I have been having a problem with my car drifting to one side or another. When I am forced to take wide turns, turning the wheel to full lock (2.6 turns), in either direction the car will drift when I hold the wheel straight. For example, let’s say I turn the wheel left until I can't turn the wheel anymore and then resume driving, the car will drift to the right while I hold the steering wheel straight. The same happens if I turn to the right to full lock, the car will drift left. (Full lock usually in parking lots, damn 41ft turning radius)

I had Just Tires take a look at the car since that is where my dealership sublets all alignment work, and the "Alignment Specialist" said the problem is due to a loose rack and pinion mount/s and or general play in the steering. I got this in writing too because the dealership is going to say I am full of it, IE. Cannot reproduce problem! I am taking the car in after the long weekend and taking the head service manager out for a ride.

Has anyone else experienced this? I recall reading somewhere about the steering. Could this also relate to the shimmy problem?

 

I have not heard of this problem, but it definitely sounds like a problem....very strange

 

bump,

come on, 71 people have looked at this so far and no one with similar drifting problems?

 

Nope. You're special.

 

msoemax - Probably the lack of replies is because nobody here has heard of exactly this problem. This seems to be beyond the 'shimmy' thing, which is usually felt only at certain speeds, most often between 45 and 60mph. I have tried to read all posts here involving problems with the '04 Maxima for well over a year, and this is different from anything I have seen.

Please do keep us informed of whatever transpires.

 

I took the car into the dealership today and took the service manager out for a ride. He was very intrigued by this problem. At first he thought that it was simply because the steering wheel is off center. I showed him that you can make it off center in either direction and that the car will drift. I have yet to hear back from them. We'll see what happens.

 

Well, I have the car back from the dealership. The service guy told me that they took the car back to just tires for an alignment. I guess after the fourth time they got it right! The car no longer drifts to either direction. I am not going to turn the wheel lock to lock either b/c I don't feel like dealing with this problem again. If it arises again, I will be updating the org.

The fix, i guess, was an alignment tech who actually put the car on the rack and did the job. Should I be getting any printouts regarding the chamber and other alignment details? I suppose for the future I, and others who get an alignment, should get the printouts so we know what the numbers say and we can show what was done.

I must say that the steering in the max's are very sensitive. It takes very little movement to either direction to cause the car to drift. Similar to the shimmy problem, the car is very sensitive to small adjustments.

it works now!

 

Glad its fixed !

 

I personally like that the Maxima's steering is very sensitive. I find it most annoying to drive a vehicle that has even a little play in the steering.

Any play at all in the steering means I have to adjust the wheel several centimeters just to have any effect on the direction of the car. Being a driver who likes to stay exactly centered in my lane, a little play in the steering means I am constantly rotating the wheel an inch or so in both directions. Sort of like bouncing off imaginary walls on either side.

But the 'drift' moesmax encountered is something I hope never to experience.

 

Shucks, when I saw the title of this post, I thought he was referring to his girlfriend! I mean, there's loose racks and then there's loose racks.

Mike

Oh ... glad you got it fixed.

 

So, after 6 months of owning the car I have taken the car in 8 times to be repaired for the problem described above. I have sent in a letter to Nissan allowing for a final fix. I am claiming the car as a lemon under my state laws. I have also had my struts changed out 4 times. It's been a while since this thread had any hits So I am going to pose the question again.

Is anyone else out there having problems with the alignment/steering wheel, NOT the shimmy?

 

Does this mean your car wasn't fixed 3 months ago when you thought it was?

To answer your question, I haven't had the problem you're describing. In fact, I haven't had any steering issues, except for a little quiver in the wheel at times, which I attribute to the FWD and the sensitivity of the Max's steering. I know it's not the infamous shimmy, because I can drive back over the same road again and it won't do it the second time.

Mike

 

I can't say I've had this problem with my Max. It steers well. Goes where its pointed. Except for the usual fun oversteer from snow covered roads.

I did have a similar problem with my old car. The tie rod ends were worn out and needed replacement.


Did the problem get "repaired' and then crop up again?

CM

 

Well, It's been "fixed" after every attempt at the dealership. However, after a week worth of parallel parking and lock to lock turns the steering wheel will become off center yet again. Due to all the repair attempts on the same area the techs have over torqued the steering rack bolts because the steering wheel will crack when ever I go over bumps on turns.

It's really annoying too because I can't get it to happen with the dealer in the car on the roads around the dealership. They are simply too smooth. Same went for the struts. They had to become really obvious and annoying before the dealer would work on them. So when I drive around my neighborhood I go nuts with all the noise. It's been very frustrating taking in the car every week or 2 weeks for the same repairs. I have simply have had enough.

The struts put me into the lemon category and so does this steering issue. If that's not enough proof I don't know what is to demonstrate that there is an issue with the front end.

I have nothing against the maxima. This one simply is a lemon. I just hope that Nissan will not put up a huge fight over the car and let me get into a similar 05. That's all I want.

 

msoemax - here we are six months since you first reported this problem, and I have still never seen another poster here with exactly the same situation.

From the way you described things, I really don't see how an incorrect alignment could cause this, unless there is something mechanically wrong with the car and it won't stay in (or anywhere near) correct alignment.

If the front tires were different makes, or different sizes, or different profiles, or radically different treads, or not inflated the same, or . . . but in a virtually new car, with virtually new tires, this situation simply should not be happening.

As this is clearly a rare problem, I am not surprised we have heard nothing from Nissan about it. This puts the burden on your dealer, and it seem he is not up to the task.

The problem almost has to be in the steering rack assembly, or the mechanicals that carry the steering wheel 'message' down to the front wheels. Somewhere in that system, two parts are either not in correct alignment with each other, have a tooth/cog/cam/lobe/connector/etc missing/broken, or are too tight or (more likely) too loose.

It is a shame to have a great car totally spoiled by one or two unacceptable problems that seemingly can't be fixed.

 

Well, Nissan finally got my letter about the steering issue. They are waiting to schedule something with a factory tech. I will let everyone know what is going on. I appreciate all your support.

They are using the "one final repair attempt" card right now. I am waiting on a day/time to drop off the car and a location.

 

Best wishes. I am sure I am not the only one that appreciates your determination and loyalty shown in your situation. You have good reason to be upset, yet you continue to keep your cool and contribute to the org. May this get settled quickly and smoothly. Personally, I would expect to receive an 05 and continue the same payments. This may be unreasonable to Nissan, but not totally unrealistic. Print out all the strut threads on here to show along with your personal documentation. I hope with that you can get as fully compensated as possible.