Gen 4 has weird steering issue....Shifting into 3rd wheels & steering wheel separate?

[redgtxdi]

So this is kinda weird. This all started back when I had this thread....

Anybody else's Gen 4 steer by itself????

Car will turn hard left (again, like wheels make their own turn apart from steering wheel) if you go about 1 full turn of the wheel to the left. It exhibits no such thing to the right & while you're driving straight, tipping left or right, the steering response is just fine.

NOW.........I couldn't tell if it was 35mph or shifting into 3rd, but I think it's shifting into 3rd (2.2L auto) that exhibits the car steering itself. Either immediately before/after/during the shift to 3rd, the front wheels turn one way or another. You can tell because you instinctively correct in the steering wheel.

Any idea what that might be?? (Yes, I realize this is a year old problem now & I'll address the mechanic but 2 mechanics haven't figured it out & just keep flushing steering fluid over & over so I want to argue more intelligently)

TIA!!!!!

[xpeed]

Don't quite understand what you mean, but I'm also having some steering problems as well. It's whenever I turn right or go at a right curve that my steering would suddenly get "loose" as in it feels like the wheel corrected itself, and then it'll get caught and continue on steering like nothing happened. That is why I feel so paranoid whenever there's a car next to me while I'm at such situations. I might have to get my steering wheel aligned and tightened as it might be loose. That or I might need a new steering knuckle or new bushings, or new tie rods or probably repair my rack and pinion all together, in which I don't have the money to fix it.

[redgtxdi]

Yes, that is quite similar to what I'm experiencing when I turn left and perhaps same problem, but here's how I describe mine......

When approaching a good bend in the road where I'll stay at speed but turn more than just "slightly", I begin turning the wheel to the left. After about half a turn the car will just dart left and I haven't moved the steering wheel any more, there's just a point at which it feels like there's lash between my input at the steering wheel and the tires themselves.

In that other thread, it was suggested the prob may be a rear trailing arm bushing but since then this other problem has developed where every time, accelerating from a stop when you get to 3rd gear the steering does this "auto adjust" and makes you correct at the wheel for a split second, then it's fine after that. No clue what it is as all checks out tight but I'm definitely gonna find out.

[dorifuto.boi]

does it happen on the highway when ur going straight ? (swaying back and forth)

if yes, could be your strut upper mounts.

if not, could be your steering rack bushings maybe ? bushings in lower front or rear arms like someone said. when it shifts, the engine probably jerks ?

you just gotta go under the car and see if anything is loose and see if anything (with bushings) has way too much play

[redgtxdi]

Thanks for the input!! I forgot to come back to this thread to check answers, but I agree, it could be a number of things.

I think "xspeed" and I are having the EXACT same problem which is actually good news to me. It sounds like something's just wearing. My mother has a '99 and her steering is still rock solid. I got a chance to drive hers the other day & it was like......."Aaaahhh".

Anyway, I'd hope no on the struts as they're only 2 years old. (I did Monroe Quickstrut assemblies so everything's new top to bottom).

I've tugged pulled & wrestled with every other part under there, so I think I need a good grey-haired mechanic who has more experience than me to chase it down. If it's a new rack or some lower trans/engine mount or axles, I'd have them do it anyway.

Hopefully I'll get it to somebody good this weekend & I'll report back.......for xspeed's sake if nothing else.

[redgtxdi]

Drum roll please..............................



ANSWER: Control Arm Bushings!!!!

The mechanic said the left was really bad but the right was not good either. So more than turning, it was probably "toeing" (my guess, not his) which is what caused the weird steering.

I think I was looking too hard at the tie rods/ends or steering rack or something else, I dunno. Whatever the case, I was oblivious to control arms.

The mechanic says he can do 2 bushing kits for those & install for around $300 so I told him to go ahead & do it. Funny how Big O (who specializes in tire/wheel alignment) didn't see that, eh?

Se la vi.