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New to the 3g TL, but I've noticed that if I'm only holding the wheel at 1 or 2 o'clock with one hand and I hit a bump at highway speed, the steering wheel "gives". This causes the weight of my hand to almost instinctively overcorrect the wheel when it regains it's "resistance". Its a bit scary. Any thoughts on what could be causing this or is it just due to the undersized swaybar these cars have?
The sway bars are designed and sized for the car.
aaaaannnnd that has to be the weirdest hand position ever, 2 o'clock???? No wonder why the steering wheel pulls your hand
It's medium powered front wheel drive vehicle!
Any crowning of the road, bump, rock or debris in the way will pull your steering wheel.
On the steering wheel, there are hand indentions for 9 and 3. I suggest you use 9 and 3 o'clock.
At 2 o'clock, you're not holding the wheel straight.....
Last edited by justnspace; 11-25-2017 at 09:31 PM.
Every other vehicle I drive I've been able to hit a bump without feeling the steering wheel give in any given direction. Its almost like for a second the vehicle is airborn when it's really not. Then all of a sudden it grabs and snatches my hand back. Hard to explain I guess.
These cars seem to have problems with bumpsteer as they get older.
In fact...I am (was) doing rack bushings tonight to try and cure my problems (TSX).
It took me approx 2-3hrs to get the rack out of the car and press the old bushings out. Then...I discovered that I left my new bushings in my wife's car. And she went out for the night. I did that probably because I am a big dummy with bad short term memory.
Anyway, OP, check bushings or anything else that may cause that problem.
The problem I'm having is that the steering wheel jerks from side to side whenever I hit an offset bump. This is really unsettling on the highway. The car drives erratically (but I drive erotically).
To note, mine has had these items recently replaced:
-TL-S OEM compliance bushings.
-TL OEM rear control arms and bushings.
-New coilovers
-New tyres (needed new snow tyres anyway. I still have my MPSS for summer).
-Several alignments
I knew these items were due anyway...but none of them had any effect on my bumpsteer issue.
My issue started around 160K miles. I have 165K now.
@Brolando,
thanks for giving some actual input on this issue. I noticed that when going at slow speeds with no hands on the wheel, the steering wheel moves on it's own over every minor bump. I know this can't be normal as every other car I've driven, the wheel doesn't jerk around so easily. I'll continue to look into this issue. I did notice that my swaybar bushings looked pretty worn, so i may start where you seemed to have not tried yet.
I will say that I jacked up one side last night to wiggle the wheel around a bit and noticed excessive play in and out. It wasn't from the tie rods, but seemed to be mainly in the steering rack itself. It felt "mushy". Excessive play, but it took some strength to recreate it.
It *seems* to have cured the problem. BUT...I need to do a few more things and then get the car aligned next week. I'm driving it terribly unaligned for now, and it seems to be driving much better.
I also need to drive over more varying roads to check the fix.
OP....the mushy play you feel in the rack might be bushings...or it might just be that its a hydraulic rack...and that's how they feel.
Rack bushings are often overlooked. I bought new bushings and a new housing cushion from curry acura for like? $40?
If you feel its your swaybar bushings, there is a very easy, FREE way to check:
-Disconnect a sway bar end link. Pick one side. Unbolt one of the eyelets. Voila. No swaybar.
-Go for a drive and check.
I doubt its your swaybar bushings...but...its worth a check.
You maybe right. I really need to get a friend over here to wiggle the wheel around so I can confirm where the play is coming from. Hopefully only rack bushings is the cure to this. Let me know how it feels after the alignment. I won't be able to mess with it any time soon as I'm fixing to order the aisin TB/WP kit and do all the major service and a 3x3 trans flush before I tackle any of these smaller things.
I had someone turn/wiggle the steering wheel back and forth and watched the rack from under the hood. I saw what *looked* like excess movement. So I decided to do rack bushings.
I haven't done it on a V6 car which is a lot more crowded. But on my TSX, it was a breeze.
Start to finish, maybe 6-8hrs. Including sanding and painting any surface rusted brackets. I also swapped out badly rusted bolts with fresh ones from my bolt bin. And I anti-siezed everything and used a torque wrench.
I also cleaned the engine bay after my PS flush gone wrong ended up spraying PS fluid all over the bay because the drain hose I was using firehosed its way out of my drain cup. Round 2 was done with 2 people lol. I had someone else start the car and I held the hose into the cup that I was using.
Luckily, I vacuumed out the PS reservoir before doing this. So it was only a small amount of fluid spray.
Vacuuming:
Old PSF is massively nasty.
Remember to hold the hose in the cup as someone else starts the car. Or use a jug with a lid.
Always nice to see someone actually stay on top of the small things. Every vehicle I get, I get it up to speed on maintenance and then tackle everything down to the 194 size bulbs that burnt out. Lol. Too many people nowadays think cars are maintenance free after the warranty expires. I abuse my cars, but I also maintain them and I never have a major failure.
hey guys, first post here, and I’m having the same issue With the car steering itself over bumps and curves in the road. I just noticed it a couple days ago. Here is a list of the parts I’ve replaced so far, all NEW or Reman’d parts
Mevotech complete lower control arm with bushings
Moog LBJ
Moog Greasable UBJ
Moog Sway Bar End Links
Koni Yellows front and back with OE Coil Springs (original ride height)
Prothane Front Greasable Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings (used the original brackets and installed grease zerks on them, back Sway Bar bushings soon to follow)
ACDelco Reman’d steering rack with inner tie rods from rock auto (lifetime warranty) (original steering racks passenger side seal was leaking)
Moog Outer Tie Rods
Power Steering Pump Reman’d from rock auto
Honda OEM updated O-rings
Acura OEM rubber tubes (return lines)
Acura OEM Power Steering Pulley
Dayco Drive Belt Component Kit (idler pulley, drive belt, Belt tensioner)
Honda Genuine Power Steering Fluid
Cardone driver side CV Axle
Now I must admit, when I first replaced the LBJ’s, I ordered the MAS ball joints from rock auto, and within 300 miles the driver side started squeaking so bad I could feel it in my steering wheel, so please stay away from those. So I went with the Moog LBJ with the updated Nut (larger nut) and installed It. Another tip: it’s always a good idea to take the dust boot off of the ball joint and apply some Moly grease (black in color) because when I opened up the new ball joint, there was only 3 little dabs of lithium grease not even near the actual ball in the socket. Before I installed the Moog ball joint to replace the MAS one, and after I replaced my steering rack, outer tie rod and upper and lower ball joints, I had gotten an alignment done by a reputable shop. So essentially after my alignment and everything was replaced and new, I installed a different lower ball joint. So I’m hoping that’s why my steering wheel is “wandering” when I drive, because the new ball joint threw off my alignment. I’m going to replace the passenger side MAS brand ball joint this weekend with the Moog one and take it back to that shop that did my alignment, they guarantee their alignments so it won’t cost me anything. I’ll give you guys an update on the results. When I do that though I’ll take a picture of what I’m talking about with the new ball joints lack of grease and post it.
Essentially my whole steering system is brand new, everything was torqued to factory specs using a snap-on torque wrench, and my car rides on the original ride height. I have eliminated any possibility of a “worn out part”. The TL has 155k miles and some change on the odometer.
11-25-2017, 06:15 PM
