Answers

• madmanmoo 12/31/07 11:47 am PST

  Edit Answer (for another 12 minutes) Your friend got it right. The engines power is pulling your steering. The only way to eliminate this is to not stomp on the accelerator so hard or trade-in for a new vehicle! (0)(2) Report It

• aznraptor 01/10/08 2:49 am PST

  Edit Answer (for another 15 minutes) Torque steer is when a transversly mounted engine *side ways* particularly front wheel drive vehicles steer to a certain direction. It's caused by the engine making too much power. Since one side will always be more efficient at putting power from the engine down to the ground, that side will accelerate faster than the other side, leading to torque steer. In general, the only way you could fix it would be to be less aggressive with the throttle. You can help alleviate some of the symptoms with aftermarket suspension pieces, better tires, and probably performance driveshafts. But that's expensive so for the Average driver: just dont be so aggressive, or get ready and fight the wheel when you stomp on the gas (0)(2) Report It

• actualsize 03/26/08 12:02 am PST

  Edit Answer (for another -33 minute) Torque steer in front wheel drive vehicles is mainly due to the offset of the transmission to one side. The drive axles are unequal in length, so one will twist more than the other, resulting in a delay or lag the side with the longer axle. More power (torque, actually) applied more quickly results in more of a problem. Automakers have multiple solutions for this. One is to increase the diameter of the longer axle, so that its angle of twist equals the other side. But the two are only equal at one level of torque. Very high stompage on the pedal will still result in an imbalance. Another is to put an inflexible intermediate shaft from the transmission output on the long side to a fixed "pillow block," positioned on the opposite side so that both drive axles are the same length. This eats up space and costs money, so you won't see it in low-priced cars, but it enables a lot more torque to be applied The third is more subtle, and hard to execute. But if the transmission output axis is substantially higher than the hub centerline, torque steer is worsened. The only cure here is to lower the transmission output flanges, but this isn't always possible. You can't make any of these mods yourself. Whatever the designers did or did not put in your car is what you've got. But you can look under the hood of any new FWD vehicle you might be considering for purchase to see what's up. Meanwhile, don't stomp too hard on the pedal. (4)(0) Report It

• cramton80 04/07/08 2:19 pm PST

  Edit Answer (for another -16 minute) this is more apparent if front wheel drive cars because the power is put upfront and pulls the cars steering. the fix can only be eliminated when the car is manufactured. the only way to somewhat remedy it is with dampers. costly and does not get rid of it completely. best thing to do is when test driving a car pull out onto a street and if you feel like you have to hold onto the steering wheel for dear life and force it to not go out of contol do not buy this car as a sports car for racing. (0)(2) Report It

• vsisco 08/10/08 8:01 pm PST

  Edit Answer (for another -34 minute) torque steer is common on front wheel drive as to when you acelerate the car takes off to the right no big deal just stay off the gas (0)(2) Report It

• auto102 10/04/08 5:50 am PST

  Edit Answer (for another -44 minute) First what year is your car? secound when was the last time it had a alinment? might want to start with that first.Older cars that first had front weel drive had a big problem with this but they fixed it.They did this by making both shafts the same lenth. how is the tire ware? does the right side wear faster then the left. is it the inside of the outside.like i said before u go and spend a ton of $$$$ u might want to look at your tires first then have it alingh, (0)(0) Report It

• alvafang 09/27/11 6:09 am PST

  Edit Answer (for another -26 minute) Torque steer is a condition in which the vehicle pulls to one side or the other under acceleration. Technically, torque steer is a result of a mechanical condition, typically an inequality between the left and right drive mechanism, wheels or tires. Automotive engineers have all but eradicated inherent torque steer in new front-drive vehicles by employing equal-length drive axles, or “half-shafts,” on each side, and other measures. Right or wrong, nowadays the term torque steer is used to describe virtually any disturbance — such as straying from straight-line progress or tugging in the steering wheel — resulting from the front pair of wheels being asked both to power and steer the vehicle. Typically this is caused by a loss of traction by either front wheel, whether it’s due to slippery conditions or an overenthusiastic accelerator foot. True, mechanically induced torque steer may have been minimized, but the simple loss of traction in powered front wheels seems inevitable. If the car has any torque to speak of, it will cause the tires to lose their grip under heavy acceleration or turns, especially in low-traction situations. This is precisely why few front-wheel-drive vehicles are considered true sports cars. Front-wheel drive is often lauded for its improved traction, but that is more about clawing through snow or wet roads at low speed. Here, having the engine’s weight over the drive wheels is advantageous. When a vehicle accelerates hard, however, much of its weight shifts to the back over the rear wheels. This benefits rear-wheel-drive cars and disadvantages those with front-wheel drive. It’s a paradox: The more power an engine has to lurch forward, the more it’s lifting weight off the front wheels. (0)(0) Report It

• mrhatneb 01/19/12 12:14 pm PST

  Edit Answer (for another -21 minute) This is a common issue especially in Grand Prix's. They do have a lot of power for the size of car, and being front wheel drive they also put a lot wider tires on them then they should probably have. The wide tires does not help with the torque steer as they will try to ride up on the 'high spots' in the road. The main issue is the 'open' differential that is part of the final drive of the transmission. Many rear wheel drive vehicles have this same issue, if you think about seeing someone do a 'one wheel wonder' burnout in an old car or pickup...that is because they have a standard or 'open' differential. If you put a limited slip or a locking differential in the axle or transaxle in this case. It would distribute the power evenly to the axles/wheels, in turn causing less reaction in the steering when you accelerate. I used to race my GP and had installed a limited slip differential in it. However I had a lot of money and horsepower wraped up in it...so your best bet is to ensure you have quality tires, ifnlated properly, and try to drive on good roads; and just be ready for it when you stand on it! Rocky (0)(0) Report It