Steering wheel turns too much over bumps

TheRox · 05-02-2010, 11:02 PM

Hi,

Ever since I hit a major pothole...my steering wheel has been turning way too much (i.e too sensitive) over bumps in the road. THe car no longer drives over bumps with that firm stable feeling of bmw...it feels unstable b/c the wheel turns in response to road bumps, and I have to clench the steering wheel tightly to prevent this.

Anyone have an idea of what might be going on here?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

mike3000fl · 05-02-2010, 11:32 PM

caster? that or you toe is so off that your car is super sensitive

bradford · 05-03-2010, 12:03 AM

Sounds normal for the crappy OEM rear subframe bushings.

David1 · 05-03-2010, 09:22 AM

Call your insurance company. It will not be cheap.

TheRox · 05-03-2010, 02:01 PM

Hmm...I don't quite understand those terms. Both my front tires hit the pothole...hard...it was more of a lift in the road, then a pothole I guess.

My alignment seems ok, I drove at great speed and the car tracked straight. In fact I just completed a 500 KM trip and no issues...except of course the steering wheel feels is weird as described above...it really does turn too much over bumps.

I thought it might be a control arm bushing or something in the front?

stratplaya06 · 05-03-2010, 05:48 PM

Get the alignment checked. At least they'll be under there and they can look at the different parts and if (worst comes to worst) you broke something, you can get it fixed.

TheRox · 05-03-2010, 07:49 PM

thx guys, appreciate the tips...i'll get it checked once i have the time.

sleepyx637 · 05-25-2010, 10:45 PM

so...what was the verdict?

TheRox · 05-26-2010, 09:24 AM

The wheel alignment was shot

dcorn · 05-26-2010, 12:55 PM

I'm wondering if this is my problem as well. When I'm going around on-ramps that have expansion joints or cracks in them, the front end jumps all over the place. It's like the tires won't stick to the ground when it hits those bumps, so it ends up almost understeering, going straight instead of continuing the turn. Gives me a very uneasy feeling to the point where I have to slow down quite a bit.

Couch · 05-26-2010, 01:02 PM

Good ol' bumpsteer.

Glad you got it fixed.

e90pilot · 05-27-2010, 09:11 PM

The alignment on the e90s seems to degrade fairly quickly on bumpy roads. I'd have it checked every 10k mi especially if you have stiffer suspension or even the sport package.

Saisantosh97 · 05-21-2024, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcorn

I'm wondering if this is my problem as well. When I'm going around on-ramps that have expansion joints or cracks in them, the front end jumps all over the place. It's like the tires won't stick to the ground when it hits those bumps, so it ends up almost understeering, going straight instead of continuing the turn. Gives me a very uneasy feeling to the point where I have to slow down quite a bit.

I am having the same issue with my 2023 M340 xdrive, I just have 14k miles on my odometer.
Did you find the solutions ?

Ohio Enthusiast · 05-21-2024, 02:48 PM

Nice thread necro.
The issue is most likely due to bad alignment, particularly toe-out. Even if the steering wheel is centered you can still have some thrust angle ("crabwalk") and/or toe-out front and/or rear that will cause these issues - sensitivity to bumps, excessive following on ruts, etc.

05-02-2010, 11:02 PM	#1
TheRox Colonel 122 Rep 2,312 Posts Drives: 6mt Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Here and there iTrader: (2)	Steering wheel turns too much over bumps Hi, Ever since I hit a major pothole...my steering wheel has been turning way too much (i.e too sensitive) over bumps in the road. THe car no longer drives over bumps with that firm stable feeling of bmw...it feels unstable b/c the wheel turns in response to road bumps, and I have to clench the steering wheel tightly to prevent this. Anyone have an idea of what might be going on here? Thanks, I appreciate it.
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05-02-2010, 11:32 PM	#2
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	caster? that or you toe is so off that your car is super sensitive
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05-03-2010, 12:03 AM	#3
bradford Major 28 Rep 1,035 Posts Drives: 2008 SGM 135i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicago > * iTrader: (4)	Sounds normal for the crappy OEM rear subframe bushings.
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05-03-2010, 09:22 AM	#4
David1 Brigadier General 918 Rep 4,013 Posts Drives: 09 E92 09 X5 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus, OH iTrader: (1)	Call your insurance company. It will not be cheap. __________________ 2021 M2 Comp Sunset Orange \|Black with orange Stitching Dakota Leather\|Executive Pkg\|DCT
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05-03-2010, 02:01 PM	#5
TheRox Colonel 122 Rep 2,312 Posts Drives: 6mt Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Here and there iTrader: (2)	Hmm...I don't quite understand those terms. Both my front tires hit the pothole...hard...it was more of a lift in the road, then a pothole I guess. My alignment seems ok, I drove at great speed and the car tracked straight. In fact I just completed a 500 KM trip and no issues...except of course the steering wheel feels is weird as described above...it really does turn too much over bumps. I thought it might be a control arm bushing or something in the front?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-03-2010, 05:48 PM	#6
stratplaya06 Captain 46 Rep 967 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 335xi-SOLD 5.0 Miata Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (10)	Get the alignment checked. At least they'll be under there and they can look at the different parts and if (worst comes to worst) you broke something, you can get it fixed. __________________ \| PROcede Rev3 \| Vishnu Meth \| DCI \| BMW Perf. Exhaust \| AR Coated/Catless \| CP-E FMIC \| Quaife \|
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05-03-2010, 07:49 PM	#7
TheRox Colonel 122 Rep 2,312 Posts Drives: 6mt Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Here and there iTrader: (2)	thx guys, appreciate the tips...i'll get it checked once i have the time.
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05-25-2010, 10:45 PM	#8
sleepyx637 Captain 19 Rep 952 Posts Drives: '09 E92 335i Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	so...what was the verdict?
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05-26-2010, 09:24 AM	#9
TheRox Colonel 122 Rep 2,312 Posts Drives: 6mt Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Here and there iTrader: (2)	The wheel alignment was shot
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05-26-2010, 12:55 PM	#10
dcorn Captain 86 Rep 951 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 335i Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NoVA iTrader: (2)	I'm wondering if this is my problem as well. When I'm going around on-ramps that have expansion joints or cracks in them, the front end jumps all over the place. It's like the tires won't stick to the ground when it hits those bumps, so it ends up almost understeering, going straight instead of continuing the turn. Gives me a very uneasy feeling to the point where I have to slow down quite a bit.
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05-26-2010, 01:02 PM	#11
Couch Colonel 146 Rep 2,900 Posts Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 E92 335i [0.00]	Good ol' bumpsteer. Glad you got it fixed.
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05-27-2010, 09:11 PM	#12
e90pilot Freight Dawg 104 Rep 2,103 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Oakland, CA iTrader: (3)	The alignment on the e90s seems to degrade fairly quickly on bumpy roads. I'd have it checked every 10k mi especially if you have stiffer suspension or even the sport package. __________________ --Marcelo '06 Arctic Metallic 325i \| Sport Package \| 6MT \| Dinan Stage III suspension \| Dinan exhaust \| 330i manifold swap! Click here! \| Active Autowerke tune \| 135i Brake Calipers \| Deiselboost caliper brackets \| E46 M3 front rotors
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05-21-2024, 02:48 PM	#14
Ohio Enthusiast Private 60 Rep 54 Posts Drives: '11 E93 335i, '18 BRZ Join Date: May 2024 Location: Dayton, OH iTrader: (0)	Nice thread necro. The issue is most likely due to bad alignment, particularly toe-out. Even if the steering wheel is centered you can still have some thrust angle ("crabwalk") and/or toe-out front and/or rear that will cause these issues - sensitivity to bumps, excessive following on ruts, etc.
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