check edmunds.com forum regarding left pull problem

[bigpow]

go check it out - apparently, A LOT of Solaras have this problem.

Quoted from the forum:

"...it's not a problem, it's a new feature - driver keep aware. driver has to keep steering to drive straight..."

"...Toyota actually bought the car back..."

etc...etc...etc...


Tsk...tsk...tsk... Toyota... what have you done???

[slingshot]

Look at this forum message there (number 304):

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?1 ... f0719e/301

Excerpt:

I bought a new Solara SLE V6 about a month ago. I noticed right away that the car pulled slightly to the left. I took it to the dealer near my house yesterday to have this checked he test drove it and admitted that it pulled but couldent check the alignment because he didn`t have the spec,s yet.
So much for that dealer, next I took it to the dealer where I purchased it. (13 miles away) He took it in, anaylized it, and said that they knew about the problem with the Solaras and had a fix for it. Three hours later I was driving home with a car that steers like it should. I don`t know the exact fix but it has to do with changing the hardware at the top of the strut so that the camber adjustment could be changed so the car wouldn`t pull. They followed up by doing a complete alignment check front and rear. Bottom line is that these cars come from the factory aligned per spec. but the spec,s are wrong and have to be modified.
Not only did they fix that but they pulled the dashboard part way out and fixed an annoying chirping noise that was coming from the instrument area.

[bigpow]

Tomorrow I'll have my 2nd visit to the dealer (to fix the steering) - total visits so far = 4 times (3X to fix cargo net hooks).

I need four visit with failures to fix for the lemon law?

Heck, if they can't make it right at the 4th visit, I'll exercise it.

Now I'm starting to gather some names & numbers of Attorney General, arbitration, etc. Learning about lemon law & its aspects.

Wish me luck.

[LunarMistGray]

Bigpow wrote

Tomorrow I'll have my 2nd visit to the dealer (to fix the steering) - total visits so far = 4 times (3X to fix cargo net hooks).

I need four visit with failures to fix for the lemon law?

Heck, if they can't make it right at the 4th visit, I'll exercise it.

Now I'm starting to gather some names & numbers of Attorney General, arbitration, etc. Learning about lemon law & its aspects.

Wish me luck

Your dealer must be shady or doesn't care. The pull left is a problem.
This is what my dealer wrote on the ticket: "struts, top mount supports and space plates out of spec; ordered parts, on national back order about 3 week delay." The only bad thing is a 3 week delay on parts.

Here are the parts that they ordered:
48510-A9350 Absorber Set, Shoc
48520-A9210 Absorber Assy, Sh
48471-06030 Seat, Fr Spring
48609-06090 Support S/A Fr S

My only question is for those that had their cars fixed is the camber adjustment really the whole fix given that the struts,etc are out of spec. The camber adjustment will make you go straight, but it doesn't address the issue of the struts,space plates, etc being out of spec.

What do you think?

[bigpow]

That's a very good question!

If the problem is related to design - rather than build issue or component issue - then we're dealing with something far greater here.

Here's the thing, if it was caused by build quality or component problems, then after everything's fixed... the problem is all fixed.

But, if it's the design flaw (meaning that despite all correct build quality & component specs - still problem) - then they can try to fix & replace everything... the problem will still be there. It will only be masked with something else.

My analogy is like this:
You're eating with a straight spoon - but since your plate is crooked, your spoon keeps hitting the plate. Therefore, instead of fixing the crooked plate... Toyota actually bend the spoon - to fix it.
The plate is still crooked but since the spoon is bent, it won't hit the plate again. Hence the problem seems to be fixed.


Ok, I better stop now before my blood pressure raise to the roof.

[TW85]

Anyone have a TSB # for the pulling to the left? My car pulls a bit, not enough to worry about immediately but I will have it addressed at the first oil change.

[fotodad]

Bigpow wrote

Here are the parts that they ordered:
48510-A9350 Absorber Set, Shoc
48520-A9210 Absorber Assy, Sh
48471-06030 Seat, Fr Spring
48609-06090 Support S/A Fr S

It's interesting how your list of parts differs from Buckeyegirl's list of parts. Are these dealers just experimenting until something works?

The paperwork from the dealer lists the following:
Vehicle pulls left, camber out.
Perform alignment and add camber bolt positive 1 degree.
1- Bolt w/washer base P/N 90105-17001
1- Nut flange P/N 90178-17001

[slingshot]

I wonder which parts the TSB will say to use. Maybe the TSB will list parts that are in neither's list. I hope someone tells us in this forum immediately when this TSB comes out. My drift is so minor it is no problem now for the moment. I only notice it on highways, never on local roads. Anyone seeing the same?

[angelo]

after the 3rd visit to the dealer and fixing the camber, tire rotation (again and again!) and balancing my drift is ...almost gone... .
Actually there's practically no-to-little drift on highway speeds, but the car still pulls heavy to the left when accellerating...

[Buckeyegirl]

It's interesting how your list of parts differs from Buckeyegirl's list of parts. Are these dealers just experimenting until something works?

The paperwork from the dealer lists the following:
Vehicle pulls left, camber out.
Perform alignment and add camber bolt positive 1 degree.
1- Bolt w/washer base P/N 90105-17001
1- Nut flange P/N 90178-17001

[/quote]

Go with the parts listed above and it should cure the problem, it did for me.
I told my dealer not to rotate the tires. This is a band-aid fix to try and cure the drift. A lot of dealers are trying this first insted of doing it right. My car only has 1,300K miles on it and I wasn't about to let them tell me it was radial pull. I personally can't see where changing the struts has anything to do with the alignment.

[LunarMistGray]

fotodad wrote

t's interesting how your list of parts differs from Buckeyegirl's list of parts. Are these dealers just experimenting until something works?

I think Buckeyegirl's was a temporary fix. Her struts and etc out still out of spec, but by adjusting the camber they made the car work even with struts and things being out of spec. It's also interesting that there is a back order for the parts which means they are in high demand. My dealer didn't even test drive to see if what I was saying was true. He already knew what I was talking about. For those people taking your car to the dealer, it has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the alignment or rotating tires; print this thread and take it too the dealer. My car drifts only slightly and I was debating whether I should mention it to the dealer. Hopefully the parts will fix the drift.

All the camber does is points the wheels ever so slightly in a certain direction. Just like NASCAR cars; when they are driving on ovals they have the cambers on the car adjusted so that the wheels turn left slightly. If they are driving on a straight, they have to turn the wheel slightly right to counteract the wheels pointing left. This helps them get around track faster.

[bigpow]

after the 3rd visit to the dealer and fixing the camber, tire rotation (again and again!) and balancing my drift is ...almost gone... .
Actually there's practically no-to-little drift on highway speeds, but the car still pulls heavy to the left when accellerating...

You didn't just describe torque steering, right?

[Guest]

after the 3rd visit to the dealer and fixing the camber, tire rotation (again and again!) and balancing my drift is ...almost gone... .
Actually there's practically no-to-little drift on highway speeds, but the car still pulls heavy to the left when accellerating...

You didn't just describe torque steering, right?

it's not just torque steering, believe me...it's interesting though that now my car drifts on low speeds only

[bigpow]

after the 3rd visit to the dealer and fixing the camber, tire rotation (again and again!) and balancing my drift is ...almost gone... .
Actually there's practically no-to-little drift on highway speeds, but the car still pulls heavy to the left when accellerating...

You didn't just describe torque steering, right?

it's not just torque steering, believe me...it's interesting though that now my car drifts on low speeds only

And you said it was fixed?

I just read these jokes this morning regarding this problem:
1. It's not a fault. It's a feature. It's called Toyota Keep-Awake Feature. Drivers have to hold on tight on the steering wheel and keep adjusting it.
2. It's designed to race at NASCAR, it's a feature called auto-steering. (get it?)

You know it's bad if you started to make joke of your lemon car.

[Buckeyegirl]

[/quote]I think Buckeyegirl's was a temporary fix. Her struts and etc out still out of spec, but by adjusting the camber they made the car work even with struts and things being out of spec. It's also interesting that there is a back order for the parts which means they are in high demand. My dealer didn't even test drive to see if what I was saying was true. He already knew what I was talking about. For those people taking your car to the dealer, it has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the alignment or rotating tires; print this thread and take it too the dealer. My car drifts only slightly and I was debating whether I should mention it to the dealer. Hopefully the parts will fix the drift.

All the camber does is points the wheels ever so slightly in a certain direction. Just like NASCAR cars; when they are driving on ovals they have the cambers on the car adjusted so that the wheels turn left slightly. If they are driving on a straight, they have to turn the wheel slightly right to counteract the wheels pointing left. This helps them get around track faster.[/quote]

(-) Camber is when the top of the tire is tilted in toward the car.
(+) Camber is when the top of the tire is tilted away from the car.
Toe-in/Toe-out is when the tire is pointed inward or outward like being pigeon toed. Both are tire wearing adjustments.
Caster is when the strut or spindle is tilted front to back and is not a tire wearing adjustment. Most new cars do not have a caster adjustment, that's why when you get in a front end collision and your into the struts your better off selling the car because it's never the same.
So yes if your camber or toe are out of adjustment the car will pull to one side, it's very important that the air pressure is correct.