If I understand the design, it'll disengage as soon as it feels any resistance - so it won't try to move the wheel against the direction it's being moved in or against the position at which it's being held. In that sense it's checking to see if it can re-engage, but it won't actively counter (i.e. "fight") what the pilot is doing with it.
Last edited by DozyWannabe; 21st Aug 2012 at 19:19.