Car suddenly pulling to right and left

[braakakah@hotmail.com]

Yesterday I noticed something strange when driving my car, it's suddenly started to pull to the right or the left at random, and it's pretty severe at times. I can let go of the wheel, and if I let it go for more than a few seconds, the car will actually start to veer sharply to one side or the other, and I'll have to pull it back. It comes and goes, but it also changes direction at random, pulling to one side and then the other. I also have to keep noticeable pressure on the steering wheel to keep it straight from the direction it wants to pull from. Like I said before, it doesn't do it all the time, it seems to come and go, and just started yesterday.

All of my front end suspension components are new last summer, minus the shocks and springs, but I replaced the control arms, tie rods, tie rod ends, front upper strut mounts, and installed M3 offset cabs. I had it aligned at a really good shop very shortly afterward, and everything felt fine until yesterday. The car wasn't driven at all over the winter, but I've been driving it quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. What could be causing this? I was thinking maybe it was the slightly higher offset wheels, but it wasn't doing this before. I have noticed that at full lock, like when backing out of parking spaces or whatever, the tire rubs something, but it just sounds like the inner fender liner.

I have same issue and I solved by changing brakes oil. I think brakes oil contains moisture and when I drive the brakes oil boiles on one side and applies brake on one side. So, the car turns to one side.
If you see this information is useful please don't hesitate to thank me with some money. I will drop my number so you may ask for my bank account 😜. +971556127249

[gasgasrider]

I have seen this on two of the four cars I've lowered, it's like the springs are keeping the steering from centering again. Coming out of a parking lot speed hard left turn it pulls left, same for right, and after a while of driving straight all is good again... However in both cases they were fine before changing the springs, one was stock and the other was already lowered on worn out Bav Auto units. Has anyone tried changing the strut bearings? I can't afford to just throw parts at them, one is my son's and the other my unemployed friends... Help please.

[nickelndime]

Car suddenly pulling to right and left

my 325 started doing this a week ago.i have no clue what it is.

[Mike]

I've got the same problem with an e46, I'm thinking either struts or rack.....

[bimmerfever]

I have the same problem. its not "play" in the steering but more of the steering letting the wheels steer the car vs. me steering it. if i let go of the steering wheel for a couple of seconds while going down the road ( doesn matter how fast) the steering wheel looks like it is on auto-pilot as it moves slightly back and forth. i have to make sure i keep a good hand on it now... before i lowered it I could steer with two fingers no problems... i was wondering if you can adjust the stiffness of the R&P??? that would help a lot i think... any word from the orginal poster if he found the issue???

[jeff_b]

It sounds like it could also be either (or both) front brake calipers hanging up intermittently . My wife's '98 E36 had a front left hanging up, causing a large temperature increase of the disk as the car was driven. That car was damn near uncontrollable (at low speeds) after about five minutes of driving. This was within a few weeks of a new control arm, steering rack, tie rods, etc. I was losing my mind! I took it apart and inspected the caliper, it had developed heavy rust at the 12:00 position (maybe an air gap which allowed moisture to accumulate??) within the brake cylinder. After a lot of hard sanding/honing, I finally got the piston to travel freely. Put it all back together, and haven't had a problem since. In regards to wheel bearings, my 91 E30 had a couple of them go bad this summer at the 199,600 mile point. My car didn't suffer from any wandering, however it sounded like a propeller-driven aircraft winding up as the car's speed increased. In other words, I think you'd hear a wheel bearing failure way before it started hunting around due to internal slop. If it was installed improperly and loosened up, that's another story. I'd like to hear how the OP made out....

[aproy]

DId you include all the washers a and little pieces in the assembly? I made a thread after having problems just like yours and someone posted a diagram which helped me out a lot.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=131267

when i lowered my car, a friend did his as well, same time, same place. his car made the same noises as mine... he had his fixed the same way you are explaining and i didnt believe it so i never checked mine...

guess ill have to check it out huh?

[aproy]

I have been dealing with this ever since I dropped my car...in my case yes my rack was shot but that wasn't the cause. it was not doing it before the new springs. when I make full left turns I here the spring move in the left strut and then the car wants to pull to the left, it will do it slightly to the right as well but not so prominent. I installed a 95 m3 rack thinking that would do the trick but other than having great response it still exibits the same traits...so again not the rack...what seems to be the culprit is a bad strut bearing, so I'm waiting to get mine in from bavauto and then we will see.

exactly when mine started acting funny... and the same kind of funny you are saying.

[87e30]

I have been dealing with this ever since I dropped my car...in my case yes my rack was shot but that wasn't the cause. it was not doing it before the new springs. when I make full left turns I here the spring move in the left strut and then the car wants to pull to the left, it will do it slightly to the right as well but not so prominent. I installed a 95 m3 rack thinking that would do the trick but other than having great response it still exibits the same traits...so again not the rack...what seems to be the culprit is a bad strut bearing, so I'm waiting to get mine in from bavauto and then we will see.

DId you include all the washers a and little pieces in the assembly? I made a thread after having problems just like yours and someone posted a diagram which helped me out a lot.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=131267

[retardotyler]

i had a wandering problem

[pilotskillse30]

I have been dealing with this ever since I dropped my car...in my case yes my rack was shot but that wasn't the cause. it was not doing it before the new springs. when I make full left turns I here the spring move in the left strut and then the car wants to pull to the left, it will do it slightly to the right as well but not so prominent. I installed a 95 m3 rack thinking that would do the trick but other than having great response it still exibits the same traits...so again not the rack...what seems to be the culprit is a bad strut bearing, so I'm waiting to get mine in from bavauto and then we will see.

[kronus]

Mine does this, and I suspect the ABS unit, as it really only happens to me during braking on sideways inclines.

[etxxz]

damm...found a thread.

I was doing my brakes yesterday and checked the car while on jackstands.

When the engine is off the rack doesnt turn smoothly from lock to lock like butter like it did before. This suggests that either crap is on the steering shaft U-joints or the rack itself is bad.

Does your wheel center properly when you are turning out of a turn, parking etc? Mine does ex for the center 90degrees (45degrees from center in either direction). It also does the right to left randomness but very minor.

I tried lubricating, nothing, joints seem very loaded with crap. I might have to stick a pressure cleaner on it.

does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

[aproy]

so its been a year...

did you figure it out? im having the same issue right now... just about exactly the same

[Jand3rson]

Damn Andy, that's a good call. I never even thought of that. I'll check them first thing today.

But the other day when I had it up in the air, I tried shaking each of the front wheels all around, and they didn't move around at all.