Do you have Lane Assist?

 

I have lane assist, but have started turning it off.

 

Keep turning it off. That and stop start. Each time I start car I automatically do those two things before moving off.

 

I’ve recently got my Q3 (with Lane Assist) and don’t have the issues you describe. I was curious what ChatGPT could come up with, and here’s the response - hope it helps!

On the Q3 (F3) a few common things can make motorway steering feel “tuggy” or heavy even when the car is actually tracking straight. I’d work through these, in order:

1. Try a quick A/B without Lane Assist
• Turn Active Lane Assist off for a motorway stretch and see if the heaviness/“nudging” sensation disappears.
• If it helps, keep it on but tweak settings: Car → Driver Assistance → Active Lane Assist → set “Warning” to Late, reduce/disable steering intervention or “Adaptive lane guidance” (wording varies). You can also leave only vibration warning on.
• Pre sense isn’t the culprit here—it’s about braking/collision warning, not steering feel.

2. Check tyre pressures (dealers often overinflate)
• Do them stone-cold and set exactly to the door-jamb placard for your wheel/tyre size and normal load. Overinflation + S line low-profile tyres = tramlining and a “skittery” feel on rutted motorways.

3. Make sure Drive Select isn’t making it heavier
• In Individual, put Steering = Comfort (Engine/Transmission can be in Auto/Dynamic as you like). Dynamic steering weighting on the motorway can feel artificially heavy and mask road feel.

4. Tyres themselves (brand/wear/conicity)
• Mixed brands or certain sporty patterns can follow grooves. Uneven wear or “conicity” can create a subtle drift/wander that you correct against.
• Quick test: swap front ↔ rear (if square setup) to see if the sensation changes sides or improves.

5. Alignment + steering angle zero point (especially after ADAS work)
• ADAS camera calibration assumes alignment is correct and the steering angle sensor (G85) is zeroed. If toe is slightly out or the steering angle offset isn’t learned, you’ll feel constant micro-corrections.
• Ask the dealer for a 4-wheel alignment printout to Audi spec and confirm they performed a steering angle sensor basic setting and camera alignment on a level rack. You don’t have to “do tracking again” blindly—just verify it was done and is in spec.

6. S line ride + big wheels reality check
• The firmer S line suspension and larger wheels transmit more of the motorway’s subtle ruts, so once the above are sorted you may still feel more “alive” steering than in a softer car. If it still bugs you long-term, a different tyre model (more touring-biased) or downsizing one wheel size helps noticeably.

7. Software/TSB check (dealer)
• Have them check for EPS/camera software updates or technical bulletins about on-centre drift compensation or lane guidance behaviour on your build. It’s a quick ODIS check.
A 10-minute test plan
• Calm day, light traffic. Set Steering = Comfort. Measure/adjust pressures first. Do 5–10 mins at 60–70 mph with Lane Assist off, then on with reduced intervention. If the weirdness tracks with Lane Assist, you’ve found the main cause; tune or disable it. If it persists with it off, focus on tyres/alignment/G85 zero.

Bottom line: most cases like this end up being (1) Lane Assist’s torque overlay being a bit eager, and/or (2) tyre pressure/tyre choice/trim-line tramlining. Alignment + steering angle zero is the next most common fix, especially after recent ADAS work.

 

Hi,

This is really helpful thank you.

I am due back to the dealer in the new year and ultimately will get them to check the tracking again.

As the tracking has just been done, I am confident the vehicle is staying in line.

I did have the individual drive selekt setting set to comfort on the steering and that was better.

Checking tyre pressures was next on my list and can get this done easily.

I have the facelift model, do you have any tips for parking the vehicle straight. We do not have the reversing cameras, although I will be getting this installed very soon.

 

Great question about parking - actually, I have the reversing camera/360 and still getting used to it (I haven’t kerbed the alloys at least!), so sorry, no tips! Anyone else?!