Anyone experience their steering wheel "sticking" a little in turns?

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I've got a 2011 XLT 4WD and we really love it. It's been a great vehicle to date.

One odd thing I've noticed is that while driving on back roads (40-55 MPH) whenever I go into a corner and have to turn the steering wheel slightly to the left, it tends to stick a little. I am able to un-stick it with minimal force, but a couple of times as a test, I've let go of the steering wheel while this was occurring, and it did not center itself as it should. This only happens in left turns, not right turns--and the steering feels just fine otherwise at all speeds.

Anyone else run across this? No faults of any sort have been apparent, but I can pretty much duplicate this issue on demand.

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

[peterk9]

I've got a 2011 XLT 4WD and we really love it. It's been a great vehicle to date.

One odd thing I've noticed is that while driving on back roads (40-55 MPH) whenever I go into a corner and have to turn the steering wheel slightly to the left, it tends to stick a little. I am able to un-stick it with minimal force, but a couple of times as a test, I've let go of the steering wheel while this was occurring, and it did not center itself as it should. This only happens in left turns, not right turns--and the steering feels just fine otherwise at all speeds.

Anyone else run across this? No faults of any sort have been apparent, but I can pretty much duplicate this issue on demand.

Thanks in advance,
Tim

I don't recall reading anything about this issue. There have been other steering issues but not the 'sticking' kind.
Perhaps another member who has experienced it but didn't post about it will reply. I just hope it isn't a precursor to total steering failure. Have you had this issue for long?

Peter

Peter

 

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I don't recall reading anything about this issue. There have been other steering issues but not the 'sticking' kind.
Perhaps another member who has experienced it but didn't post about it will reply. I just hope it isn't a precursor to total steering failure. Have you had this issue for long?

Peter

Peter

Hey Peter-

Thanks for your reply. I'd say it's been a few months. Part of the challenge for me is that I only drive my Explorer a few times a month. Since, it's my wife's daily driver, I don't always promptly hear when the truck is has a new "sound" or "behavior"...as I recently discovered on our trip up to Cape Cod last weekend that the right front brake rotor is warped after 35k miles (looks like I'll be shopping for aftermarket front rotors and pads today )

I think we're due for a synthetic oil change soon, so I'll have one of the techs take it for a spin and try to "reproduce the issue". Hopefully that doesn't go the same route as getting the dealer to **finally** reproduce the constant rattling and replace our broken A-pillar clips.

Thanks again for chiming in. Have a great weekend....

Tim

 

[FordService]

...I think we're due for a synthetic oil change soon, so I'll have one of the techs take it for a spin and try to "reproduce the issue". Hopefully that doesn't go the same route as getting the dealer to **finally** reproduce the constant rattling and replace our broken A-pillar clips...

Let me know how things go at the dealership, TimGinCentralNJ. If you find yourself needing any assistance, send a PM my way and I'll do what I can to help. When the time comes, be sure to include your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name in your PM.

Crystal

 

[1995E]

Could it be the way the road bends? I know for a fact that the car itself doesn't force itself straight. It's the forces of the road that most of the time, forces the wheels to straighten out. If the curvature of the road permits it, the steering would steer towards the lower part of the ground I think is how it works.

 

[LukerDooker]

Hey Peter-

Thanks for your reply. I'd say it's been a few months. Part of the challenge for me is that I only drive my Explorer a few times a month. Since, it's my wife's daily driver, I don't always promptly hear when the truck is has a new "sound" or "behavior"...as I recently discovered on our trip up to Cape Cod last weekend that the right front brake rotor is warped after 35k miles (looks like I'll be shopping for aftermarket front rotors and pads today )

I think we're due for a synthetic oil change soon, so I'll have one of the techs take it for a spin and try to "reproduce the issue". Hopefully that doesn't go the same route as getting the dealer to **finally** reproduce the constant rattling and replace our broken A-pillar clips.

Thanks again for chiming in. Have a great weekend....

Tim

...wait it pulls on left turns but you may have a warped right rotor? ...
...makes sense to me....?

 

[peterk9]

...wait it pulls on left turns but you may have a warped right rotor? ...
...makes sense to me....?

I don't think he linked one to the other. Just saying that he also noticed the right rotor problem when he got to drive it.

Peter

 

[Kiliona]

Could it be the way the road bends? I know for a fact that the car itself doesn't force itself straight. It's the forces of the road that most of the time, forces the wheels to straighten out. If the curvature of the road permits it, the steering would steer towards the lower part of the ground I think is how it works.

Actually it's the caster that makes your steering wheel center itself. Your steering axis actually points at a place somewhat in front of your tire (AKA positive caster), this causes the effect of it "dragging" your tire and that makes the tire automatically try and straighten out (path of least resistance). It's like a computer chair, the wheels go behind where it is connected to the chair so when you move the chair the wheels effectively follow the chair, automatically centering them.

You're thinking of camber i believe which is where the tire is slightly tilted out from the vehicle, like \ /. Roads have crowns and so tires camber is set to try and compensate for that, the crown pulls the car to the outside of the road so the camber is more positive towards the inside of the road to compensate.

 

[TimGinCentralNJ]

Let me know how things go at the dealership, TimGinCentralNJ. If you find yourself needing any assistance, send a PM my way and I'll do what I can to help. When the time comes, be sure to include your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name in your PM.

Crystal

Chrystal-

Will do. Appreciate your note.

Regards,
Tim

 

[TimGinCentralNJ]

Could it be the way the road bends? I know for a fact that the car itself doesn't force itself straight. It's the forces of the road that most of the time, forces the wheels to straighten out. If the curvature of the road permits it, the steering would steer towards the lower part of the ground I think is how it works.

Good thought, but actually the steering wheel physically "sticks" during a certain point while turning left--regardless of road surface or any anomalies in it (definitely not tram-lining) . Leading up to and after that point, it feels perfectly normal. It is most noticeable under light throttle and less so while coasting.

Thanks for chiming in.....
Tim

 

[TimGinCentralNJ]

...wait it pulls on left turns but you may have a warped right rotor? ...
...makes sense to me....?

Yeah, no connection there unfortunately. If the right rotor (or specifically the right caliper) were dragging on the rotor, there would be a constant pull to the right side--which is very much different from the conditions I'm experiencing.

I'm confident the two issue are unrelated and I'm pretty sure--judging by a lot of the posts here--that around 35k miles isn't uncommon for front rotors to begin warping...depending on driving style, of course.

Thanks for chiming in....
Tim