xkr heavy/stiff steering

[NST]

my xkr has been sitting around doing very little for the last 6 weeks. i have noticed that the steering is very stiff and heavy for the first 10miles or so then starts to lighten up again but it still isn't light as it normally is. anyone know what could be causing the problem? i gave the car a good 15mile blast to see if everything else if ok which it is, except for the stiff steering. i wouldn't say the power steering pump has failed because it isn't that heavy. after the 15mile blast the steering was lighter and easier to turn but not the usual light steering the jag has. i wonder if i need to give the car a good run to get everything moving again?

any suggestions as to what it could be?

[Jaguar steve]

V belt slipping when it's cold? Tyre pressures OK? PAS level correct?

[NST]

Jaguar steve said:

V belt slipping when it's cold? Tyre pressures OK? PAS level correct?

thanks for the reply. i will check the PAS level and see if its low. tyres do look alittle low but not overly. will check out the belt in day light(!)

cheers

NST

[Jaguar steve]

If youy tyres look a little low they almost certainly are. The lower profile tyre you have the more succeptable to pressure variations they are - just a few psi will make all the difference.

Your tyres may well be self inflating - that is the excessive flexing of the sidewalls due to slightly low pressure when cold is putting enough heat into the tyre to expand the air inside and bring the pressure up enough to change the steering feel after a few miles.

Try the full load / high speed values and see if that improves the heavy steering

[NST]

Last night i went out and checked the tyres which seemed quite abit softer at the sidewall then a couple of days ago.

i think that might be the problem.
cheers

NST
UPDATE : steering almost back to normal now that i've started driving it again once a week.. the old girl just wanted to be driven!

Edited by NST on Tuesday 30th December 15:03