Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left?

loneagl09 · 27th May 2023, 16:23

I've read about this issue in disturbingly high cars, across all brands and across the years. To respected members on this forum I ask - what can be the reason? Is it just the road camber? Something else to do with chassis? Here's a few pictures from this forum itself -

Jaggu · 27th May 2023, 17:14

It should not ideally but road camber is one of the most obvious reasons that comes to mind as you pointed out. Indian road always have some kind of slant for water drainage or maybe safety aspect and cars with more direct steering assisted by electric power steering may have tendency to exaggerate the feeling that one get while driving.

Only way to check it to find that straight and flat stretch and drive.

Sometimes surface also matters, since most of the wider roads are asphalted not in one single line but as parallel multiple lines. The fine difference in consistency can also create such issues. Something I have noticed.

zeng · 27th May 2023, 20:14

It is not about road cambers.

Why is that so?

Because pulling left phenomenon (on roads built in commonwealth countries) are not overwhelmingly dominant and prevalent vs the scenario of those pullling right.

Imho, it's about chassis geometry aka wheel alignment details.

My hunch is the phenomenon of vehicle pulling/drifting to one side (be it to left OR right) is more prevalent among vehicles (including brand new units from respective oem factories) without the capacity for camber and caster adjustability.

Guna · 27th May 2023, 23:18

Road slope is the like cause. I have experienced it on some cars. If the pulling happens under heavy acceleration, it could be torque steer.

dhanushs · 27th May 2023, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeng

..

Imho, it's about chassis geometry ...

You mean to say an OEM designs a chassis to have its wheels pulling to a side?

Would appreciate if you can elaborate.. I personally think there are numerous reasons for this to happen.

apocalypse · 28th May 2023, 10:15

This issue drove me nuts on my Corolla Altis. Perhaps it was happening for a while, but it came to my notice after installing brand new tyres and getting wheel alignment / balancing done. I got the alignment double checked because I was on good terms with the shop.

I called my go-to expert at Motorheads ECR Chennai and asked her - she said it's the road.

This is what I did to validate:

Found an isolated stretch of private road near my house - no divider, no thoroughfare.

Drove the car forwards - I found it pulling to the left. Drove it backwards on the same stretch in the wrong way

And voila! The wheel pulled to the right this time! Then when I drove on the left half of the road, it again pulled to the left.

It made me feel better that my Corolla Altis is straight, not pulling to either side. I'm also able to see that on flat roads, like some highways, it pulls straight.

Hope this helps someone who is facing the same due to road camber alleviate their concern.

loneagl09 · 28th May 2023, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by apocalypse

This issue drove me nuts on my Corolla Altis.
=======
Hope this helps someone who is facing the same due to road camber alleviate their concern.

This is a really good way to validate. I too had this 'issue' with my Harrier. On two occasions TASS corrected it, and both times I've no confirmed method to check if there really was an issue, and if there was did it get corrected. So thank you for this.

attinder · 28th May 2023, 11:00

All my cars ( and 2wheelers ) has/had a left pull. I have to keep some pressure on the steering with my right hand, on long drives I get right shoulder discomfort.

zeng · 28th May 2023, 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhanushs

You mean to say an OEM designs a chassis to have its wheels pulling to a side?

No, no no....

Same car, same driver and same locality:
After December 2021 wheel alignment, Maruti pulls to left.
After March 2022 alignment, same Maruti pulls to right, in a space of 3 months.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...20March%202022 (Everything about Wheel Alignment: Post your queries here)

Edit:
Originating post from said member dated 11 Dec 2021.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post5213374 (Everything about Wheel Alignment: Post your queries here)

Kosfactor · 28th May 2023, 13:38

There are several factors that may contribute to this problem in newer cars.

1. OEMs do not have the time to get the alignment just right rather than satisfactory from the factory, I know how difficult it is to get it just right certainly no factory can afford that effort or time. So why wasn't this a problem earlier ?

2. Tyres have changed. The profiles have become lower, not much side wall unlike how it was earlier. There are also tread patterns that are good at many things except that they do not wear well if the alignment is even slightly off , in other words tyres are very sensitive to alignment now.

3. Tyres widths have increased, a wider, lower profile tyres which has a tread pattern that is more traction / performance oriented will certainly tend to tramline.

In my opinion this is a possible solution, it worked for me atleast.

Take a new vehicle straight to the alignment shop, take the time to get it just right and do tyre rotations regularly as recommended.

sanjayrozario · 28th May 2023, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by loneagl09

This is a really good way to validate. I too had this 'issue' with my Harrier. On two occasions TASS corrected it, and both times I've no confirmed method to check if there really was an issue, and if there was did it get corrected. So thank you for this.

Had the same issue in my Harrier, but this was immediately after we got delivery of it. So we took it to the SC & they sorted it out.

sanjayrozario · 28th May 2023, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by loneagl09

I've read about this issue in disturbingly high cars, across all brands and across the years. To respected members on this forum I ask - what can be the reason? Is it just the road camber? Something else to do with chassis? Here's a few pictures from this forum itself -

Facing the same recurring issue with my current Slavia. SC says all's well, but there's an issue for sure.

Govardhansupra · 28th May 2023, 17:18

I have the same issue on my Fiesta, but not to this extent I guess. I'll give the car for alignment and report back here.

Why I replied on this thread before aligning the car is because, like someone said earlier, I have to apply a constant pressure to the right clip-on handlebar or my R15 to keep it going straight. I realigned my forks by the old-school method of slackening the bottom pinch bolt (apologies if I've used the wrong term) of the triple tree and shaking the motorcycle up and down so that it realigns itself. But somehow I still feel the need to push the handles with my right hand. My right wrist hurt when I ride around town.

dsr001 · 28th May 2023, 19:25

Anyone tried air pressure adjustment? I found it partly useful

AppyS · 28th May 2023, 22:47

Similar issue on my i20, after fitting tpms asked for balancing and alignment as car pulled slightly right earlier and now it pulled left. Realigned twice again but still I feel it pulls to the left.Given up on it now.

27th May 2023, 16:23	#1
loneagl09 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Satara Posts: 47 Thanked: 144 Times	Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? I've read about this issue in disturbingly high cars, across all brands and across the years. To respected members on this forum I ask - what can be the reason? Is it just the road camber? Something else to do with chassis? Here's a few pictures from this forum itself - Attached Thumbnails
	(13) Thanks

27th May 2023, 17:14	#2
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,381 Thanked: 17,286 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? It should not ideally but road camber is one of the most obvious reasons that comes to mind as you pointed out. Indian road always have some kind of slant for water drainage or maybe safety aspect and cars with more direct steering assisted by electric power steering may have tendency to exaggerate the feeling that one get while driving. Only way to check it to find that straight and flat stretch and drive. Sometimes surface also matters, since most of the wider roads are asphalted not in one single line but as parallel multiple lines. The fine difference in consistency can also create such issues. Something I have noticed.
	(15) Thanks

27th May 2023, 20:14	#3
zeng BHPian Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 180 Thanked: 107 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? It is not about road cambers. Why is that so? Because pulling left phenomenon (on roads built in commonwealth countries) are not overwhelmingly dominant and prevalent vs the scenario of those pullling right. Imho, it's about chassis geometry aka wheel alignment details. My hunch is the phenomenon of vehicle pulling/drifting to one side (be it to left OR right) is more prevalent among vehicles (including brand new units from respective oem factories) without the capacity for camber and caster adjustability. Last edited by zeng : 27th May 2023 at 20:20.
	(3) Thanks

27th May 2023, 23:18	#4
Guna Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,182 Thanked: 4,620 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? Road slope is the like cause. I have experienced it on some cars. If the pulling happens under heavy acceleration, it could be torque steer.
	(1) Thanks

28th May 2023, 10:15	#6
apocalypse BHPian Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Pune/Chennai Posts: 25 Thanked: 321 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? This issue drove me nuts on my Corolla Altis. Perhaps it was happening for a while, but it came to my notice after installing brand new tyres and getting wheel alignment / balancing done. I got the alignment double checked because I was on good terms with the shop. I called my go-to expert at Motorheads ECR Chennai and asked her - she said it's the road. This is what I did to validate: Found an isolated stretch of private road near my house - no divider, no thoroughfare. Drove the car forwards - I found it pulling to the left. Drove it backwards on the same stretch in the wrong way And voila! The wheel pulled to the right this time! Then when I drove on the left half of the road, it again pulled to the left. It made me feel better that my Corolla Altis is straight, not pulling to either side. I'm also able to see that on flat roads, like some highways, it pulls straight. Hope this helps someone who is facing the same due to road camber alleviate their concern.
	(20) Thanks

28th May 2023, 11:00	#8
attinder BHPian Join Date: May 2022 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 179 Thanked: 328 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? All my cars ( and 2wheelers ) has/had a left pull. I have to keep some pressure on the steering with my right hand, on long drives I get right shoulder discomfort.
	() Thanks

28th May 2023, 13:38	#10
Kosfactor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: COK\BLR\MYS Posts: 3,856 Thanked: 11,203 Times	re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? There are several factors that may contribute to this problem in newer cars. 1. OEMs do not have the time to get the alignment just right rather than satisfactory from the factory, I know how difficult it is to get it just right certainly no factory can afford that effort or time. So why wasn't this a problem earlier ? 2. Tyres have changed. The profiles have become lower, not much side wall unlike how it was earlier. There are also tread patterns that are good at many things except that they do not wear well if the alignment is even slightly off , in other words tyres are very sensitive to alignment now. 3. Tyres widths have increased, a wider, lower profile tyres which has a tread pattern that is more traction / performance oriented will certainly tend to tramline. In my opinion this is a possible solution, it worked for me atleast. Take a new vehicle straight to the alignment shop, take the time to get it just right and do tyre rotations regularly as recommended.
	(4) Thanks

28th May 2023, 17:18	#13
Govardhansupra BHPian Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Thrissur Posts: 130 Thanked: 294 Times	Re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? I have the same issue on my Fiesta, but not to this extent I guess. I'll give the car for alignment and report back here. Why I replied on this thread before aligning the car is because, like someone said earlier, I have to apply a constant pressure to the right clip-on handlebar or my R15 to keep it going straight. I realigned my forks by the old-school method of slackening the bottom pinch bolt (apologies if I've used the wrong term) of the triple tree and shaking the motorcycle up and down so that it realigns itself. But somehow I still feel the need to push the handles with my right hand. My right wrist hurt when I ride around town.
	() Thanks

28th May 2023, 19:25	#14
dsr001 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 154 Thanked: 208 Times	Re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? Anyone tried air pressure adjustment? I found it partly useful Last edited by dsr001 : 28th May 2023 at 19:34.
	(1) Thanks

28th May 2023, 22:47	#15
AppyS BHPian Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 92 Thanked: 110 Times	Re: Why do car steering wheels tilt / pull to the left? Similar issue on my i20, after fitting tpms asked for balancing and alignment as car pulled slightly right earlier and now it pulled left. Realigned twice again but still I feel it pulls to the left.Given up on it now.
	() Thanks