HELP!! Getting 4WS but have a concern - Honda Prelude Forum

suger · 07-07-2002, 04:57 PM

I saw a 1994 4WS Prelude for $6500 (is that a good price?).My concern is the 4WS, the owner said the 4WS turns off when the car reaches 45-50 mph. Dose it stay on all the time even at high speeds. How does it realy work.

Redline · 07-07-2002, 05:14 PM

I wish I could speak from experiance, but I believe my info is accurate.

Four wheel steering is designed to move the rear wheels at some angle relative to the angle of the front wheels. At low speeds, 4WS moves the rear wheels in a direction opposite of the front, giving the car a shorter turning radius.

However, at higher speeds, the movement of the rear wheels is reduced. And instead of moving in a direction opposite of the front, they will make smaller angles and point the wheel in the same direction as the front wheels.

Wait for a 3rd or 4th gen owner to give ya advice. Its explained in all 3rd and most 4th gen owners manuals. Also, I understand that the 4WS system can be expensive to maintain.

1996 Si.

Z · 07-07-2002, 05:20 PM

What does he mean it turns off? Like the 4WS steering light turns on? Cause my doesn't do that and the 4WS is not expensive to maintance... hell, you don't have to maintance anything...

But it should stay on even at higher speed, it just won't turn as much... for safety reason...

But if there's something wrong with a sensor or etc. then it'll cost some money to get that fixed...

suger · 07-07-2002, 07:28 PM

he just said that the 4WS shuts down once you go over 34-50 mph.

PDUNZ · 07-07-2002, 11:38 PM

No, it's always active. Lower speed turns in the opposite way for say parking, and only turns a fraction in the same direction at higher speeds like Nissans HiCAS - for high speed manouvering.

If something goes wrong with a sensor or something else, the light will come on and stay on and for safety it will revert to 2WS (the rear wheels will be locked in the stright ahead position).

3rd Gen 4WS were mechanical. I didnt have any problems with it. The 4th Gen is electronic so there are more things to go wrong and if they do, it may cost a little but it might cost a lot. ($100 or $1000+)..

AuSSI · 07-07-2002, 11:56 PM

4WS stays active always, unless the 4WS light comes on, in which case the rear wheels lock straight ahead & your car then steers like any conventional front wheel drive.

TheRedPrelude · 07-08-2002, 12:14 AM

I wasn't aware that 4ws even existed past 1992, i have a 92 Si w/4WS, the rear tires turn the same way your front tires turn to help cut the turning radius and at higher speed, i.e. long, wide turn, help you turn better, improving ur handling

Z · 07-08-2002, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheRedPrelude
I wasn't aware that 4ws even existed past 1992, i have a 92 Si w/4WS, the rear tires turn the same way your front tires turn to help cut the turning radius and at higher speed, i.e. long, wide turn, help you turn better, improving ur handling

4WS was available in the states until 94 but only under the Si trim (h23a motor). Its not true that the rear wheels always turn the same as the front. During lower speed it'll turn the opposite direction and at higher speed cut in the same direction as the front wheel. Note that the 4WS found on the 4th gen is electronically controled and depends on steering responds and speed responds...