What's up everyone. I just got my new 06' xA yesterday and I so far love it. I took it off the lot mostly stock, all I got was the upgraded radio. No big deal though, I like it the way it is, but I plan to eventually change out the rims/wheels.

Anyway, that leads into my question. I have noticed that the car seems to have very finicky steering, like memory steer, but not quite. I don't know if the tires just have really good grip, or if I should be worried. It just feels like when I make sharp left turns that the steering wheel doesn't want to return back to straight as I let go of it, it just kind of feels like it sticks a little, and I have to pull it back to straight a hair before it will auto return.

This could all be a bunch of crap in my head, and I just wanted to see if anyone else ever noticed this with their xA when running the stock steel wheels. I was also thinking that it might just be me needing to readjust to a lighter, Japanese made car again. I just traded in my 04 VW Golf, which had German steering (which tends to be very good) and was quite a bit heavier (as far as I have been told), as well as 17in rims with much wider tires. Hence my thinking that I might just need to adjust to the new car.

That's about it though, the only other problem I noticed was that my left front brake backing plate was slightly contacting the rotor, so I pulled it out a bit and it's all good now. Sorry if this question is common, but I did a search and didn't find anything relevant.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

 

Congrats on your new Xa....As for the steering issue, I haven't exprienced the problem with mine. Maybe it's the loose nut behind the wheel...LOL J/K

 

welcome!

I noticed that little sterring thing on mine as well. it seems to happen mostly when im accellerating in a turn. and it's actually a little worse with my new rims and tires. it's hardly noticable though and as I recall my geo storm used to do the same thing. it's probably just torque steer due to more power going to the inside wheel (the one turning slower) thereby counteracting the natural tendancy for caster to pull the wheels straight.

try coasting through a turn in neutral and see if you still feel it "stick"

see ya!
mike

 

Turn the wheel and hit the gas... torque steer will be in every front wheel drive ever built... some cars just hide it better.


Welcome, you will love the car!

 

Yeah, there is a tricky left over traintracks on my way to work and the frist time I made the light there and was powering through that turn it freaked me out. Now I don't notice it at all. I think it is simply a case of having to get used to yoru new babies "quirks!"

have fun!

 

allright dude i can help ya out here. my family has only merede bends and the stearing is really heavy and my xA is the polar oppsite its stearing is realyl light. ive been trying to find a way to make the stearing heavier. there is nothing to worry about, your car is totally fine. It's just diffrent than the usall german car.

 

mine does teh steering thing too, especially when im making a right onto a street near my house that is tilted slightly to the right...so its even worse. you have to actually turn the wheel back to its straight position.


you will enjoy your xA even with its small issues its a fantastic car

 

Excellent. I figured it was probably just an adjustment thing going from one car to another. Seeing others that have the same thing makes it feel better though.

As for the car, 2 full days with it and I love it to death already. It is the only car I have ever owned that had such a "charm" about it. I find myself just looking towards it every once in awhile out of the window and grinning.

Anyways, thanks for the info everyone, I appreciate it.

 

Hi Tom and welcome to SL. You're right to say that the xA has a certain charm all its own; partly do to its cool looks and partly do to how much fun it is to drive! Enjoy your Scion adventure and we will see you around the forum!

 

'9_ Ford Contour hides it very well, the thing pulled better than the V6 'Stang (as it should, it had more power, even being 1.3l smaller) and for the first few times I drove it, I thought it was RWD.

Tom, Welcome...

I haven't noticed the sterring thing, but I have noticed a rather nasty tendency to put a huge grin on my face every time I get behind the wheel.

 

Hey welcome to the family.

Regarding the steering, no worries. These cars perform that way due to, even when they are small compact entry level rides, the suspension is sport tuned per focus groups requests. These rides have a very good cornering suspension for the price. Of course the weight and the size also helps. I have springs and wide tires with 18 inch wheels on mine, thats it and it grips like crazy in the turns. I enjoy it a lot.

Enjoy the ride..