Car Jerks Right on Left Turn

[Aikouka]

I noticed some slight hesitation in my car while taking a left-hand turn at certain speeds. At greater speeds, the car will actually begin to fail to turn (jerk in the opposite direction).

I'm assuming it has something to do with a part in the right wheel well (given force from a left-hand turn would be put on the right wheel). I inspected the CV boot as well as I could awhile ago (which I couldn't see terribly well) and it looked fine from what I could see. The other components in the area didn't look damaged or heavily worn in any way. Is it possible that this is a simple alignment problem... positive camber on the right side? I don't really notice any issues with the car in regard to its ability to keep in a straight line (on an even surface).

If you think that could be the problem, I do have a full-sized spare that I could use for testing.

Any thoughts?

 

[Vette73]

Hard to say since you are asking for car help but we have no idea what kinda of car you have.

If you think it is tire related just rotate from left to right and drive. When you take off look to see if either tire is wearing incorrectly.

 

[SuperSix]

Upper control arm bushings, lowers, ball joint, etc. Not good at all.

 

[Aikouka]

Hard to say since you are asking for car help but we have no idea what kinda of car you have.

My bad... I originally didn't think it'd matter much since the wheel hub area doesn't usually differ much except for some fancy sensor doodads.

I have a 2007 Altima.

 

[Vette73]

My bad... I originally didn't think it'd matter much since the wheel hub area doesn't usually differ much except for some fancy sensor doodads.

I have a 2007 Altima.

There are 3 major steering system in cars. Electric Rack, Reg rack, and the old ball gear box.
Let alone awd, fwd, or rwd. That and someone could have owned/worked on a car like your and know what to check first.


But I would lift the car up and grab the wheel and make sure nothing is loose(i.e. grab the wheel and try to move it when lifted). If it is jerking could be bad ball joint or other suspension problem. Right now it may just be worn out and playing. When it breaks you will be stuck and could damage a lot more.
Also when lifted look at the tire and see what the wear is like.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

ANYTHING that could cause this is a huge huge problem.


I would not drive that car, not even to the shop until I found out exactly what was causing it.

 

[Aikouka]

I took the car in today and they couldn't reproduce the problem (and I couldn't in an empty parking lot either). Maybe I'm just going crazy .

 

[punjabiplaya]

were you just describing understeer to us?

 

[5150MyU]

I once had a P.S.Rack cause what you're describing.
Customer said it started steering funny, then just got worse and worse.
By the time she brought it in and I road tested it, I went about 100yards down the street and turned around.
It wanted to go left then right-scary feeling.
That was an accident just waitng to happen.

 

[Aikouka]

were you just describing understeer to us?

I doubt it. I felt it initially in a parking lot driving 10-15 mph and then maybe 25 mph in a turn. Not to mention it only ever happened in a single direction and seemingly only when the car is first being driven (i.e. it's still cold). I'm just going to keep my eye out and see if I notice anything else.

I'll still keep the going crazy as a potential reason .

 

[punjabiplaya]

i was just kidding man. You said jerked in the opposite direction, which is not understeer.

 

[Aikouka]

i was just kidding man. You said jerked in the opposite direction, which is not understeer.

Doh, my sarcasm meter's service appointment is tomorrow!

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What's the year/make/model?

 

[ebaycj]

I doubt it. I felt it initially in a parking lot driving 10-15 mph and then maybe 25 mph in a turn. Not to mention it only ever happened in a single direction and seemingly only when the car is first being driven (i.e. it's still cold). I'm just going to keep my eye out and see if I notice anything else.

I'll still keep the going crazy as a potential reason .

It could be temporary deprivation of some type of fluid due to cornering.

Possibly a more viscous fluid (just a guess).
Would also guess the fluid would measure "low" on the gauge.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I've never ever heard of low ps fluid causing the wheels to want to go a different direction from the steering wheel. You should be able to completely drain the fluid or cut power to the pump and still be able to turn, I'm fairly sure that's a DOT requirement.


I've seen 3-4 cars through my life on the side of the road with one wheel all cocked up.. probably due to a broken tie rod. It'd be a very dangerous thing to happen while driving.

 

[Aikouka]

What's the year/make/model?

2007 Nissan Altima 3.5SL

EDIT:

If you're wondering, it does have electronic steering. I also got the jerking to occur again this morning. Definitely seems to have some relation to acceleration or a certain amount of force (caused by said acceleration) as I felt nothing until I applied the gas during the end of the turn.

 

[JJ650]

2007 Nissan Altima 3.5SL

EDIT:

If you're wondering, it does have electronic steering. I also got the jerking to occur again this morning. Definitely seems to have some relation to acceleration or a certain amount of force (caused by said acceleration) as I felt nothing until I applied the gas during the end of the turn.

Torque steering?

 

[punjabiplaya]

Well, we can test if it's torque steer (dunno about it on the 2.5 though). OP, put the car straight, hands off the wheel and floor it.

 

[Aikouka]

Well, we can test if it's torque steer (dunno about it on the 2.5 though). OP, put the car straight, hands off the wheel and floor it.

When I read up on the current generation Altima before buying them, I read that the torque steer in the 3.5 liter, which I have, is much better than in older models because they lowered the engine placement a bit.

The reason why I'm a bit off on torque steer is because I should have been seeing this occur for as long as I've owned the car (about 4 years). I've only recently noticed this and to my knowledge, my driving habits have not changed.

Maybe I can get a picture of the intersection from this morning along with my path with acceleration/deceleration coloring. Not sure if it will be much more beneficial than saying it's a 90 degree turn and I accelerated through the second half of the turn though.

 

[5150MyU]

Your steering wheel has a speed sensor-it was a comon problem on GMs.
Just trying to help you figure it out.
I was thinking steering rack then I realised there was a "steering wheel speed sensor"
these seem to cause all kinda stuff

 

[gorobei]

any chance it is the differential locking up during a turn? or a bad cv joint?

does it happen on only left turns?

 

[Aikouka]

Your steering wheel has a speed sensor-it was a comon problem on GMs.
Just trying to help you figure it out.
I was thinking steering rack then I realised there was a "steering wheel speed sensor"
these seem to cause all kinda stuff

Do you mean the ABS wheel speed sensors?

any chance it is the differential locking up during a turn? or a bad cv joint?

does it happen on only left turns?

Yeah, it's only ever happened on left hand turns.

 

[5150MyU]

No, not ABS-the correct term is "steering angle sensor" and it is located on the steering column.
I am not saying this is your problem-I am not a nissan tech.
That you have electronic steering there are alot of variables to consider.
If you have eliminated all the mechanical stuff-tires, tie rods, ball joints, steering knuckles, etc., etc.
Not being able to drive the veicle myself I would suspect the sensor or the rack, but also note that it is computer controlled.
Best bet-befriend a nissan tech and/or replace the cheapest parts first.