheels are not centred.

My car came from Japan with a Nardi wheel with an appropriate boss. I had no HICAS light illumination at all. I went to the trouble of removing the wheel and fitted a stock GTR wheel to my car (R32 GTR). Since then, after 10km of driving, the HICAS light illuminates. I put it down to the wheel being off centre, but I can't for the life of me see how I can get it any more centred than it is!

The other problem I have relates to the cancellation of turn signals. When my wheel points slightly to the right, I find it very hard to keep the indicator on - the cancellation block is obviously close to the switch, which is terribly annoying.

Today I decided to pull the wheel off and have a play around with the HICAS sensor located under the steering wheel, to see if it was perhaps off-centre.

A bit more background... with the Nardi wheel, the HICAS lugs sticking out of the steering angle sensor were sitting at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions; the factory wheel requires them to be in the 2 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions. Is this normal?

I took the sensor off to have a look at that, to see if it was perhaps 180 degrees out, but it appears not. I also took the back off the steering wheel to see what's inside... I thought that the lug slots were possibly sitting 180 degrees from where they should.

I've attached some pics to show all the details for those who can help, and for those who would like to see how a HICAS steering wheel works.

I'm dumbfounded as to the cause of my problem. Can anyone shed any light on the matter?

[GTR32]

Hi NRB,

You ddin't mention if you were now using a stock boss. If not, is the stock wheel compatible with the Nardi boss? Just a thought.

Good luck!

[NRB]

there isn't a boss as far as I know... isn't the boss built into the steering wheel itself as illustrated in the pics? What you see in the pics is what I've got.

Picture 1: horn button pulled out

Picture 2: wheel taken off

Picture 3: Indicator stalk cover removed

Picture 4: HICAS ring removed

Picture 5: Hicas ring attached by wiring loom, hanging down

Picture 6: Back of stock steering wheel

Picture 7: Back of steering wheel with rear coverplate removed, exposing what appears to be 2 magnets

Picture 8: Angled shot of magnets

[Ronin 09]

Hmm... maybe I wont change my wheel to a momo anymore...

sorry I can't help, hope you get it sorted NRB

[Genesis®]

A bit more background... with the Nardi wheel, the HICAS lugs sticking out of the steering angle sensor were sitting at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions; the factory wheel requires them to be in the 2 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions. Is this normal?

no it is not. It is supposed to be sitting at 12 and 6 respectively.

I fitted my MOMO some time again with the appropriate boss kit and just yesterday, i replaced it back with the standard wheel because i'm selling my car. The lugs were sitting nicely @ 12 and 6 o'clock. I took it out for a drive and the hicas light stays off.

i think the problem is that you got your alignments off and mixed up because that they affect your hicas and indicators.

I guess the only wheel is by trial and error till you get the problem fixed.

When all's good, go for a 5 wheel alignment asap (including steering wheel).

hope that helps.

[NRB]

So you're telling me that the holes in the back of the steering wheel are incorrect? A very annoying predicament if that's the case, as I can't seem to align the holes to be in the 12 and 6 positions! (See picture 6)

[Genesis®]

yup.... when i fitted my standard wheel back on .... the lugs were sitting at 12 and 6 respectively.... and the holes at the back of steering wheel were the same as well.

i think you might have to dismantle the steering wheel and get it to align properly again.

[NRB]

Anyone else? Sydneykid?

[nedb]

I got the same problem and the holes on the steering wheel are 2 - 7 o'clock. Also, sometime my car would start pulling to the side once i hit 65 - 70 and the HICAS kicks in. It feels like drifting but without the wheel spin. The steering wheel has to be turned up to 2 o'clock to get the car to go straight. Once i slow down bellow 60 it fixes itself up.

Also, after about 10km the HICAS light would come on and then i guess the HICAS comp would shut itself off and the steering would straighten out.

Any ides anyone?

[lindsey34]

my hicas light also comes on after 10mins driving. It's also caused by the speed/hicas sensor wire no.53 on the loom been cut.

[[zhu]]

Same problem, when i fitted Nardi sterring wheel the HICAS light comes up after 10 mins driving but sometimes doesnt and the sign signal cant turn back automatically. I think it's because the boss kit.

[Cake]

mine is like lindsey34's except i have the stock airbag wheel. light comes on after 10 minutes of fairly straight driving like on a highway or freeway only, and over about 70km/h. I have no performance issues with the alignment, indicators or hicas at all, just the stupid light.

[BoOsTeD_RB26]

I also have this same problem. Perhaps its got something to do with the type of BOSS kit used? Maybe manufacture problems?

Genesis R: Was your BOSS kit a genuine MOMO item?

AFAIK my boss kit is NOT a momo item. Maybe a genuine will fix the problem?

My hicas sensors also sit at 2 and 7 o'clock respecitvely.

[GOR33]

my hicas light came on once the whole time i had a stock stearing wheel on, which was like 8 months, then since i have had my after market wheel on, about 4 months, the light has come on twice. its not a frequent thing, it has jsut literaly come on like once on the hwy after about 3 hrs of driving, and once before after like 20 mintues.

is it bad for the light to be on? like what does it actually mean? my wheel is actually off centre a little bit, but i got a hweel alignment so i asumed it would be ok to just leave it alone.

[GTRgeoff]

NRB my guess is that the alignment is offcentre (agreeing with genesis) with the indicator doing what it does. A good wheel alignment centre would be able to fix it for a price. Jack the car up and take a look at the tie rod ends and see if they have unequal lengths of thread exposed. If they are equal then the steering shaft has been pulled out of the steering rack and rotated to align the wheel which is pretty odd as the japs are usually pretty good getting this sort of thing right. If you wanted to come by sometime I'd be happy to take a look myself and might be able to fix it.

I can't believe so many people are having such problems with HICAS, but it is such a stupid idea.

Marcus, do the MOMO and get a Hicas bar.

[AWDMAT]

remove the globe behind the hicas light

problem fixed!!

[NRB]

Geoff,

I'll have to get under and look. As you know I'm wanting to get one of your HICAS lock bars, but haven't heard from you since I sent an e-mail on 21 October.

Just to make sure I've read your reply correctly - check to see if it's EQUAL L/R, and if it is, it means the rack has been taken out? It should be UNEQUAL L/R?

And Mr AWDMAT, taking out the lamp doesn't help me when my steering wheel turns itself and straightens with a kick after 10km of driving now, does it? :confused:

[GTRgeoff]

Nick

sorry I never got that email, and I got others that day. PM's as well. Email me again and I'll happily supply one, but I'm more concerned with the number of failed HICAS and the symptoms and not everyone want or needs the lock bar. So even though I have a fair amount of experience with the causes and corrections, my intent is not to peddle the HICAS bars through others misfortune so I'll try to address the problems here as time permits ver the next day or 2.

Your steering is exhibiting the standard R32 response to the HICAS going into fault mode and then it changes the steering. Exactly why and how is not entirely clear but I feel it is the rear rack that defaults to a certain position and the steering caster then pulls the wheel over. Possibly due to the hydraulics and I don't recall this in the R33. The car will then be crabbing down the road and possibly handle crap. If the HICAS sensor in the steering wheel can be returned to the correct position then I believe it will stop the 7 km wheel shift symptom and return to standard operation as the HICAS senses the steering angle and the speed and then adjusts the rear wheels.

Look for the tie rod ends being unequal and maybe different steering lock on each side as this is not correct. If all is equal then the steering shaft has been turned.

[nedb]

Ok, as I stated above a have a problem with HICAS and it’s very similar as NRB’s. But there are a few very conflicting things about this problem.

1. Sometimes my car starts pulling to the left and I have to turn my steering wheel to the right to keep going straight. This happens as I go over 60 km/h and faster I go steering needs to be turned more to keep it straight – up to 10 o’clock.

2. Sometimes my car starts pulling to the right and I have to turn my steering wheel to the left to keep it straight. As above, it starts happening after I go above 60 and faster I go steering wheel needs to be turned more to correct it – up to 2 o’clock.

3. Sometimes my car just drives normal.

In all three cases the HICAS light will turn ON after approx 10 km. For the first two points, after the HICAS light turns on, the steering would start gradually correcting itself and after about 1 km it would be completely corrected and drive “normal”.

So far I haven’t been able to find what is causing the problem and I was never able to get into the HICAS diagnostics.

In cases where I NEED to make sure the car won’t start pulling to the side, for example when the car is on the dyno, I just unplug the HICAS computer. Then it works fine, but it does make the steering wheel a bit heavy.

The car is R32.

Any ideas?

NRB – does this sound like the problem you’re having?

skylinegeoff – “Look for the tie rod ends being unequal and maybe different steering lock on each side as this is not correct. If all is equal then the steering shaft has been turned.” - I think this wouldn’t be the cause as it’s inconsistent (pulling to the left, pulling to the right or just normal). Am I right?

[nedb]

It might be worth to mention, I have the stock steering wheel.