That's been my experience. The new steering rack made the steering better all around, not simply just getting rid of the sticky issue.
For the money, it's an absolutely fantastic car. Handles well, comfortable, fuel efficient, and has a killer stereo. My commute to work takes me down some...
Always sad to see someone move on due to a quality issue, but I understand. I had my last car 9 months before I unloaded it.
Luckily my Integra has been flawless other than the steering issue which has been fixed. At 6’5” the car has plenty of room for me and the seats are great. Much better...
The steering rack part number has changed so I assume all units built since the change have used the new part. Don’t let the issue scare you away. It’s really more of an annoyance that there is a know fix for.
My dealer was aware of the issue when I asked about it. The problem was parts availability.
Now that the rack has been replaced, the car is an absolute delight. Great steering feel.
Mine wasn’t a safety issue as it was just a “glitch” in the rack. Everything was still functional. But I get what you’re saying. The NHTSA has had a few crashes attributed to the issue.