Torque Steer in '04 SE/SL
07-11-2003, 08:03 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 20
Torque Steer in '04 SE/SL
For all the new owners of the 04 Maxima, what is your insight on the torque steer problem that is so widely talked about in the Car and Driver review of the 04 Maxima?
Seems as if they had reviewed one of the pre-production Maxima but also mentioned that the post-production would also inherit the torque steer problem that they had experienced in their test drive.
I am sure for a front wheel drive car with 265 horse power, torque steer will definitely be present but how bad is it?
By the way you can read the REVIEW by clicking on the link below.
Car and Driver REVIEW of the 2004 Maxima SE
Seems as if they had reviewed one of the pre-production Maxima but also mentioned that the post-production would also inherit the torque steer problem that they had experienced in their test drive.
I am sure for a front wheel drive car with 265 horse power, torque steer will definitely be present but how bad is it?
By the way you can read the REVIEW by clicking on the link below.
Car and Driver REVIEW of the 2004 Maxima SE
07-12-2003, 06:19 AM
#4
Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 65
Torque steer
I have the 6sp SE with the HLSD. It helps with the torque steer, but doesnt eliminate it entirely. You'll still get a twitch in the wheel at times, but only under *really* hard acceleration. Not a big deal most of the time - and certainly not bad enough to keep me from buying and enjoying the car.
07-12-2003, 09:37 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 125
My first test drive in an '04 Maxima was a vehicle that didn't have the limited slip diff. Torque steer was bad enough that I would not have bought the vehicle for that reason alone. I guess I don't find it all that enjoyable to be wrestling with the steering wheel just to keep the car in a straight line. (Heck - to keep the car in my lane!). I ultimately was able to test drive (more than once now) a 6sp. SE with HLSD, and found the problem still present, but greatly reduced. At least to the point where it's not a serious negative.
I don't really get the dismissal of this issue as something that "only happens under hard acceleration" and that is therefore a non-issue. I'm not a maniac behind the wheel by any stretch, but hard acceleration definitely forms more than an occasional part of my driving expereience, whether it be a spirited departure from a stop-light, surging up to speed on a highway on-ramp or pulling out to pass on a two-lane secondary road. Why have 265 horses if you never let them out to play? If I wanted a sedate driving experience I'd look no further than a Camry. I'm happy to let the horses play, but want them to be well-behaved.
Car and driver is far from the only publication to criticize the Maxima for its torque steer - and surely not all of them were driving pre-production examples or engaged in some Maxima-bashing conspiracy. Torque steer in there, and it's not good. To answer your question - how bad is it? - there's no quantifiable measure of torque steer that I'm aware of, so the real question becomes, how bad is it to you ? The only answer will come from an extensive test drive in a vehicle equipped the way you would buy it and driven the way you would drive it. If you come away feeling that it's a non-issue then yeah, it's a non-issue.
Cheers,
Jaeger
I don't really get the dismissal of this issue as something that "only happens under hard acceleration" and that is therefore a non-issue. I'm not a maniac behind the wheel by any stretch, but hard acceleration definitely forms more than an occasional part of my driving expereience, whether it be a spirited departure from a stop-light, surging up to speed on a highway on-ramp or pulling out to pass on a two-lane secondary road. Why have 265 horses if you never let them out to play? If I wanted a sedate driving experience I'd look no further than a Camry. I'm happy to let the horses play, but want them to be well-behaved.
Car and driver is far from the only publication to criticize the Maxima for its torque steer - and surely not all of them were driving pre-production examples or engaged in some Maxima-bashing conspiracy. Torque steer in there, and it's not good. To answer your question - how bad is it? - there's no quantifiable measure of torque steer that I'm aware of, so the real question becomes, how bad is it to you ? The only answer will come from an extensive test drive in a vehicle equipped the way you would buy it and driven the way you would drive it. If you come away feeling that it's a non-issue then yeah, it's a non-issue.
Cheers,
Jaeger
07-12-2003, 10:26 AM
#7
Moderator GT-R
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 19,780
Originally posted by Jaeger
My first test drive in an '04 Maxima was a vehicle that didn't have the limited slip diff. Torque steer was bad enough that I would not have bought the vehicle for that reason alone. I guess I don't find it all that enjoyable to be wrestling with the steering wheel just to keep the car in a straight line. (Heck - to keep the car in my lane!). I ultimately was able to test drive (more than once now) a 6sp. SE with HLSD, and found the problem still present, but greatly reduced. At least to the point where it's not a serious negative.
I don't really get the dismissal of this issue as something that "only happens under hard acceleration" and that is therefore a non-issue. I'm not a maniac behind the wheel by any stretch, but hard acceleration definitely forms more than an occasional part of my driving expereience, whether it be a spirited departure from a stop-light, surging up to speed on a highway on-ramp or pulling out to pass on a two-lane secondary road. Why have 265 horses if you never let them out to play? If I wanted a sedate driving experience I'd look no further than a Camry. I'm happy to let the horses play, but want them to be well-behaved.
Car and driver is far from the only publication to criticize the Maxima for its torque steer - and surely not all of them were driving pre-production examples or engaged in some Maxima-bashing conspiracy. Torque steer in there, and it's not good. To answer your question - how bad is it? - there's no quantifiable measure of torque steer that I'm aware of, so the real question becomes, how bad is it to you ? The only answer will come from an extensive test drive in a vehicle equipped the way you would buy it and driven the way you would drive it. If you come away feeling that it's a non-issue then yeah, it's a non-issue.
Cheers,
Jaeger
My first test drive in an '04 Maxima was a vehicle that didn't have the limited slip diff. Torque steer was bad enough that I would not have bought the vehicle for that reason alone. I guess I don't find it all that enjoyable to be wrestling with the steering wheel just to keep the car in a straight line. (Heck - to keep the car in my lane!). I ultimately was able to test drive (more than once now) a 6sp. SE with HLSD, and found the problem still present, but greatly reduced. At least to the point where it's not a serious negative.
I don't really get the dismissal of this issue as something that "only happens under hard acceleration" and that is therefore a non-issue. I'm not a maniac behind the wheel by any stretch, but hard acceleration definitely forms more than an occasional part of my driving expereience, whether it be a spirited departure from a stop-light, surging up to speed on a highway on-ramp or pulling out to pass on a two-lane secondary road. Why have 265 horses if you never let them out to play? If I wanted a sedate driving experience I'd look no further than a Camry. I'm happy to let the horses play, but want them to be well-behaved.
Car and driver is far from the only publication to criticize the Maxima for its torque steer - and surely not all of them were driving pre-production examples or engaged in some Maxima-bashing conspiracy. Torque steer in there, and it's not good. To answer your question - how bad is it? - there's no quantifiable measure of torque steer that I'm aware of, so the real question becomes, how bad is it to you ? The only answer will come from an extensive test drive in a vehicle equipped the way you would buy it and driven the way you would drive it. If you come away feeling that it's a non-issue then yeah, it's a non-issue.
Cheers,
Jaeger
I've only been driving my 04 for a couple of months, 3,000 miles. In that time I have tested most every aspect of the 265hp and at no time has torque steer diminished my fun. I have a six speed and hlsd. I have a fwd car that is capable of spinning both front tires at the same time and because of that I expect to do some actual driving. It doesn't bother me.
07-12-2003, 12:30 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 125
Originally posted by bluemaxx
... at no time has torque steer diminished my fun. I have a six speed and hlsd. I have a fwd car that is capable of spinning both front tires at the same time and because of that I expect to do some actual driving. It doesn't bother me.
... at no time has torque steer diminished my fun. I have a six speed and hlsd. I have a fwd car that is capable of spinning both front tires at the same time and because of that I expect to do some actual driving. It doesn't bother me.
I also think it stands to reason that most Maxima owners would not report excessive torque steer - not because of owner bias - but because they presumably did not find it so excessive as to impact their purchase decision. Depending on one's tolerance for front-end squirming, one's perception of "how bad" the torque steer is will be informed accordingly. There may be any number of Maxima shoppers who passed on the car for this very reason. They may not be highly represented on this board, however.
Cheers,
Jaeger
07-12-2003, 01:38 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,282
Originally posted by Jaeger
I think you'll see from my post that I said that the 6sp. / hlsd version reduced the torque steer issue to the point where it was not a significant negative.
I also think it stands to reason that most Maxima owners would not report excessive torque steer - not because of owner bias - but because they presumably did not find it so excessive as to impact their purchase decision. Depending on one's tolerance for front-end squirming, one's perception of "how bad" the torque steer is will be informed accordingly. There may be any number of Maxima shoppers who passed on the car for this very reason. They may not be highly represented on this board, however.
Cheers,
Jaeger
I think you'll see from my post that I said that the 6sp. / hlsd version reduced the torque steer issue to the point where it was not a significant negative.
I also think it stands to reason that most Maxima owners would not report excessive torque steer - not because of owner bias - but because they presumably did not find it so excessive as to impact their purchase decision. Depending on one's tolerance for front-end squirming, one's perception of "how bad" the torque steer is will be informed accordingly. There may be any number of Maxima shoppers who passed on the car for this very reason. They may not be highly represented on this board, however.
Cheers,
Jaeger
That being said, I do warn others about it before they drive my car, just to be on the safe side. You are right that there really is no way to quantify it, and it is going to be a personal preference. You and I are feeling the same torque steer in the 5pd and coming to two very different conclusions, to each their own right?
07-12-2003, 03:13 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 125
Originally posted by gmc74
You are right that there really is no way to quantify it, and it is going to be a personal preference. You and I are feeling the same torque steer in the 5pd and coming to two very different conclusions, to each their own right?
You are right that there really is no way to quantify it, and it is going to be a personal preference. You and I are feeling the same torque steer in the 5pd and coming to two very different conclusions, to each their own right?
Jaeger
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