Hey!

To start, I have a Base 2005 Acura. It's been snowing lately, and this problem first started happening during the snow, so if it's correlated, please let me know. When every I make slow, but sharp turns (such as pulling into a parking lot or turning into a street), the car has this jerking...i almost want to describe it as humping motions that moves in pulses. My first thought was that a tire had blown/gotten very flat, but they were all perfectly fine. My next guess would be suspension or potentially my tire rubbing against the wheel wells. If you guys have any ideas, i'd appreciate it.


V

 

Is your car lowered and/or Is their a ton of snow that is stuck in your wheel wells? If your tires are turning into that and then trying to rotate that could be the cause.

I know before I drive I have to go around kicking off the gunked up snow in my wheel wells because of it.

 

2" Lowered, but it has been for a year and i've never had problem. It also happened today when there was no snow on my tires/wheel wells. (Theres no snow on the ground.)

 

Manual or auto?

To clarify, it does this only when making turns but not when going slow in a straight line? It can be several things but if you have a really bad CV joint it can do this. Any clicking when accelerating in a corner? Does it get better after a long drive?

You know what ABS feels like I assume since you drive it in the snow. Have you tried turning your VSA off to eliminate traction and stability control?

Even loose lugnuts or a really bad balljoint can make it feel weird but there would be noise associated with the problem.

Can you get it on some clean cement and see if it leaves "skidmarks" when this happens, specifically if the skidmarks show the pulsing?

 

I'm gonna take it to a parking lot and run some tests, i'll look for it. No noises, and it kinda happens randomly. I'm gonna look underneath at the suspension, cause my suspension has also felt a bit stiffer-than-usual lately.

 

Check your outer tie rod ends. When they're worn your wheel will have a bit of wobble to it.. that could cause the sensation. Just an idea.

 

...You're sure it's not snow packed in the wheel wells?

Every car does this when it's cold and snowing. Snow/Ice packs in the wheel wells behind the tire. Turn the wheel sharp and you shove the tire into it. It makes all kinds of noises and feels terrible. When it's well below freezing outside, this can build up into a substantial layer of ice that eats tires. It will happen faster if the gap between the tire and wheel well is smaller, of course.

Solution is don't drive on snow, or kick the junk out of the wheel wells periodically, and avoid turning the wheel sharply.