Steering problem!!
Steering problem!!
I have a 04 SL with 6k miles, I have noticed that I have to keep the steering wheel slightly turned to the right in order to keep the car tracking straight down the road. I checked the tire pressure and it checks out, if I don't keep the steering wheel turned the car pulls to the left. Has anyone experienced this problem? I don't have the shimmy, but this is annoying.
Mike
Mike
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,336
Does it happen all the time or only occasionally?
If you're coming from a car with wee little 14" wheels there will be a change in steering feel. Heavily used roads will have depressions from the traffic flow. Your larger wheels will want to follow these depressions, causing a pull to be felt in the steering wheel. I find its most noticable when I'm rolling up to a certain stop light here in town. Always tugs to the right a bit.
However, if this pull to one side is happening all the time it is definately either an alignment or a tire issue. Either way at 6k miles it should go back to the dealership for service. Do take a look at the tires to see if there are any visible bulges or odd shapes in the tread or sidewall. You don't have the Goodyear RS-A's which is a good thing. But there still could be a tire issue with the Continentals.
CM
If you're coming from a car with wee little 14" wheels there will be a change in steering feel. Heavily used roads will have depressions from the traffic flow. Your larger wheels will want to follow these depressions, causing a pull to be felt in the steering wheel. I find its most noticable when I'm rolling up to a certain stop light here in town. Always tugs to the right a bit.
However, if this pull to one side is happening all the time it is definately either an alignment or a tire issue. Either way at 6k miles it should go back to the dealership for service. Do take a look at the tires to see if there are any visible bulges or odd shapes in the tread or sidewall. You don't have the Goodyear RS-A's which is a good thing. But there still could be a tire issue with the Continentals.
CM
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 599
Sounds similar to my problems. I would first see about the roads you are driving on. Find a really nice level road and see what happens. The Maxima steering is VERY sensitive to little things. If your car drifts on level roads go to the dealer and have the alignment checked. It's covered for the first 12k miles.
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,336
At 30mph on a straight flat road, at a fairly constant speed, you should be able to take your hands off the wheel and the car should track straight for at least 5 seconds without it wandering side to side.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,143
From: a meadow south of Atlanta
Sounds like an alignment problem. I don't think this would be the tires.
Most roads (especially asphalt roads with one lane in each direction) are 'crowned'. I.e., the road surface is higher at the centerline, so the water will tend to drain off to the ditches instead of form puddles. The normal result of 'crowning' is that a properly aligned car would tend to drift to the right.
On multi-lane or concrete roads, there is usually little or no crowning. On this type road, the car should normally not pull in either direction.
As your car seems to always have a tendency to pull to the left, I would feel fairly sure there is an alignment problem.
Had this problem arisen twenty or thirty thousand miles down the road, an alignment would be considered a normal operating expense (to be paid for by you). But tell your dealer this has been a problem from day one, and hence should be covered under warranty.
Most roads (especially asphalt roads with one lane in each direction) are 'crowned'. I.e., the road surface is higher at the centerline, so the water will tend to drain off to the ditches instead of form puddles. The normal result of 'crowning' is that a properly aligned car would tend to drift to the right.
On multi-lane or concrete roads, there is usually little or no crowning. On this type road, the car should normally not pull in either direction.
As your car seems to always have a tendency to pull to the left, I would feel fairly sure there is an alignment problem.
Had this problem arisen twenty or thirty thousand miles down the road, an alignment would be considered a normal operating expense (to be paid for by you). But tell your dealer this has been a problem from day one, and hence should be covered under warranty.
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