Steering angle sensor issues after rack swap

I have an 08 outback xt manual. I just put in a lower mileage legacy gt steering rack in and took it to the dealer to get an alignment partly due to the vdc light being on.

 

I just got a call from the dealer and they told me they can't reset the vdc light "due to the steering angle sensor" no offer on a solution just that it comes back on after they reset it.

 

I did have an issue with the steering wheel being spun freely. Is there a way to check the steering angle sensor? Just replace it? Broken clock spring which needs replacing instead? Looked through the fsm but other than how to replace it I can't find much.

 

 

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Ok so what the dealer told me was they couldn't get the vdc light to stay off due to "aftermarket or non oem suspension parts" well I don't have any of those aside from my sway bars. So that was pretty useless.

 

In my experience a broken clock spring would not allow any of the wheel functions, like horn, radio controls, etc and I'd likely have an air bag light. But I don't and all of those items are working. The clock spring/roll connector isn't too crazy expensive or difficult looking to replace but I'd rather not just throw parts at it.

Aftermarket parts are always the dealerships scapegoat. I’m sure there has to be a way for them to see the values produced by the sensor so they can be zeroed. I’m certain your steering wheel being spun is why it’s not zeroing out. I’d always heard stories about how much of a nightmare it is when you mess it up with the Chevy stabilitrak so every time I do one I tie up the wheel and put a note on the horn.

Well I did, but I messed up centering the steering rack itself. Had my roommate helping me, she's not a car person. And when I said "center the wheel, well she just started spinning. She was very confident she got 3 full spins. So we went back three spins and then went back to where I thought center would be. I could be off 360. Or could have broken something.

 

Yea I'm not very happy with the dealership. I went to a dealer specifically for the SSM tool cuz I couldn't find a local subaru tuner for some reason. I was kinda hoping for something more than "well we tried clearing it *shrug*"

I also don't know much about the system. If I'm off by 360 then I would need to rotate it to the left. So I could try that but idk if it would automatically clear. From what I can tell, Romraider, BtSSM, and FreeSSM are not capable of clearing vdc/abs codes.

Most good scanners can access the module and check the position to correct it. My guess is the stealership would require a diagnostic fee.

I don’t think so, I’d love to be proven wrong but i know our modis and solus can’t access the steering angle sensors. I’ve seen the Nissan consult software being used to zero a steering angle sensor and it was a bitch.

Most good scanners can access the module and check the position to correct it. My guess is the stealership would require a diagnostic fee.

 

 

Well they missed a really easy up sell. Since the two things I asked for were the vdc reset and an alignment.

 

OK well let's say that in theory the steering angle sensor was correct before and the rack is centered. That would mean my steering wheel is not in the same place it was before all this started correct?

 

Or is the thought that over rotating the wheel whacked out the sensor? I don't think the fsm mentioned anything about zeroing the sensor when you replace it.

 

 

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Also from my understanding the vdc is currently not working correct? I've not checked the abs but it wouldn't be the worst outcome until I either have money for an ssm tool or find an actual subaru performance shop somewhere in Detroit.

 

 

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Dealer tools can access everything and reprogram ecus. My guess is there is a reset or centering function that can be done... Maybe a Google search would help, if not, back to another dealer that may have qualified techs. GL

After some searching I found the adjustment procedure. Looks like it might take idk. Fifteen minutes, but does require an ssm.

 

I found the actual price for the ssm. I'll never be that rich. I'd seen the price of the vxdiag but as I don't regularly need to get this far I'll probably pass. Better places to put the money.

 

I'll probably wait until I put legacy suspension on it and find someone capable of fixing it then. Since it'll possibly happen then too.

 

 

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After some searching I found the adjustment procedure. Looks like it might take idk. Fifteen minutes, but does require an ssm.

 

I found the actual price for the ssm. I'll never be that rich. I'd seen the price of the vxdiag but as I don't regularly need to get this far I'll probably pass. Better places to put the money.

 

I'll probably wait until I put legacy suspension on it and find someone capable of fixing it then. Since it'll possibly happen then too.

 

 

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Can you post a link to the procedure??

Even if the clock spring provides data for some functionality the sensor position data wiring might still be corrupted.

 

 

On the '08 the CAN bus shall be available on the OBD connector and if you can tap into that data and look at the "raw" data then you can identify the steering position sensor data and see what's up with it.

 

 

You might need a known good car to compare with though to ensure you get it right. And it only takes a small deviation from correct center to cause the system to flag that it's wrong.

Can you post a link to the procedure??

 

 

Yea I'll have to grab it later. I pulled it from the vacation pix. I think it was vdc-11 for the page number.

 

 

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Even if the clock spring provides data for some functionality the sensor position data wiring might still be corrupted.

 

 

On the '08 the CAN bus shall be available on the OBD connector and if you can tap into that data and look at the "raw" data then you can identify the steering position sensor data and see what's up with it.

 

 

You might need a known good car to compare with though to ensure you get it right. And it only takes a small deviation from correct center to cause the system to flag that it's wrong.

 

 

That makes sense but it's way above my head. It's my understanding that no one has reverse engineered the data coming from the abs system.

 

There is someone who built an audrino to capture the data from the steering angle sensor and trick the vdc system when installing the sti rack. I might try looking into that. I was trying to avoid all that by using an lgt rack.

 

 

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It’s likely an absolute encoder type sensor, even in the early 90’s they are sensitive to like a degree. I’m interested to find if you figure out a solution, but if I had my guess you are 360° off in either direction and a solid wheel centering alignment away from your solution. I’d also be willing to bet that a decent Subaru dealer mechanic would have access to the diag software to see what the exact steering angle is to figure it out. I’ll reach out to my buddy who is a service tech manager at a dealership to see if he knows anything about it. It’s probably an issue that they never have to deal with, but I’d find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t have the equipment to diag it.

E: ADJUSTMENT

When the following replacement, removal and installation are performed, be sure to perform the

centering of the steering angle sensor and zero

point setting of yaw rate & lateral G sensor.

• VDCCM&H/U

• Steering angle sensor

• Yaw rate & lateral G sensor

• Steering wheel parts (Including airbag)

• Suspension parts

• Wheel alignment adjustment

1) Park the vehicle straight on a level surface. (Engine operation in the “P” or “N” range)

2) Check that steering wheel is positioned at the

center. (When the center position is not correct, adjust the wheel alignment.)

3) Set the Subaru Select Monitor to the vehicle, and

select {Set up mode for Neutral of Steering Angle

Sensor & Lateral G Sensor 0 point} in the “Function

check sequence” screen. (Follow the steps on the

display.)

4) On the “Brake Control System” display screen,

select {Current Data Display & Save}, and check

that the steering angle sensor shows “0 deg”.

5) When the “0 deg” is not displayed, repeat the

above steps and check that the “0 deg” is displayed.

6) Drive the vehicle for 10 minutes, and check that

the ABS and VDC warning light is not illuminated.

7) Check that there is no unnecessary VDC operation or steering control loss. If there is a problem,

repeat the steps above.

 

Copy and paste of the steps cuz I don't know how to screen shot on my chromebook

It’s likely an absolute encoder type sensor, even in the early 90’s they are sensitive to like a degree. I’m interested to find if you figure out a solution, but if I had my guess you are 360° off in either direction and a solid wheel centering alignment away from your solution. I’d also be willing to bet that a decent Subaru dealer mechanic would have access to the diag software to see what the exact steering angle is to figure it out. I’ll reach out to my buddy who is a service tech manager at a dealership to see if he knows anything about it. It’s probably an issue that they never have to deal with, but I’d find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t have the equipment to diag it.

 

I would think the same. Let me know if you find anything, at the moment I'm just gonna leave it as it is.

He got back to me saying they have the tools to diagnose it, but none of his techs have any experience on it. Sorry that that doesn’t provide any help

He got back to me saying they have the tools to diagnose it, but none of his techs have any experience on it. Sorry that that doesn’t provide any help

 

 

All good. I think that answers the question though. You need access to ssm to diag it as I'm showing no error codes in the self diag mode and you need to reset it using the steps above from the service manual.

 

Without someone willing to plug in and let us look at what my car is saying, we don't know what my car is saying. Back in utah I could likely get the answer but here I don't know anyone yet. I'll be back in utah in a few weeks though so I'll update this if the shop out there is willing/able to help.

 

 

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I would call SOA, let them know the dealer could not diagnose or repair. They will get you in touch with a dealer that can, hopefully for a discount as well for wasting your time. This is assuming you took it to a subaru dealer

I would call SOA, let them know the dealer could not diagnose or repair. They will get you in touch with a dealer that can, hopefully for a discount as well for wasting your time. This is assuming you took it to a subaru dealer

 

 

I did. I actually made sure too because I knew that SSM would be needed and I knew they'd have it. That's actually a great idea and I hadn't thought about it. Maybe I'll cut off my rear toe bolts before doing so.

 

 

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All good. I think that answers the question though. You need access to ssm to diag it as I'm showing no error codes in the self diag mode and you need to reset it using the steps above from the service manual.

 

Without someone willing to plug in and let us look at what my car is saying, we don't know what my car is saying. Back in utah I could likely get the answer but here I don't know anyone yet. I'll be back in utah in a few weeks though so I'll update this if the shop out there is willing/able to help.

 

 

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ping jmp#####. He's nearby and will know of someone who can help. He might even have access to a diag tool. probably not a ssm tho.

 

Launch makes diag tools that are a step up from code readers. idk if it will read the steering angle sensor tho.

Young, dumb me did it on an Impala 10+ years ago when I was replacing a rack. I too, wanted to make sure the wheel was straight before hooking up the new rack and thought it was fun to freely spin the steering wheel. Your clockspring is broken.