[jimmymac]

I've had my 2004 SL FWD for about three weeks now and I absolutely love it! I do have a minor issue however. If I take off from a dead stop into a turn at a fairly quick rate I feel the steering sort of go soft or feel funny anyway (I don't really know how to describe it). It's almost like this is the opposite of how most people define torque steer where they say it gets very difficult to turn the wheel. After straighteneing out everything returns to normal.

Now, keep in mind that this doesn't happen at all during normal driving. I must confess that it's only when I'm playing around a little to see what the handling is really like. If I'm at a slow speed making a turn it doesn't see to happen- only from a dead stop and accelerating into a turn (felt it going both left and right).

Any comments? Is this normal?

Thanks,
jimmymac

 

[hfelknor]

I cannot comment on your problem as I guess I don't quite understand your difficulty.

But let's clear up some terminology.
Torque steer is not "most people define torque steer where they say it gets very difficult to turn the wheel".

Torque steer is when you nail it and it goes off to the right even with the wheel straight ahead.
The Murano has what I would call "mild" torque steer.

Of course , if you are trying to achieve max acceleration froma dead stop into a turn, you could get some strange handling. On any car.
FWD, RWD, AWD.
Try it in a Corvette and you will likely spin out of control. Or any other car that has real power.


I've never tried it on any car I have ever owned.


Probably not really noticeable on a 112 HP Honda of course.......

Homer

 

[darrylburke]

Jimmy:

This one sounds similiar to the way the other steering problems have been described (As I have been trying to get my dealer for fix for a year)..

it's a hard problem to replicate (not has been able to do it for a dealer), as well it's not just "one distinct" type of use that causes it.
I've had a similiar problem.. hard acceleration, hard turns etc.. the steering seems to "drop" pressue and come back etc.

 

[Tyler_Canada]

Is it possible you are spinning a wheel? It's quite easy to spin a wheel when accelerating from a stop with the wheels turned.

 

[generator]

it is a well known fact that the steer pump cannot maintain the proper p.s.i. to properly move the steering rack at idling speeds. most people do not notice it as they are not normally spinning the steering wheel rapidly as they are traveling at idle speeds. I experience this all the time when bringing my car into its tight parking space. In my situation pressing on the accelerator could prove hazardous to my car but turning the wheel quickly is necessary. I think nissan could easily resolve this issue by supplying a slightly smaller pulley on the steer pump and providing different orifice or bypass valves in the rack. love the car but some of Nissans engineers gotta go back to school. why did they redesign this s**t. they had it right on the pathfinder.

 

[GMTURBO43]

Isn't this the one problem that Consumer Reports had.

"Loss of Power Steering at Low Speeds" or something like that.

I've never felt it - at the same time - if I'm punching the gas I'm gonna have the steering wheel straight. Unless I'm already moving