The reason why the steering wheel must be straight when the car is parked.
JAKARTA, NOVEMBER 2024,Daihatsu friends must be familiar with the warning phrase 'straighten the steering', especially when the car is about to park. It's no wonder that some people tend to straighten the steering first, so that the position of the front and rear tires is aligned and appears straight.
This positive habit is not only practiced by new car owners. But it is more often done by owners of older cars. The reason is that a straight steering wheel and tires not only look neat and are aesthetically pleasing. So, why should the steering wheel be straight when parking the car?
Light Steering Supported by Hydraulic Power Steering
The habit of straightening the steering when parking is indeed good for aesthetics. However, primarily, a straight steering wheel can maintain the performance of the hydraulic power steering.
As is known, the performance of hydraulic power steering is supported by oil or fluid to relieve pressure on the steering rack. This pressure serves to lighten the workload on the hands when turning the steering wheel to steer the tires.
Steering Wheel in Turn Position Burdens Hydraulic
When parking and the tires are turned to one side. The pressure load on the power steering oil will be on one side.
When the engine is off, the oil will continue to be pressured and will not circulate. Thus, the long-term effect of parking without straightening the steering is that the seal on the oil path can no longer withstand the oil load. The risk is that the seal can break at any time.
Heavy Steering Effect of Damaged Power Steering
When the power steering oil leaks or is damaged, the steering will feel heavier when turned. This is because steering lock can occur due to the power steering components often bearing the steering load in a non-straight position.
Therefore, aside from technical reasons, straightening the steering also aims to make it easier to move the car. Especially when Daihatsu friends park parallel.