Car steers harder to the right

21070 Views 180 Replies 18 Participants Last post by JaySin, Dec 17, 2019

ProZach626

Discussion Starter · Mar 20, 2017 (Edited)

Ever since I've had this car, I've always felt like the steering has been off. I've also had some drifting issues corrected by the dealership. The first reported issue, under 4k miles, was fixed with an alignment. The 2nd issue was a tire pressure issue that made me feel idiotic for taking the car into the dealership, around 10k miles. I 'thought' I had checked the tire PSI. Even when the issues were 'fixed,' something still always felt off with the wheel and I feel like I make constant adjustments when I drive.

It wasn't until over the winter time that I realized exactly what the car is doing. When I turn the wheel to the right, while moving, the wheel is noticeably more resistant when I turn to the left. This is especially noticeable during long sweeping daily driving turns. It really feels like the car doesn't want to turn right, but it will turn left very easily. This feel is slightly more heightened now with my RCE yellow springs and 265 tires.

I'd love to take it into Subaru, but I have a strong feeling they're going to tell me two things:
1) We don't notice it. (the usual answer)
2) It's because of your aftermarket spring/tire/wheel setup (which has been on for less than a month)

I held out on taking the car to the dealership again prior to the spring installation, because I thought a professional alignment from a good alignment shop would fix it, but it did not. I told the shop about the issue and they said they couldn't see anything wrong with the suspension, but I'm not too sure how hard they looked. I'm looking for anyone who has any ideas of what might be causing this problem or how to go about getting this taken care of? I am aware that fixing this may come out of my pocket, due to the aforementioned mods.

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XJman

· #2 · Mar 20, 2017

Does it change at all when you are on a different part of the road? Many roads are not flat but arc shaped to shed water to the outside of the road. Who did you have do the alignment? I had mine done at a performance shop and it's straight as an arrow as long as I'm on something flat.

If something was bent it would likely cause the same issue left or right.

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ChristopherWRX

· #3 · Mar 20, 2017

Nothing helpful to contribute other than a bump, but I've notice something similar in my 2016 WRX. I don't necessarily notice it being more difficult to turn left or right, but I do notice that I constantly have to correct the heading of the car. Most of the time it tends to pull towards the middle of the road (left) which is the opposite of the theory by XJman.

Was going to get an alignment done. Probably still will, but disappointing to read that may not solve the problem.

Anyway, good luck!

nsibanez

· #4 · Mar 21, 2017

I remember you talking about this a while back. Pretty sure I thought it could be because of the crown on the roads but it was more severe pulling than that?

ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 21, 2017

Even when the crown of the roads are sloping to the right it still has more resistance when turning right. Also, the car drives completely straight, but I can feel more tension when I pull the steering wheel to the right, making natural crown of the road corrections more noticeable.

rqjoe

· #6 · Mar 21, 2017 (Edited)

I might put the car up on blocks/jack stands and try turning the wheel each way stationary to see if it feels different. To me that would indicate something in the hydraulic PS unit..........

McBill

· #7 · Mar 21, 2017

rqjoe said:
I might put the car up on blocks/jack stands and try turning the wheel each way stationary to see if it feels different. To me that would indicate something in the electric PS unit..........

2015+ STI retains the hydraulic power steering system of the previous generation, unlike the 2015+ WRX's new electronic power steering unit.

nsibanez

· #8 · Mar 21, 2017

I can only guess. This has been an issue for some time with it at this point hasn't it?
I'm wondering if the P/S system is blocked somewhere

ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 26, 2017

I put the car on level ground the other day and turned the wheel lock to lock. I felt no distinct difference in resistance from right to left. No popping, binding, etc. I feel that the issue is much more prominent during any kind of acceleration. The issue seems to go away when my foot is off of the gas pedal.

XJman

· #10 · Mar 26, 2017

I'm leaning more and more to something odd in a cv joint or the lsd

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McBill

· #11 · Mar 27, 2017

I think this is the design of the car. I've noticed that when I'm taking a slow sweeping turn in either direction that when I am accelerating, no matter the severity, the car jolts a little towards steering in more severly without my changing the position of the steering wheel. Similarly, when I'm decelerating through any sweeping turn and give the car a little gas it seems to pull outside under acceleration without having moved the position of the steering wheel. It's kinda hard to explain, but my only theory is that this is just the the front wheels naturally trying to straighten out when under power. Is this similar to what you are experiencing?

rqjoe

· #12 · Mar 27, 2017

I think he is saying it is doing something different turning right vs. left. That would indicate a problem. OP does it do this in all 3 VDC modes (normal, traction, off)?? I'd see if that made any difference.

ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 11, 2017

***Update***

I took the car to the dealership last week. The relief was when the tech felt the problem. The dealership gave me another alignment, but I had to pay for it this time. Despite just recently having it aligned, it was pretty far out of spec. They gave me the car back after keeping it half the day, but the wheel is still more resistant when turning to the right. I'm going to make another appointment.

XJman

· #14 · Apr 11, 2017

I'm wondering if something is wonky in the power steering.

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ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 12, 2017

The steering has never felt right on this car. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a steering rack issue.

XJman

· #16 · Apr 12, 2017

To recap. Sitting flat it's good, rolling it's a problem. It doesn't pull either way and tracks straight.

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ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 13, 2017

At highway speeds it will pull slightly left IF the crown of the road slants left, but it never pulls right, regardless of the crown. Other than that, everything you said is correct.

XJman

· #18 · Apr 13, 2017

If you are able find the flattest ground you can find and measure each wheel from the ground to a fixed point like the rim or center cap. Also if you have a tread depth gauge measure across the tread on all the tires and make sure they match side to side. We may be too busy thinking front end and it could likely be a rear end problem as well.

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ProZach626

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 14, 2017

I'll try the height measurement when I get time. As far as the tread depth goes, the same symptoms have been on my stock Dunlop summers, my falken eurowinters, and my pilot super sports.

rqjoe

· #20 · Apr 14, 2017

What about a bad motor mount? Does it pull left when on the gas on a flat road in a straight line?

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