I've had this problem for a while but it's gotten really annoying lately. Sometimes after I take a hard turn or go over a bump - the "straight" position on my steering wheel shifts about 15 - 20 degrees clockwise, and if i steer in the opposite direction - it goes back. I can also hear a popping sound coming from the passenger side. Alignments havent fixed this issue - i'm really not sure what the deal is...

 

Check your steering rack bushings. If they become loose your rack can move slightly and cause your steering to wonder off center. It doesn't effect your toe settings, but does effect your steering center position.

New bushings might be a good idea, the job is fairly easy to do.

 

Could you point me out to the exact location of the bushings? I don't think there's any writeup - I'll check the fsm tonight though

 

Put the car up on jack stands and look closely at the steering rack. The steering rack is what your tie rods connect to. Look at the two mounts that hold the rack to the subframe. Those brackets have rubber bushings that hold the rack and isolate it from transfering road noise into the cabin. You can purchase new bushings from Nissan if yours are worn or loose.

 

Thanks for all the help!

 

sounds like the same problem i have... while driving a straight line my steering wheel turns to the right,some times to the left...its not an alignment problem cus if left the rack and my car still "TURNS" to the right...is this the same thing ur talkin about? anybody know whats causeing this???

 

Might possibly be due to your "tires" tracking the road. Wider tires and aggressive tread patterns can cause this.

 

Got hte part number? On my car, the steering wheel like a little bit of freeplay in it, how do I get rid of that?

 

I am gettting alignment done today, I am buying hte lifetime warrenty from Firestone. They are have a sale for only $100.

Are the control arm bushing and hte bushings Tom is talking about hte same ones?

 

I've had the same problem with my car pulling to the right. So after a new axle, soem new tiresand an alignment I was left thinking that I neded a new rack.

So you're saying it could be the bushings? What name would I be searching for, rack bushings, control arm bushings?

 

I need to replace hte bushings. Which ones, I need part numbers or names so I can order from JR nissan or my other source.

 

I ordered the Energy suspension control arm set and Energy sway bar endlinks from www.suspension.com and I ordered the center OEM sway bar bushings from JRNissan.