new bright rc steering problems

New Bright RC Steering Problems: Complete Troubleshoot Guide

I tried out using the New Bright RC Cars, and buggies- A new company that recently gained some hype. So I wanted to check out what the fuss was all about and for myself one. A cool-looking Heavy Metal FORD F-150.

I have to admit, it did manage to impress me at the start. But around a week of trying it out, my New Bright RC started having steering problems.

And I assume a bunch of you who decided to give it a shot are also having the same issue. So I decided to cover an entire piece dedicated to fixing the steering problems of New Bright RC.

Here’s how to fix New Bright RC steering problems:

New Bright RC steering problems mostly involve the servo which is responsible for the steering. Replacing the servo worked for me in most cases where steering is involved. Securing the servo trim and resetting the EPA can help you fix your New Bright RC steering too.

Simply replacing the servo might not be enough at times. And that’s why I’m inviting you to walk through this comprehensive troubleshooting guide.


Here’s a quick glance at what I’ll cover in this article. 

A Quick Glance at Troubleshooting the New Bright RC Steering

If you don’t have much time on your hand, worry not! I have listed the troubleshooting in the table below for you to get right to it. 

New Bright RC Steering ProblemsTroubleshooting
Throttle Works but not SteeringReplace the servo, Secure the servo connector, and Secure the links connecting the servo
Steering Sticks in Either DirectionReplace the servo horn, Secure the servo trim links
Tires Turning AutomaticallyReplace servo gears, Reset the EPA properly, and Replace the servo horn
Vehicle Moves by ItselfReplace the Transmitter, Go to an area without radio interference


Still here? Great! I have an extra something prepared for you aside from the details. Let’s get right into it. 

The Root of all Steering Problems: The Servo

Whenever the problem involves steering, the main culprit is usually the servo. That goes for the New Bright RC car as well. The worn-out servo gears, frayed servo wires, and faulty servo- all of these are reasons for steering problems.

An Image of New Bright Scorpion Buggy
Source: New Bright

So before even getting to the problems, I’d start by running a few checks:

  1. Servo-Servo horn compatibility: If you like building and upgrading your RC cars like me, check this first. If there’s an issue with your RC car steering servo setup, you have your answer right there. 

    Make sure the servo horn is compatible with your servo and is properly placed in the chassis. Otherwise, the steering will not work at all. 

  1. EPA Adjustment: EPA, in other words, End Point Adjustment, is another vital factor in steering. Because this radio setting helps your servo and steering control understand your commands.

    You need to properly ground your RC vehicle on the ground with wheels locked to adjust EPA. There is room for failures otherwise. 
  1. The Link Length: Every servo and steering rack are connected with links. The same goes for the steering rack and the wheels. Things can easily go wrong here.

    The signal between your servo and the steering rack depends on the links, as well as their lengths. Your steerings won’t function properly if they’re connected improperly or if their lengths don’t match.
  1. Decent Radio-Servo Connection: Let’s assume your servo is compatible and the radio is properly adjusted as well. Your steering can still fail in the absence of a good radio-servo connection. 


The method that worked for me is to switch the throttle connectors with the servo connectors. If your controls are switched after that, then it’s a-okay. 

Are you done checking them? If your problem still persists after checking these, the next segment might do the trick for you. 

The Complete Breakdown of The RC Steering Issues

I have already talked about how problematic the steering of the New Bright is. To go into further details, there are 4 major issues with the New Bright RC steering. They are-

  • Steering sticking in either direction. 
  • Throttle works, but not the steering. 
  • Vehicle moving on its own. 
  • Tires turn automatically.

Aside from the servo, problems in power and connection can cause steering problems for any RC vehicle.

An Image of New Bright RC Buggy
Source: Youtube

Furthermore, these four problems went unsolved in the case of New Bright. That’s primarily because of how less known the company is. So, here’s how to troubleshoot some of the more common New Bright RC steering problems.  

Throttle Works But Not Steering 

If you notice the throttle working but not the steering, I can safely leave the transmitter out of the equation. That’s because the throttle would not work in case something was wrong with that.

Loose servo connection, a damaged steering linkage, and a damaged servo – Any of these can cause steering problems when your throttle works fine.

So your RC throttle works but your steering doesn’t, here are the possible reasons in detail- 

  • Damaged Servo: If the gears or wires of the servo are damaged, that causes the steering to stop functioning completely.
  • Loose Servo Connection: if you’re wondering ‘why is my RC car not steering?’ it might be due to a loose servo connection. A loose servo connection disrupts the steering. But the throttle works fine because the throttle connection is unrelated to it. 
  • Damaged Steering Linkage: Damaged steering linkage is another reason why your steering doesn’t work when your throttle does. 
  • Improperly Charged Battery: Charging the battery improperly causes the steering to not work for the New Bright RC vehicles.


However, it can also point to the New Bright battery not charging. Which usually means a dead battery. That’s about it for these reasons. I’ll now talk about how you can fix the steering if your throttle works- 

  • Securing Servo Connectors: Firstly, take the RC vehicle apart and reconnect the wires securely. That did the trick for me most of the time. 
  • Securing the links between the servo and the steering rack: After securing the servo connectors, secure the links. That’s the next step.

    Re-connect the links between the servo and the steering rack securely. Then as an extra precaution, reconnect the steering rack with the wheels. 


This worked for me in the earlier stages when just securing the servo connectors didn’t work. 

  • Replacing the servo: If nothing else works, replace the servo. This is the final as well as the easiest solution. However, make sure you’re buying the right servo according to your New Bright RC.

    It’s best to get professional help with the replacement. The shop will do it for free if you buy a new servo from them.

    I can also help you pick the right servo for your New Bright to make it easier for you. This will fix your problem in most cases if not all.

    Let’s not dilly dally any further and move on to the next problem. 

Did you know that you can make your own DIY RC servo? It’s actually a very low-cost process and can be a handy tool!

Steering Sticks In Either Direction

Steering Sticks in either direction when there is something wrong with the servo horn or the servo trim links. Loose servo connection is the more uncommon reason for this issue. 

I was willing to give New Bright RC a shot after noticing the hype around it. The steering problems started to surface for me after only a few months of usage. 

Furthermore, the first issue I noticed was the steering sticking to the right. In my case, The RC steering servo was not returning to the center. Here’s why that happens- 

  • Damaged servo horn: A damaged servo horn leads to the steering sticking in either direction. It causes various other issues like wheels automatically turning as well.

    Servo comes with many levers or wheels, otherwise known as horns. These are usually damaged from dropping the RC vehicle or factory defects. That results in steering sticking to a direction. 
  • Servo trim link Issues: Damaged or loose servo trim link causes the steering to stick to either left or right. This was the issue in my case.

    The New Bright stock servo trim is especially fragile from the two RC vehicles I’ve bought from them. The buggy I’ve tested is respectively New Bright Beetle buggy and the car I’ve tested is the 64 Helmet Pack.
  • Loose Servo Connection: Loose servo connection comes to my mind first if my RC car isn’t turning. It is the reason behind servo problems 99% of the time. 

This problem is comparatively easier to deal with, here’s how you can- 

  • Securing the servo trim links: The first and easy solution is to secure the trim link. All you have to do is take your RC vehicle apart and re-connect the servo trim links. 
  • Replace the servo horn: Replacing the servo horn gets rid of this problem easily and it is comparatively hassle-free.

    You can get it replaced for free from the shop you’ll buy the servo horn from. If even this does not work, you can always replace the servo itself.

Well, that wraps it up for you if your steering is stuck in one direction. The next one is the issue you’ll most likely face if you have faced these two. 

Tires Turning Automatically

There are three reasons why your tire is turning on its own. A faulty steering servo is the first reason. An improperly set EPA also makes your tire turn automatically. Lastly, a damaged servo horn can also make your tires turn against your wishes.

All the steering issues, in the end, cause tires to turn automatically. But there are some specific reasons you need to look out for- 

  • Damaged servo gears: If the servo gears are worn out or damaged, then you might notice your wheels turning automatically. That aside, this also causes various other problems. 
  • Improperly adjusted EPA: If the End Point Adjustment is not done properly, the signals get messed up. That causes the tires to turn automatically. 
  • Damaged servo horn: As I’ve mentioned before, a damaged servo horn causes tires to turn automatically. 
  • The loose steering rack and wheel connection: Loose connection between the steering rack and wheel causes the wheels to turn. That too without turning the steering wheel. 

Now for the specific solutions for these specific reasons- 

  • Adjusting the EPA properly: Set your New Bright RC vehicle on the ground properly with the wheels locked. Adjust the EPA right after.

    Here’s a video explaining the steps, fortunately, all RC vehicles of Bright follow the same schematic.
  • Securing the steering rack-wheel connection: This is easy to overlook as well as easy to fix. All you gotta do is take off the shell and re-connect the steering rack and wheel. 
  • Replacing the servo gears: Replacing the servo component is more cost-efficient than replacing the entire servo.

    Just get a new servo gear and replace it with the damaged one. That will do the job. 


Time to move on to the last problem I’ve faced with New Bright RC vehicles. 

The RC Vehicle Moving By Itself

If the RC Vehicle starts moving by itself, it points to a bad connection with the transmitter. Another culprit behind the RC steering servo not responding is a faulty transmitter. 

First of all, don’t be scared if your New Bright RC moves by itself. It’s not a ghost. The seeming poltergeists in this case are- 

  • Signal interference: If you’re in an area with high signal interference, chances are that it causes your RC vehicle to move by itself. The steering is innocent of all charges, though it does refuse to listen to you. 
  • Faulty Transmitter: If your transmitter is faulty, it will send mixed signals to your RC. That will cause your throttling and steering to go out of control. 
An image of a High-end RC Transmitter
Source: RCGeeks

I’ll get to their solutions without wasting your time- 

  • Moving to a new area: Well, you could just move to a new area to avoid high interference. But really, this is impractical. So, you’re better off getting a better transmitter with higher specs.

    The DUMBORC X6 is a solid choice in my opinion. But Flysky FS-GT3B is another go-to for universal transmitters.
  • Replacing the transmitter: If it’s a faulty transmitter, you can easily just replace it and fix the issue effectively. 


That wraps up the troubleshooting segment. It’s finally time for the little bonus segment I promised you. You can find out more troubleshooting options for failing RC steering.

A Proper Care Guide for Your New Bright RC

New Bright RC vehicles cannot handle direct sunlight, hard collisions, or outdoor environments. That aside, keeping them clean is vital to prevent dust from getting in. 

A banner showing what not to do with your New Bright RC
Source: New Bright


Let’s get started with the maintenance guide now, shall we?

  • Environmental Hazards: In my own experience with the New Bright RC cars, none of them were good with outdoor environments. Water, dust, mud – the usual contaminants proved fatal for the components. 
  • Properly Cleaning: You should regularly wipe your RC with a clean, soft rag or cloth. Do not use anything rough that can damage it. Use a brush to clean the areas where dust can get trapped.

    Furthermore, do not use any sort of liquid or chemical while cleaning it. It will damage the components of your RC.
  • Turn off the RC after finishing with it: Do not leave your RC Car on after you’re done with it. It will damage the battery and motor. 

I’ll now ask some of the more frequently asked questions before calling it a day. 

FAQs

Are New Bright RC Cars Waterproof?

No, New Bright RC Cars are not waterproof. The components are not water-proofed and the body is not sealed properly. If water gets in, it will fry the components. 

How Fast Can a New Bright RC Car Go?

A New Bright RC Car can go up to 20mph without any prior modifications. Modifying the cheap car is ultimately inefficient as well since the speed gain is not much. 

How Long Does the Battery of a New Bright RC Car Last?

The battery of a New Bright RC Car lasts around 10-12 minutes depending on the usage. You definitely cannot use these on any races. 

Final Words

That does it! I hope the article helped you solve your New Bright RC steering problems.  My suggestion after using their RCs would be, that you’re better off getting RC from better companies like the Traxxas.

Did you decide to get an RC vehicle from New Bright anyways? Let me know in the comments below. Till next time!

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