I have a slight issue with the HICS warning light coming on when on a long journey. It has only happened over the weekend and does not effect the car immediately. After 30 minutes the steering gets heavy and the only way to rectify this is to turn the car off and back on again and the light go straight out?

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Many Thanks

 

 

Ben

Low fluid,you checked it?

The dreaded speed sensor??......out comes the trusty pic;)

 

 

.......or driving on snow?:D

Is your steering wheel centred correctly?

Originally posted by Bilky

Is your steering wheel centred correctly?

 

Seconded! If the steering wheel is not central, the car will think it is in a permanent corner, assume that its got a faulty steering wheel angle sensor and disable the hicas...

Thanks for the help, still to try some of the solutions...

 

My car has been fine for months and has only just started this weekend!!

 

Cheers

 

 

Ben

The steering wheel not being central? Does that mean if you turn the wheel slowly at some point it will go out because the car thinks its straight?

 

Or shall i get my coat:rolleyes:

The HICAS works from a sensor in the steering wheel hub. So if the steering wheel is straight and the car is driving straight, the HICAS will keep the rear wheel straight.

 

However, if the tracking is out which causes the steering wheel to have to be turned slightly to drive straight, the HICAS thinks you are turning and the rear wheels will turn accordingly as if you where turning and not driving straight.

 

I think there is error detection on the HICAS just like on the ABS. If the ABS gets mixed signals for a prolonged period of time it will deactivate and warn you with the ABS light. If the HICAS thinks something is wrong i.e thinks you have been turning right for a few miles because the steering whee is turned to one direction even though you are driving straight, it will deactivate and warn you with the light.

 

This is what I think happens and I am not 100% sure.

 

Stuart