Hey guys a new problem just arose, I'll be driving along and out of nowhere, my car pulls hard to the left, I park it for a couple minutes and everything is fine again, I just got my alignment done a couple weeks ago, could they have messed something up? Idk but it's scary when it happens almost like I'm about to loose my wheel, it's not my bearing like I originally thought, if I jack it up while I have it sitting, all my wheels are solid won't jiggle at all and I'm at a loss. If anyone has encountered this problem please help me out, this is my daily driver and I'm freaking out. Thank you 1996 Maxima SE

 

Is it doing this while braking or accelerating?

 

It's happened twice now. I'll just be driving, holding speed and all the sudden, bam left pull, seeming loose wheel, I park, try to investigate, can't find anything loose, and is fine again for a bit. also, recently I have been getting a loud clank sound while slowly pulling into a parking spot

 

I don't know what to think because I figure they wouldn't be able to do the alignment if anything was going out up there

 

Nothing? Cmon people this could possibly be life threatening, help me out here

 

I would check the control arm. Also, if it does it randomly, I would inspect tie rods as well for play.

 

Somethings shifting. Check the lower strut bolts, both sides.

 

I don't get it I checked everything out just now, nothing is giving any play, strut bolts are good n tight, I'm about to give up and take it to somebody...I just don't have money to pay somebody to do this...

 

Anyone in Colorado that can get to Longmont able to help me out?

 

http://m.youtube.com/home I don't know if this link will work right, but it's a video of the clicking sound my car now makes while accelerating

 

Best guess is a bad bushing on left control arm. We had one in our shop recently that was pulling erratically to the right and it was the bushing on the pin in the contorl arm on that side. Good luck.

 

okay this time it should be the right link. Still have the problem... nevermind, fail on this link

 

or this... what does this sound like to you guys being able to hear the click?

 

get a helper. jack the car up and get under there while the helping is turning the wheel back and forth (no need to turn the car on). make sure to check the rack for any movement, as that will skew your steering wheel to either side if the rack is shifting.

also, what do you mean by pulling to the left? is it just the steering wheel turning to either side, but the car still tracks straight, or does the car start tracking to either side with the steering wheel still straight?

p.s. your video is still set to private.

 

Darn YouTube lol okay I will do that, when it pulls left the car goes with it and I have to hold on tight till I have a spot to park it, but it happens so randomly that I haven't been able to figure out what sets it off...

 

Wheel bearing !?!?

My car did it for a while, couldn't figure out what it was and finally the wheel bearing started grinding and making horrid noises. Replaced it and the problem went away !

 

It didn't sound like wheel bearing to me...I just did that recently as well...I'm so confused on this one

 

I had brakes plus do my alignment recently after I did my coilovers, would it be worth it to bring it back to them to check it out?

 

Update. I may have figured out what the clicking sound is. I've done a lot of searching and found that an exhaust leak may cause the sound? My gasket between my rear exhaust manifold and y pipe is blown, so I will get a new one in there and see if it stops. As for the random left pulls, I have no idea still...

 

Just putting this where it goes.

 

clicking is usually a sign of a bad CV boot/axle. You mentioned you're lowered, so things are adding up to the CV boot/axle. Go check it out.

If you can't afford to pay someone to fix your car, I suggest you at least pay the $75 diagnostic fee and have a reputable mechanic diagnose your two problems and tell you exactly what is wrong. Then, make the necessary repairs yourself and save on labor costs.

 

Okay thank you guys, I wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything in those messages, like I said I am on a tight time schedule and have been freaking out lol so I really appreciate your info here :-)

 

Update time, I changed my axle on drivers side today, and its good, no more torque steer and no more clicking, it does seem to vibrate slightly now on initial acceleration, I had a hard time getting the new axle into its hole though, is that normal? And of course I have to get my alignment done again