floating steering

[Dragrad]

Thread moved to appropriate forum. Re-direct left in old.

[markwolves]

Originally Posted by billcoleman

I am not sure if this is the same issue, but my car has developed a strange floating/drifting habit.

I have had the car since new, so I know that it is not as it should be. The car has always handled very well, but now there is that slightly rubbery feeling that takes the confidence out of cornering and causes a bit of drift if you are braking heavily.

There are absolutely no knocks or bumps from the steering or suspension.

So far I have replaced the steering rack (with brand new) and steering column (brand new), checked all the joints for wear, fitted poly-bushes, had 4-wheel alignment checked and replaced the tyres (went back to Continentals). A couple of years ago I had to replace the front struts, so the upper bearings are fairly new.

Each of the replacements made a tiny improvement, but the biggest improvement was to replace the tyres as it eliminated a very aggressive torque-steer (especially when you were overtaking).

The MOT station could not find any issues either.

I think that the only thing left is to replace the sub frame bushes.

By the way - it is still a very nice car to drive!

I had a tourer a few years ago a 52 plate one and it never went wrong and drove solid and straight..wish I had never sold it now..just hoping this can be recified cos its ery off putting when u hit a small bump and the car just wanders off to the right and it feels like the rear wheels have skidded underneath

[SirRustalot]

If it's not worn or broken parts, it's usually the four-wheel alignment. My Tourer was solid on the road but, after I changed the suspension, it was scary on the motorway and handled like a drugged puppy on a lead. To be fair, this particular (short) journey was taking the car to the re-aligners so no biggie but it was pretty frightening, nonetheless.

Afterwards, it transformed the car back to the usual expected roadholding standards.

[markwolves]

Originally Posted by clf

Check for a broken spring. Normally steering issues are caused by worn steering components (bushes track rods etc.) But on our cars, broken springs are quite common. I had the same symptoms on an old Passat. It would slide quite suddenly on the wet, quite scary at times, I knew the shocks were heavily worn, but I didnt know a spring had snapped too!

I have noticed after driving a few days that it seems the initial problem which is causing the car to "float" seems to be happening when the rear passenger side wheel hits a bump or hole..there I also a slight knocking sound when this happens..could this be the cause

[klarzy]

did you check the springs and damper on the front OS... it is sounding more likely...

[clf]

Originally Posted by markwolves

I have noticed after driving a few days that it seems the initial problem which is causing the car to "float" seems to be happening when the rear passenger side wheel hits a bump or hole..there I also a slight knocking sound when this happens..could this be the cause

It could be, yes. Mine was rear passenger side too. Part of my commute, involved coming down a hill, turning left just as the car would ride over a manhole cover. Wet or dry the tail would slide out.

On a motorway with slight undulations, the car would wander above 50. I dont know if the broken spring caused that or shocks, though I would have said shocks, they really did cause the car to rebound a lot when pushed down.

Broken spring is easy to check in most cases. Take wheel off the jacked up car and simply look and gentle pull on the spring to feel for movement