I bought a used '11 Ralliart (33k) and everything was perfect. The car handled much better than the GTS (previous car, was totaled when I was hit by a texting driver...I wanted to do mean things to her, I loved my GTS ).

One day after a very heavy rain (and around 4k miles later) I got in the car as usual to head to work and I noticed it almost immediately: my car handled like absolute ****.

The steering wheel felt loose, you know like ****ty rental car loose. It feels like I need to turn the steering wheel twice as much as before for the same results. Not fun! I also noticed when driving on rough roads (some pretty bad roads in Texas) the car jars and bounces around...almost feels like torque steer...in my AWD car...

I started to change my driving habits after going to the dealership 3 times and being told it's all in my head (went to two, Don herring, and Lewisville twice) and feeling like I would lose control of the car if I cornered too hard. I thought maybe that I was just caught up in the 'new car-ness' and just over estimated my ralliart....

Tonight I told myself: "No more!" I decided it was time to drive the ralliart the way it was meant, It was time for me to conquer my fears.....
I got in, put my radio volume on 40, track number 1 (skrillex, Scary monsters and nice sprites) and off I went. Within 3 minutes I almost wrapped myself around a tree....lost traction. I lost traction making a turn that I could have done in the GTS without a second thought.



I've since taken the car to the dealership 3 times, only to be told its all in my head.

Something's definitely wrong. Any ideas? The second time I went into the dealership, I had an alignment performed, same issue.

I have eagle gt all season (215/45/rz18, put on brand new by the dealer I bought from)

Car is completely stock.

 

To me, it's either your tires are bad meaning, they don't grip well in corners, OR you're overdoing your cornering meaning cornering too fast.

Does the ASC light flashes when you corner?

 

As far as I know, the ASC light doesn't blink. I do, however, get the lost traction icon. Tires are practically new, goodyear eagle GT, all season (Maybe the issue? I had comp2's on my GTS, those tires were awesome, althought almost 1k )

 

Check tire pressures. If they are waaaay over the recommended pressure - it would cause this.

Let another RA driver taek 'er out or drive another form the dealership to compare. I can say - the handling should be 'as good' as the GTS cornering and waaay better on hitting the gas coming out of a turn (no more understeer as the front tires fought for grip).

Did the steering wheel 'repsonse' change or was this the first time really driving it? If the steering 'changed' and traction/cornering is 'suddenly' worse - something failed in the suspension - maybe an endlink broke?

So - was it sudden or you never really noticed before?

 

No, this was definitely sudden. I didn't hit any bumps and I don't recall hearing anything sound as if I had broken it. Once I get off I'm going to check tire pressure, perhaps even order another set of tires. I drove the car aggressively t he first week or two (was happy to be out of the Kia rental)

 

When you went to the dealer many times, did they even bother looking the vehicle underneath and check if there's something broken?

 

I would hope so...but thinking back....they never charged me (only for the alignment)....

 

Ok then, if they performed the alignment, generally those alignment techs would look for any loose suspension, wheel bearings, and steering parts before performing alignment. Otherwise, they won't do it.

I'm really leaning towards your tire size man! You said, you had the loss of traction warning light flashed when you cornered, that's the asc flashing light I was referring to. Sorry for my wrong terminology. That flashing on, means that, it's trying to correct itself as you were losing traction.

There might be something wrong with your tires man... Just like the other guy said, too much tire pressure or bad quality... OR maybe you have too many stuff adding too much weight in the vehicle so you got too much momentum or inertia with your car during cornering???

 

post you alignment paperwork if you have it. i know after i change anything suspension wise with this car it can get scary until i get a good alignment within factory specs.

 

I will check to see if i have this paperwork, but the more I think about it, the more I think its my tires that are the issue.

 

For what its worth, I get some gnarly torque steer in my RA as well. To the point where the front end is trying to get outta control

 

^huh? the AWD means waaaay less torque steer (why i love 'er!). If i didn't care about torque-steer i would have bought a MazdaSpeed3....

^You need to get this looked at...

 

Agreed.

I have owned two 2009+ RAs so far, and neither had an issue with torque steer.

 

Well I didnt either untill I put on the GST tune, now I get it when I launch from a stop for sure.

 

The basemap isn't the issue. I had the Cobb stage 2 93 octane map on my old car, no torque steer.

My new car has the latest GST basemap 93 octane, no torque steer.

Ask others, they will no doubt tell you the same thing, Ralliart don't have torque steer issues

You may have an issue with the front LSD.