G20 M340i Vague and Numb Steering Feel - Still?!

akhbhaat · 10-08-2021, 09:53 PM

This longtime diehard purist actually really likes the G20.

It didn't leave a particularly positive impression on me the first time I drove it (M340i in the summer of 2019): too big, too numb, too tech-focused, and I hadn't yet accepted the ZF8 (or anything else with only two pedals) into my heart. I'd gone through a few M cars--plus a random E46 ZHP, which I still have--and at the time was looking to carry forward that tradition. Nearly bought an M2C, but didn't. Started a Porsche habit instead (and they say heroin is expensive).

But some years on, wanting a new daily, and finally absolved of the folly of trying to force a single vehicle to be all things, my better half and I got to test driving. I'm not opposed to second chances, and I'll be damned (after spending the better part of a day in one) if the G20 wasn't the lone standout in a sea of completely forgettable crossovers and awful luxury barges. Is the steering numb? Yes, albeit not completely. Is it the most engaging car I've driven? Not even close. Do I care? Not any more. It's just so generally competent, I actually liked driving it...and even more remarkably, so did she. Plus, FFS, it's not hideously ugly, and that alone means a lot these days, at least as far as BMW is concerned.

We're seriously starting to think about ordering (or trying to order) an M-sport 330i sometime in the next few weeks. I'm weirdly excited about it...just wishing we'd gotten to this point about a year sooner. This is not the time to be ordering or buying a new car, but c'est la vie.

SLGrassoPA · 10-13-2021, 08:51 AM

Thought I would post this thread just to add some insight into the steering issue.

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1865372

The outcome I had:

Update - Thanks so much for all the advice. so went by the dealership again today. GM called a regional rep about the issue. Regional rep asked GM to email him the video I was talking about as well as it is indeed the exact issue! GM himself took my car with 3K miles on a long test drive while I stayed behind doing work on my laptop. He came back and said constant and noticeable steering adjustments (an inch to the left and an inch to the right) at anything over 25-30MPH was certainly noticeable and constant and was not normal. His diagnosis - probably alignment issue or defective tire(s). The rep from BMW North America suggested the GM drive another M340 on their lot. They had 2. GM drove 2 other M340s on the lot - and he came back and said wow -- they had the same exact issue!!!! He called back regional rep - they took my car back - gave me the full purchase price back - and put me in a new X3M40i - with same color combo - and done and over. Gave me the same discount (not much - $1,750 off sticker) and even though the X3 cost a little more - it's steering is perfect. No more constant adjustments.
If anyone else has this issue, show the dealership the professional review - starting at time 23:15 - as that definitely helped them understand what I was talking about. The GM and the regional rep did a video conference and watched it together.

AT 23:15

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1774603

bap340i · 10-13-2021, 09:15 AM

I kind of understand the numb steering comments, this car isn't as good as my E90. But for a car with numb steering things like tires, pressure, road depressions, etc. make a huge difference. Hard to reconcile.

I just got back from a long road trip and could not be more impressed with this car. It was comfortable, got 38 mpg @85 through Nebraska, cut up mountain roads in Colorado, and impressed the valets wherever we went. One of the best all around cars I have driven.

I learned to drive in a 1969 Pontiac station wagon. I know numb steering. The G20 is a far cry from that.

madpistol · 10-13-2021, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bap340i

I kind of understand the numb steering comments, this car isn't as good as my E90. But for a car with numb steering things like tires, pressure, road depressions, etc. make a huge difference. Hard to reconcile.

I just got back from a long road trip and could not be more impressed with this car. It was comfortable, got 38 mpg @85 through Nebraska, cut up mountain roads in Colorado, and impressed the valets wherever we went. One of the best all around cars I have driven.

I learned to drive in a 1969 Pontiac station wagon. I know numb steering. The G20 is a far cry from that.

A lot of people say the steering is "numb" because the steering wheel isn't constantly tugging back to center. I remember when I had my 2015 Mazda 3, that steering wheel was somewhat light, but it was always trying to center itself, so if you threw the car into a corner, the car would respond, take a line, and then pull you back to center.

You don't get this sort of tug from the M340i. It's there, for sure, but the steering is more progressive in how it weights. This might (and I stress "might") be due to toe of the front tires. I always got the impression that my 2015 Mazda 3 had a slight "toe in" on the front wheels, which is what gave it its very strong on center feel. The M340i, on the other hand, probably has toe center or even toe slightly out, which would give it quick/darty turn-in but not a super strong on-center feel.

Also, toe center would be especially important if BMW was trying to achieve maximum fuel economy as the car would coast the easiest with this setup; toe in would create a constant drag on the front tires when coasting.

Just my 2 cents.

SLGrassoPA · 10-13-2021, 05:08 PM

thinking about it - and yes - the steering set up probably does as you say help "achieve maximum fuel economy: but for me the issue was not really "numbness" or "vagueness" - almost all electronic steering to some extent suffers from that. And I did not care that much about a small change in fuel economy. instead it was the constant micro corrections when the wheel was at center and when driving at any speed greater than 25MPH that simply became exhausting. When I was at the dealer the other day the sales guy who sold me the car - who just got the same car in a 2022 model M340 (I have a 2021) - says he has the same constant corrections when on the highway, but just got use
to it. I probably would have too, but did not want to wait. Aside from the steering issue, this is one of the best - if not the best - daily driving sedans.

TruthOne · 10-13-2021, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLGrassoPA

thinking about it - and yes - the steering set up probably does as you say help "achieve maximum fuel economy: but for me the issue was not really "numbness" or "vagueness" - almost all electronic steering to some extent suffers from that. And I did not care that much about a small change in fuel economy. instead it was the constant micro corrections when the wheel was at center and when driving at any speed greater than 25MPH that simply became exhausting. When I was at the dealer the other day the sales guy who sold me the car - who just got the same car in a 2022 model M340 (I have a 2021) - says he has the same constant corrections when on the highway, but just got use
to it. I probably would have too, but did not want to wait. Aside from the steering issue, this is one of the best - if not the best - daily driving sedans.

Yeah I just came from a 5 series loaner. Man that car felt like a boat. The seats were way more comfortable but other than that I would NOT give up the M340 for one.

seccsc · 10-14-2021, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TruthOne

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLGrassoPA

thinking about it - and yes - the steering set up probably does as you say help "achieve maximum fuel economy: but for me the issue was not really "numbness" or "vagueness" - almost all electronic steering to some extent suffers from that. And I did not care that much about a small change in fuel economy. instead it was the constant micro corrections when the wheel was at center and when driving at any speed greater than 25MPH that simply became exhausting. When I was at the dealer the other day the sales guy who sold me the car - who just got the same car in a 2022 model M340 (I have a 2021) - says he has the same constant corrections when on the highway, but just got use
to it. I probably would have too, but did not want to wait. Aside from the steering issue, this is one of the best - if not the best - daily driving sedans.

Yeah I just came from a 5 series loaner. Man that car felt like a boat. The seats were way more comfortable but other than that I would NOT give up the M340 for one.

I had the exact same experience except I had the 530i for a month. Cheers!

elambo · 10-14-2021, 08:43 PM

Compared to many other cars, yes, definitely numb steering. Some people prefer this experience -- I myself do not. Wouldn't it be great to have an adjustment for steering feel, just as we do everything else? I'd pay extra for that.

madpistol · 10-14-2021, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elambo

Compared to many other cars, yes, definitely numb steering. Some people prefer this experience -- I myself do not. Wouldn't it be great to have an adjustment for steering feel, just as we do everything else? I'd pay extra for that.

See if you can get someone to toe-in your front wheels by 1 degree. I bet that gives you some feel.

SLGrassoPA · 01-22-2022, 03:44 PM

The steering is an issue for some - and not an issue for others. For me, I couldn't live with the vague feeling when the wheel was at center and the always present need for minor steering corrections to keep the car going straight. This seems like an issue that affects the 340, not the 330. Some have commented that the current 340 retained the steering rack of the prior generation. Don't know if that is accurate.

at 22:35 of the video

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1774603

TK1003 · 02-02-2022, 08:34 PM

Hello.

I lease M340 2021. A week ago my steering wheel stopped changing stiffness responses between eco, regular and sport modes. It feels as if the power steering system failed (It almost feels like driving a go cart car). Also, when I turn my steering wheel when the car is idle, it no longer turns the engine back on.

I brought the car back to the dealer and they are saying that everything is up to spec. Furthermore, they are saying that the engine turning on when the steering wheel is rotated while idle is not a feature available in M340. This is crazy because my car did have that feature up to now.

The car as 11k on it and I am frustrated. Any suggestions?

madpistol · 02-02-2022, 09:28 PM

Take it to a different dealership.

10-08-2021, 09:53 PM	#67
akhbhaat Captain 181 Rep 883 Posts Drives: ///M318ti Type-R Turbo S Join Date: May 2005 Location: T1 run-off iTrader: (0)	This longtime diehard purist actually really likes the G20. It didn't leave a particularly positive impression on me the first time I drove it (M340i in the summer of 2019): too big, too numb, too tech-focused, and I hadn't yet accepted the ZF8 (or anything else with only two pedals) into my heart. I'd gone through a few M cars--plus a random E46 ZHP, which I still have--and at the time was looking to carry forward that tradition. Nearly bought an M2C, but didn't. Started a Porsche habit instead (and they say heroin is expensive). But some years on, wanting a new daily, and finally absolved of the folly of trying to force a single vehicle to be all things, my better half and I got to test driving. I'm not opposed to second chances, and I'll be damned (after spending the better part of a day in one) if the G20 wasn't the lone standout in a sea of completely forgettable crossovers and awful luxury barges. Is the steering numb? Yes, albeit not completely. Is it the most engaging car I've driven? Not even close. Do I care? Not any more. It's just so generally competent, I actually liked driving it...and even more remarkably, so did she. Plus, FFS, it's not hideously ugly, and that alone means a lot these days, at least as far as BMW is concerned. We're seriously starting to think about ordering (or trying to order) an M-sport 330i sometime in the next few weeks. I'm weirdly excited about it...just wishing we'd gotten to this point about a year sooner. This is not the time to be ordering or buying a new car, but c'est la vie. __________________ Avid collector of the very finest Deutscher Schrott
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10-13-2021, 08:51 AM	#68
SLGrassoPA Second Lieutenant 146 Rep 288 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW M340 Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (0)	Thought I would post this thread just to add some insight into the steering issue. https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1865372 The outcome I had: Update - Thanks so much for all the advice. so went by the dealership again today. GM called a regional rep about the issue. Regional rep asked GM to email him the video I was talking about as well as it is indeed the exact issue! GM himself took my car with 3K miles on a long test drive while I stayed behind doing work on my laptop. He came back and said constant and noticeable steering adjustments (an inch to the left and an inch to the right) at anything over 25-30MPH was certainly noticeable and constant and was not normal. His diagnosis - probably alignment issue or defective tire(s). The rep from BMW North America suggested the GM drive another M340 on their lot. They had 2. GM drove 2 other M340s on the lot - and he came back and said wow -- they had the same exact issue!!!! He called back regional rep - they took my car back - gave me the full purchase price back - and put me in a new X3M40i - with same color combo - and done and over. Gave me the same discount (not much - $1,750 off sticker) and even though the X3 cost a little more - it's steering is perfect. No more constant adjustments. If anyone else has this issue, show the dealership the professional review - starting at time 23:15 - as that definitely helped them understand what I was talking about. The GM and the regional rep did a video conference and watched it together. AT 23:15 https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1774603
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10-13-2021, 09:15 AM	#69
bap340i Second Lieutenant 71 Rep 204 Posts Drives: 2021 M340I Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	I kind of understand the numb steering comments, this car isn't as good as my E90. But for a car with numb steering things like tires, pressure, road depressions, etc. make a huge difference. Hard to reconcile. I just got back from a long road trip and could not be more impressed with this car. It was comfortable, got 38 mpg @85 through Nebraska, cut up mountain roads in Colorado, and impressed the valets wherever we went. One of the best all around cars I have driven. I learned to drive in a 1969 Pontiac station wagon. I know numb steering. The G20 is a far cry from that.
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10-13-2021, 05:08 PM	#71
SLGrassoPA Second Lieutenant 146 Rep 288 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW M340 Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (0)	thinking about it - and yes - the steering set up probably does as you say help "achieve maximum fuel economy: but for me the issue was not really "numbness" or "vagueness" - almost all electronic steering to some extent suffers from that. And I did not care that much about a small change in fuel economy. instead it was the constant micro corrections when the wheel was at center and when driving at any speed greater than 25MPH that simply became exhausting. When I was at the dealer the other day the sales guy who sold me the car - who just got the same car in a 2022 model M340 (I have a 2021) - says he has the same constant corrections when on the highway, but just got use to it. I probably would have too, but did not want to wait. Aside from the steering issue, this is one of the best - if not the best - daily driving sedans. Last edited by SLGrassoPA; 10-13-2021 at 05:47 PM..
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10-14-2021, 08:43 PM	#74
elambo Lieutenant 241 Rep 404 Posts Drives: 2021 M440i convertible Join Date: May 2021 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Compared to many other cars, yes, definitely numb steering. Some people prefer this experience -- I myself do not. Wouldn't it be great to have an adjustment for steering feel, just as we do everything else? I'd pay extra for that.
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01-22-2022, 03:44 PM	#76
SLGrassoPA Second Lieutenant 146 Rep 288 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW M340 Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (0)	The steering is an issue for some - and not an issue for others. For me, I couldn't live with the vague feeling when the wheel was at center and the always present need for minor steering corrections to keep the car going straight. This seems like an issue that affects the 340, not the 330. Some have commented that the current 340 retained the steering rack of the prior generation. Don't know if that is accurate. at 22:35 of the video https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1774603
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02-02-2022, 08:34 PM	#77
TK1003 Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: M340 Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	M340 steering wheel feels stiff Hello. I lease M340 2021. A week ago my steering wheel stopped changing stiffness responses between eco, regular and sport modes. It feels as if the power steering system failed (It almost feels like driving a go cart car). Also, when I turn my steering wheel when the car is idle, it no longer turns the engine back on. I brought the car back to the dealer and they are saying that everything is up to spec. Furthermore, they are saying that the engine turning on when the steering wheel is rotated while idle is not a feature available in M340. This is crazy because my car did have that feature up to now. The car as 11k on it and I am frustrated. Any suggestions?
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02-02-2022, 09:28 PM	#78
madpistol Major 1742 Rep 1,350 Posts Drives: 2022 BMW M440i GC Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Florida, USA iTrader: (0)	Take it to a different dealership.
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