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Anyone Else Experience This (Car "Hunts")?

5K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  RaVeNous 
#1 ·
Since I've had my V, I've noticed that on some types of roads, generally those that have the depressions ("ruts") from lots of traffic, that my car really seems to "wander" or "hunt" in the lane - for lack of a better term.

What I mean is it feels as if the car seems to wiggle or shake back and forth quickly, much like what happens whenever you drive over some pavement that has been shaved down in preparation for resurfacing. Everyone's heads that are in the car when this happens, including myself, shakes side-to-side almost as if I was making a series of quick, sharp steering wheel inputs. My wife hates it and often accuses me of doing it on purpose. It doesn't do it on basic rough roads etc., just on roads with wheel ruts, even very minor ones.

My steering is nice and tight, but it kind of feels much like driving a car in which there is a lot of play in the steering.

When I first experienced it, I attributed it to the wide, low profile tires and the fact that there was very little sidewall (which is quite stiff as well) for the tires to absorb these types of imperfections, but the other day I was booting on it pretty good on a major freeway, rounding a gentle curve, when the car started doing it to the point I became uncomfortable and let off the gas.

It's in at the dealer today for other other issues, so I asked them to check the tire rods, alignment, etc. Does anyone else's car do this, or am I alone?

Tks
 
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#7 ·
The car doesn't really pull too much, its almost like it starts to pull, then changes its mind. This feels "like" a pull, but at the same time, different than a pull (how's that for descriptive!) There are no steering wheel corrections required. I rarely use sport mode, so that's not the culprit. Might be a mag ride problem..., I guess if one of the shocks was behaving different that the others, it could present symptoms(?)

I asked the dealer that if someone were to road test it (cringe), to make sure it was someone who was experienced with V's or Vettes - something with similar tires / suspension. I do think it is propably just the dynamics of the tires, and if so, I can live with it, but I just want to make sure that there is nothing else going on.
 
#8 ·
Sounds like more than tires to me. Have you checked your tie rods? If they are bad or the nuts are loose, you're taking some real chances driving aggressively. I think one of the forum members spun out because of that problem. In the very least, have your dealer check the suspension pieces.
 
#11 ·
Your alignment may be off (too much toe out in the rear). My car just came back form the dealership because of a similar problem. One of the toe control/tie rod bolts was loose and about to come off. The rear end was washing out bad at freeway speeds, and it scared the poop outta me. Dealer tightened the bolt, checked the alignment, and now it is back to the way it was - awesome.
 
#12 ·
Well mine did that as well and the car also spun out once the rod broke. It drove like that for a month or so.

The recall replaces the parts that are bad, but have them not only check them, but loosen the rods completly and back them out, as mine looked good, and the nut was even tight, yet, the threads where all rusted out and gone.... Heck i would just ask them to totally just replace them with new ones just in case..

It could have been alot worse.. luckly no one was around on the road when i was. The stability control system did not work to save me either in that situation. It just spun.. I think making the situation worse. Rain+ broken tie rod= spin @ 60mph.
 
#13 ·
Well, I got the car back yesterday. Both tires on the left were slightly out of alignment, so they did a 4 wheel align and adjusted the tire pressures. I was looking forward to a nice stable car again.

However, after I picked it up the problem was actually worse! The car would tramline almost constantly, even at slow speeds and even on my residential street.

So I went to the dealership today to book it in again next week and to see if I could perhaps drive another V or Vette that they had on the lot (with similar tires) to see if perhaps what I was experiencing was normal for these cars, and I was just being too sensitive.

They had no Vs on the lot, and "We don't test drive Corvettes" (whatever..!), so I asked one of the salesmen if he had driven a V. He said he had driven them quite a bit, so I asked him to drive mine and let me know his thoughts. As soon as we pulled out of the lot, he said "something's not right". The more we drove it, the more he commented that this was not normal behaviour for a V.

We went back, and he got the shop foreman to come out. He and I took it for a drive as well, and even before we left the lot, he said "that doesn't feel right".

So we did another quick drive, and he assured me that there was something definitely not right. Phew...at least it wasn't all in my head. I got out and he pulled it around back to put it up on a lift.

A couple minutes later he came out and got me. "Found the problem", he said.

As we walked up to the car, he took me to the passenger's side of the car and grabbed the right rear wheel and attempted to shake it (like checking the bearing). It was solid and tight. Then he took me around to the driver's side and did the same thing with the left rear wheel. That one moved back and forth significantly. "Bearing?" I asked. "Nope...I'll show you" he said, and he raised the car up so we could walk underneath.

This is what he showed me:

Auto part Wheel Tire Automotive wheel system Brake


The bolt holding the tie rod end had started backing out, allowing considerable play in the left rear wheel.

I think some alignment tech is gonna get his nuts in a wringer by the boss. Defintiely shoddy workmanship on behalf of the technician who was supposed to give all the related comonents a good insepction then check / do an alignment, (did he not even do a quick road test?) but kudos to the shop foreman for taking care of me. Its going back in on Tuesday to have the alignment checked, and to get my passenger side engine beauty trim panel replaced; whoever worked on it just pulled it off and broke the plastic hooks that go under the strut tower brace. So far this dealership has treated me very well, but I have to admit I am none too impressed by the work done by the actual technician(s) who worked on my car.
 
#14 ·
Then he took me around to the driver's side and did the same thing with the left rear wheel.
View attachment 78160

The bolt holding the tie rod end had started backing out, allowing considerable play in the left rear wheel.
WOW! I had the same symptoms and had my car booked at the dealer tomorrow morning to have them look at it. I just picked my car up last Saturday and on my 850 mile drive from TX to Atlanta, I felt the car wandering a bit. No problem, I thought. I will just have the alignment and tire pressures checked when I get to GA. I had a full alignment performed and the condition actually became worse!

I just found your thread and checked my car, it turns out my tie rod bolt was not as bad as yours, mine was only off 4-5 turns.

Now everything is perfect and I don't have to go see the dealer at 8am tomorrow morning!

THANK YOU!!!!
 
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