IslandBoy

Out of the Blue my car just started to do the same thing this week!!! The car only has 4700 miles on it. I have put 1500 miles since I bought it recently and it drove perfectly up until this week. At first I thought one tire had gone flat, so I pulled over, and it was fine. It almost feels like something is broken/defective in the rear suspension ..........................
Hope I can find a solution too, as my first DE with the car is coming up at Sebring next weekend.

ArcticFox

Well, I swapped the rear tires and iot now pulls right. So it is a tire. I called Tire Rack and they claim it is a manufacturers defect and will replace it free, and will pay for me to send hte offending tire back too. Hopefully i will ge the replacement monday and then its off to reset the front toe Tuesday. Hopefully this will clear it up....Thanks for all the info.

I also noticed that i am getting a clunk from the front end now, usually over bumps or during fairly moderate compression. I am thinking it is the sway bar links. Had the same sound/issue in my M3, so I will have that checked during the alignment too.

edit: I asked Tire Rack how to tell what tire it was, as they were both new. They claim the car will pull towards the defective one. I think its a crap shoot, but I will send back the right side one (being as it now pulls right after the swap) and see how it goes! lol. I guess I have a 50/50 chance!

NJ-GT

Tim,

you have a 50/50 chance. Try to measure diameter and tread depth and compare that with the Michelin specs (on TireRack as well), so you get better chances than 50/50

ArcticFox

I did measure when I did the swap....I used the string method. I could not tell a difference at all. It is possible, I guess, that there is an internal defect...but as for circumference, I culd not distinguish a difference.

Austin

Tim,
regarding the clunk, check your sway bar hardware (fasteners) as well as the joints on the links.

Austin

ArcticFox

CRAP!!!!!!!

So I got the new tire yesterday.... Both Tire rack and my installer (a long time friend that knows his ****) agreed that the car should pull towards the defective tire side...so, being as the car was pulling right on accel, we put the new tire on the RR...Well, fricken car even pulls a little harder to the right now! WTF! AHHHH!

So, I am going to take it back in and replace the LR with the one we took off, and in general, have then flip the tires around, etc, etc. and try to figure this out. I also called Tire Rack and they are send yet another tire out......they think I may have gotten another bad tire. Either that or the LR is the culprit! I hope this gets sorted today as I am due to hit the track Friday. I got screwed the last two times I intended to go to the track...it is looking like this may be the third. I cant believe this.

The only other thing I can even think of is that when I got my flat, I bent a wheel or bent something in the rear suspension. Well, suspension does not make sense as the car will pull the other direction if I flip the tires (put LR on RR, etc.). So prolly not suspension...but still could be a wheel I guess....but I would think that would be a vibration issue, and not cause the car to pull pretty damn hard to one side.

Any other ideas??? I am so fed up with this crap. I am getting close to just dumping the car.

NJ-GT

Suspension should be ok. Even on the cases when I have installed new springs and the ride heights are all over the place, the car still drives on straight line.

You had a 50/50 chance. Install the old RR, supposed to be deffective tire on the left and you should be good to go.

Measure tire height once installed at both sides and see if you get the same reading (you should). If a side is taller than the other, remove air pressure in one side and add to the other, if both tire diameter match and the car still pulls to one side, get two loaner wheels with tires from a local 996/Turbo/GT3 car to try it out.

ArcticFox

Thanks NJ-GT.

Last time I was in, I told him that the car "pogo'ed" a bit, corner to corner. He found that the ride height was off 1/4" on one corner. After adjustment, the car was nice and solid (I am very senstive to how the car feels - obviously).

I measured the two new tires I got (when this problem started). I measured the circumference with a string. I did not notice any difference. Being so, we think it may be an internal tire problem.

So, I am going to drop off the car again in a few and just let him have at it. I think the first thing we will try is to put the one I just took off the RR onto the LR and see what happens. Maybe the LR was the culprit all along.....

He suggested yesterday, as you just did, to put on another set of wheels. He said "I bet it drives straight with those".... If the tire swap doesn't work, I know he will do that next. I will also have him check the runout on both rears just in case one is bent. I dont know how that could have happened, really, but it is one of the few possibilities I guess.

Thanks for the comments. Tim

ArcticFox

UPDATE --

We installed the "new" tire on the side that was pulling. No change. So we swapped sides and got a pull in the other direction. So, we took off the opposite side tire and replaced with the one we had just removed....it helped, but it aint "correct" yet. Another "new" tire is due to arrive today, so I will replace the "old" tire with it and see how it works. Man this sucks. I hope Michelin will reimburse me for the $200 or so I have spend checking alignments and mounting/dismounting tires at $90/hr. lol. What are the chances? lol.

TrackJunke

If you are going to replace the tires. Get michelin to replace BOTH of the rear tires. Not just one you think it defective.

ArcticFox

Thanks...the second "new" tire is arriving today, and I will replace the "old" one. Even though the "old" ones I reference are about 100 miles old. lol. I hope this solves it. Sheez. if not, I am going to go postal.

ArcticFox

I was just thinking of something................

I have been chasing my tail on this issue for a week. I told Tire Rack that the car pulled left...they said the left rear would be the culprit...well, it wasn't. It still pulls after replacement...so a new tire is coming and I am going to put that on the RR.

That made me think..... when the LR tire pressure is a bit low, it pulls right. The OPPOSITE direction of the "drag", if you will. Following that logic, if my car pulls left, one may assume that the problem could be with the RR. Right?

Hell, all I know is we just replaced the LR with a "NEW" tire yesterday and it is not fixed. Today another new tire arrives and I will replace the RR, effectively replacing both rears with "new" tires.

I don't know why I didnt think to change to opposing corner at first...but it is also possible that I got two "bad" tires too.

Just some thoughts.. Tim

P.S. In case you haven't read the entire thread, this problem surfaced after installing two new rear tires. It only pulls under acceleration, not coast or decel. I swapped side on the rears and it will pull the other direction, again, only under acceleration. Thus, we can rule out basically everything accept a tire. One rear has been replaced with a new tire, another new tire arrives today and will be installed. God I hope this works! I am hitting the track tomorrow! lol.

P.P.S. The pulling feels like this -- it feels like both rear tires are toeing towards the left (for sake or argument) under acceleration. Then, when I let off, they straighten out, and the car shifts back to "straight". Almost like rear torque steer on a 1,000HP drag car. That is what it feels like. Fricken weird AND scary to drive.

Bob Rouleau

If the LR was a larger diameter it would push the car to the right in a car with a limited slip differential I think.

ArcticFox

Yes it would. initially, that is what I thought may be the problem...it still may be. BUT I would think I would have some other handling issues under coast or brake too, wouldn't I? Irregardless, the new tire goes on today. Hopefully it will solve it.

ArcticFox

Amen! I had the "new" tire installed and the problem is GONE. Looks like I have TWO bad tires...the first two I ordered. go figure. what are the odds?

Thanks to all for the help!

Now I have to see if Michelin will reimburse me for all my expenses! LOL. Right.