This is only my second post on this forum and I think it is full of great information thanks to all the members. Now my question. I have 2011 t4r with 500 miles and noticed when driving on highway going 65 it will not stay straight. It'll veer right and I have to keep steering wheel slightly turned to keep straight. Is this normal on brand new vehicle? Or part of break in process? Need some input. Thanks.
Alignment problems
- Thread starter t4r11
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I've got the same problem since day 1. I'm now at 45xx some miles. I believe harper posted something about this in another similar thread. I'm planning on taking it in next month for the 5k mile oil change (even though its 10k) and talk to them about a few other problems.
On a completely different tangent, have you noticed an increase in the bounciness of your ride? :frog:
On a completely different tangent, have you noticed an increase in the bounciness of your ride? :frog:
Land_locked
New member
I have had the same problem since day 1. After owning the vehicle for about 3 months I finally took it in to get checked.
They put the 4R up on the rack and said the alignment looked fine. The service manager offered to drive it with me and see if he could see the problem.
He drove it and agreed that it definitely pulls more than it should to the right even with the crown in the road.
He offered to adjust the position of the steering wheel/alignment to account for the difference but that would require another appointment. I haven't taken it back yet to have it adjusted and I don't think I will. It doesn't bother me that much anymore and the tires are wearing evenly so no harm is being done.
Just strange to me that the 5th Gen 4Runners lean slightly to the left but pull slightly to the right?
They put the 4R up on the rack and said the alignment looked fine. The service manager offered to drive it with me and see if he could see the problem.
He drove it and agreed that it definitely pulls more than it should to the right even with the crown in the road.
He offered to adjust the position of the steering wheel/alignment to account for the difference but that would require another appointment. I haven't taken it back yet to have it adjusted and I don't think I will. It doesn't bother me that much anymore and the tires are wearing evenly so no harm is being done.
Just strange to me that the 5th Gen 4Runners lean slightly to the left but pull slightly to the right?
hamiltonj2w1
New member
Mine pulled to the right until I lifted it and now it seems to drive perfectly straight weird huh?
SevenMaryThree
New member
Just turned 1k miles on my '11 LE. It tracks straight as an arrow. Practically drives itself.
jreiter
New member
I wonder if you had a bad alignment from the factory. Maybe after you lifted it and had it re-aligned, the alignment shop fixed it.?
TreeFarmer
New member
What is the deal? I thought I was being overly critical because I just dropped 35k, but now I realize I am not the only one with alignment issues. I have been in the shop 3 times. still pulling right- not as bad, but still pulling right.
Will this be a recall issue?
Will this be a recall issue?
I too had an alignment issue with my 4R...pulling right/steering wheel off center. It took two trips back to the dealer, but they finally got it fixed. 7500 miles later it's still fine. Initially, they told me it was within spec, but I told them I wasn't a stock car driver and didn't want to constantly steer left to go straight. I even re-test drove a different color 4R that I'd driven before...just to make sure it wasn't in my head...and it drove perfectly straight, so I knew it could be fixed. The sales guy tried to tell me that the 4R is a truck and wouldn't steer like the Mazdaspeed3 I traded for it. I told him that a $36000+ vehicle should drive straight. He agreed.(the dealer was actually cool about everything) My point is that the 4R can and will drive straight. Just keep taking it back until it drives the way you want it to...don't accept that it's "just the way it is".
harper7
Senior Member
What kind of alignment specs did they get for the rear wheels since they did all 4?
eskimochaos
Banned
Is it only in 4wd? Could be torque steer?
WFO_Racer
New member
Let me pull the page from the dealer when I get to the house. I was surprised it went off like it did. Was fine when new and only went off on the drive back from Yuma Az to Newport Beach Ca. The TE is stock only driven on streets and freeways up till that point.
JMS87
New member
same problem
My 2014 SR5 has also been pulling to the right since day one. Doesn't matter if I'm driving on the highway or a parking lot, it will stay straight for a little then slowly curve left more and more if I don't hold the wheel. I took it in and had an alignment done. One or more of the numbers were out of spec so they fixed it. It is still pulling to the right same as before. I took it in to my dealer for service and they drove it then checked the alignment and concluded that its is the road crown making it turn right. This can't be the case since it happens on highway, neighborhood, parking lot, etc. Not to mention I drive my other car on the same roads and it goes straight no problem. So I don't know what else can cause it. As long as the tires wear evenly it should be fine, but its still pretty annoying.
My 2014 SR5 has also been pulling to the right since day one. Doesn't matter if I'm driving on the highway or a parking lot, it will stay straight for a little then slowly curve left more and more if I don't hold the wheel. I took it in and had an alignment done. One or more of the numbers were out of spec so they fixed it. It is still pulling to the right same as before. I took it in to my dealer for service and they drove it then checked the alignment and concluded that its is the road crown making it turn right. This can't be the case since it happens on highway, neighborhood, parking lot, etc. Not to mention I drive my other car on the same roads and it goes straight no problem. So I don't know what else can cause it. As long as the tires wear evenly it should be fine, but its still pretty annoying.
1engineer
Moderator
If it is a very gradual right pull then that is normal. If the thing parks itself after letting go of the wheel then you have issues. Specs are designed to pull to the right for safety so if you fall asleep or become incapacitated while driving your vehicle will gently drift off your side of the road and not into oncoming traffic.
When I am overseas driving on the left their vehicles will gently pull to the left believe it or not.
When I am overseas driving on the left their vehicles will gently pull to the left believe it or not.
Jeremy556
New member
Can you post the alignment specs?
JMS87
New member
measurements
--------------------FRONT:
LEFT FRONT:------------------------RIGHT FRONT:
Camber: -0.10----------------------Camber: -0.10
Caster: 2.80------------------------Caster: 2.50
Toe: 0.05----------------------------Toe: 0.50
-------------------Total Toe: 0.10
-------------------Steer Ahead: 0.00
----------------------REAR:
LEFT REAR:-------------------------RIGHT REAR:
Camber: 0.00----------------------Camber: -0.30
Toe: -0.01--------------------------Toe: 0.06
--------------------Total Toe: 0.05
--------------------Thrust Angle: -0.04
The pull is more than gradual IMO. Hard to say how much but its noticeable when I let go of the wheel.
--------------------FRONT:
LEFT FRONT:------------------------RIGHT FRONT:
Camber: -0.10----------------------Camber: -0.10
Caster: 2.80------------------------Caster: 2.50
Toe: 0.05----------------------------Toe: 0.50
-------------------Total Toe: 0.10
-------------------Steer Ahead: 0.00
----------------------REAR:
LEFT REAR:-------------------------RIGHT REAR:
Camber: 0.00----------------------Camber: -0.30
Toe: -0.01--------------------------Toe: 0.06
--------------------Total Toe: 0.05
--------------------Thrust Angle: -0.04
The pull is more than gradual IMO. Hard to say how much but its noticeable when I let go of the wheel.
Last edited:
Your caster is too low (try closer to 4deg) and also your right caster is .3 less than your left caster.
"If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line."
Wheel Alignment A Short Course | CarParts.com
Having said that, my vehicle would always pull to the right with a "perfect" alignment, even in the left lane of the highway (ie crowned to the left). I ended up having them align it so the caster was .4 higher on the right side (up to .5 left/right caster difference is acceptable). They told me it could effect tire wear, but it definitely helps keep the vehicle going straight IMO.
"If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line."
Wheel Alignment A Short Course | CarParts.com
Having said that, my vehicle would always pull to the right with a "perfect" alignment, even in the left lane of the highway (ie crowned to the left). I ended up having them align it so the caster was .4 higher on the right side (up to .5 left/right caster difference is acceptable). They told me it could effect tire wear, but it definitely helps keep the vehicle going straight IMO.