How likely is this? Would this cause the car to drift to one direction? Since upgrading from 17" tires to 18" tires, my car drifts to the right. I've had suspension work done to the left front wheel to the tune of $ 2300 (insurance paid for most of the repair), the tires have been replaced three times (Avon Tech, Fuzion & Michelin Pilot Sport A/S) and the car has been aligned numerous times. I'm now being told that some drifting is normal and this is not necessarily indicative of a bad tire. I've even had two repair places (Discount Tire and Firestone) tell me that tires and roads are now being built to purposely cause a drift (Firestone refuses to deal with me at this point). Supposedly, the rationale behind this is to steer a vehicle away from oncoming traffic should the driver fall asleep at the wheel. I'm tired of all the answers but nothing seems to resolve my problem. I previously had 17" Michelin Pilot Sport A/S but never had this type of problem. I like my 04 TL but this problem has taken away the driving pleasure I once had. Any suggestions as to what could be causing this problem?

 

What suspension work did you have done to the left front assembly? Accident repairs? It might be out of spec, meaning it wasn't repaired properly. I would have the dealership spec out the suspension (take measurements) to make sure the suspension geometry isn't messed up. Bad suspension geometry can't be fixed by doing alignments or switching wheels/tires.

As for building the road to purposely cause a drift... that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Sounds like my Chevy dealership who said, "GM makes these trucks veer to the side on purpose because these trucks see a lot of towing duty and spend most of its life in the right lane which usually makes cars veer to the right. So GM builds them to veer to the left to compensate." That's what the service manager told me.

 

I have actually heard that same thing before about the roads/tires built to drift to the right so if you fall asleep you'll be out of oncoming traffic. Can't remember where I saw that though.

 

Left front repairs consisted of replacing the knuckle, strut and sub assembly frame. According to the Acura dealership, the wheel was inverted the wrong way. It was not angled the proper way or direction. They thought the car had been in an accident (which it didn't) or that something struck the wheel or that Ai hit a pothole.

 

As far as the steering wheel being centered, that is adjusted during an alignment.

A big reason roads are angled (causing a pull to either side) is for drainage, I doubt that the main reason is sleeping drivers...if so, there's a bigger issue elsewhere.

$2300 is a lot of money to spend on one corner of your suspension...sounds like there may have been some body work in that figure. Did you take the car to a reputable shop? I'd be tempted to double check the orientation of all suspension components and make sure that nothing has been bent or heated up with a torch and beaten into submission.

 

I took my car to a Acura dealership ( Goodson Acura, Irving, Tx).

 

Doesn't matter if you took it to the dealership or not. I had an alignment done at one dealership and their machine was way of if they even did it at all. I took it to another dealership and they got it dead on and I haven't had any problems since. The roads will play a big part in which way the car pulls. When I'm on the highway I notice I hold the wheel slightly to the right if I'm in the far laft lane. I get on a straight road near my house and I can almost drive hands off. The stearing is much tighter on the new TL as opposed to the older ones and any other Acura before. I still have my integra and it's not as tight.

Make sure they straigten out the wheels and ask them to show you the details of it when done. If you take it to another dealer and they get it right then make the other dealership reimburse you for the faulty work. They did it for me here in chicago.

Hope thins helps.