2011 LEAF pulling slightly to left under acceleration

[philso]

I noticed yesterday that when accelerating at speeds over about 20 mph, up to 60 mph, my 2011 LEAF pulls slightly to the left. When the accelerator pedal is released, it pulls to the right by about the same amount. It takes a correction of 2-3 degrees on the steering wheel to keep it going straight. I found it did this on a variety of (paved) road surfaces, all of which were pretty smooth and free from ruts. I test beyond 60 mph. I have owned the LEAF for 4 years now and have never noticed this effect before. There are no clunking sounds when going over bumps. Does this sound like some suspension components are wearing out and need to be replaced or is it torque-steer that I had not noticed before? Thanks.

 

[FinnishCoffee]

This can be caused by many different things, including tire wear and tie rod ends. Also, a (very) slight pull to the centre of the road is to be expected, but this can be exacerbated by suspension wear. Get your suspension checked, replace worn parts and get a realignment, making sure the alignment is done with the steering wheel locked to straight on with the car powered on to make sure the electric power steering does not cause any issues with the alignment.

 

[nlspace]

First Order Effects:
What is the tire pressure of the Left tire? and of the Right?
According to Hunter Engineering the car will pull under acceleration to the side with the lower pressure.

 

[Chad E. Mo]

I experience significant torque-steer in my SV+. It's one of the peeves that I hope can be corrected by upgrading the shocks & struts.

I don't hammer the accelerator that often, but I want predictable handling when I do.

 

[philso]

Thanks for your responses. I forgot to mention that the TPMS alert indicator came on recently with the recent change in temperature here. I will air up and see if the issue goes away. Hopefully, that is all it is. By the way, I am at around 85,000 miles and don't hear any clunking from the suspension or see any uneven tire wear.

 

[philso]

I was finally able to get some time to get under my Leaf and look at the suspension bushings. The front lower control arms all looked okay. They had been replaced about a year and half ago. What I found was the bushings for the Rear Suspension Beam looked cracked and worn out. I called Courtesy Nissan, where I have been getting a lot of parts for my Xterra and they said that the bushings are not available separately and one would have to purchase the whole Rear Suspension Beam. He stated that this is pretty typical of all Nissans. The cost is around $1500 plus around $300 - $500 for shipping. Installation involves removing all the braking components from the rear.

Has anyone found a way to replace just the two bushings in the Rear Suspension Beam?

 

[nlspace]

If you can measure the bushing dimensions, e.g. OD, width, bolt hole size and spacer/sleeve width, etc. Then you can do a web search to find bushings. Some company had to make those and there are plenty out there. Nissan may not sell them, but other folks do.

With the right press tool they can probably be swapped out on the car without removing the entire rear axle.

 

[trailerparkleaf]

I was finally able to get some time to get under my Leaf and look at the suspension bushings. The front lower control arms all looked okay. They had been replaced about a year and half ago. What I found was the bushings for the Rear Suspension Beam looked cracked and worn out. I called Courtesy Nissan, where I have been getting a lot of parts for my Xterra and they said that the bushings are not available separately and one would have to purchase the whole Rear Suspension Beam. He stated that this is pretty typical of all Nissans. The cost is around $1500 plus around $300 - $500 for shipping. Installation involves removing all the braking components from the rear.

Has anyone found a way to replace just the two bushings in the Rear Suspension Beam?

FWIW I have owned 3 Leafs, all subject to torque steer under acceleration.