Yaris randomly pulls to the right. - Toyota Yaris Forums

firemachine69 · 12-02-2011, 10:47 PM

1) It's not the brakes, it'll randomly occur when I'm lightly throttling the car cruising around.

2) I didn't notice any busted bushings, then again, I didn't look very hard.

3) I know my winter tires make driving a bit "sloppier", but this is way beyond a bit of extra play. I have to give the steering wheel a quarter-turn to correct this.

4) My new rotors aren't dragging on the old pads, but I'm putting in new pads (Monroe) tomorrow anyways.

Also, I'm hearing some groaning when I squeeze the brakes (sounds like a caliper is on it's way out - brake fluid level is perfect). Is the Yaris bad for this?

Aye folks, any and all help appreciated!

Betrivent · 12-02-2011, 11:38 PM

I would suggest looking BEHIND the rotors at the CV joint to see if the accordion sleeve hasn't torn

firemachine69 · 12-04-2011, 12:51 PM

While it was showing some wear and will need replacing eventually, none we're actually torn through.

It doesn't feel like a bad CV joint, but I've never had one on the Yaris, so perhaps...

Betrivent · 12-04-2011, 08:18 PM

Maybe.. one of the pistons on your brake caliper isn't retracting properly? One time when I had my caliper off one of the pistons had indeed seized and wasn't moving properly.

firemachine69 · 12-06-2011, 04:21 PM

Would explain the groaning from the brakes.

Having said that, my wheels should heat up pretty quickly, and they're basically ice-cold right after I park it, same with the tiny bit of caliper I can touch through the spoke of the rims.

How would I go about another way diagnosing a frozen caliper?

Betrivent · 12-06-2011, 05:56 PM

I'm not sure exactly without taking the whole thing off at checking it with your hands. Sorry.. not a mechanic.. just a painter!

matthewai · 12-06-2011, 06:26 PM

ya know when i first got my car brand new i did notice a slight pull to the right but my tires were all wearing evenly so i just lived with it and now i got new tires on and it still kinda does it even after balancing and what not

i guess its possible to get an alignment but i feel like its just a characteristic of the car and its not so severe that i worry or care about it

firemachine69 · 12-10-2011, 05:18 PM

Alright folks, I have a new "toy" along the way to diagnose.

In the slight case this may in fact be a a bad bearing, in a few days I'll have a BNIB Snap-On Hub/Rotor run-out micrometer. Bear in mind, the maximum run-out for rotor or hub is 0.05mm... AKA the width of two human hairs.

I got it for $200, shipped.

The thing costs $600 off the back of the truck!!

I know there's a normal tendency for this thing to pull slightly to the right, but this is way, wayyy beyond the normal amount... And I run my all-seasons at 40PSI for MPG's...

TheEgg · 12-10-2011, 11:25 PM

Here are some things to try.
1. Does it seem to happen more often on any stretch of road? Possibly the crown of the road is causing it to pull in that spot.
2. Swap your tires from side to side (Eliminate any possibility of a tire pull)
3. Usually if a brake is hanging up you will smell it and the side that is hanging up will be super hot to the touch. Pulling a wheel off and trying to compress the caliper is a good way to diagnose a stuck caliper. Also, check the slide pins and make sure they move freely. But as you said you didn't notice it while braking so I doubt that is the issue.
4. Get the wheels off the ground and shake down the front end. If a bearing or bushing is the culprit you will spot it right away. A bearing has to have significant play to cause any kind of pull, and at that point the bearing will probably be growling at that time. And if there is a bad control arm bushing those will usually make a pull worse when applying the brakes because it will cause the control arm to shift from the weight of the vehicle stopping.
5. See if any shops in your area do free alignment checks. It never hurts to make sure your vehicle isn't out of spec.
Hope this helps some. These are some things that I check when customers come in complaining of a pull. Keep us posted!

TLyttle · 12-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Randomly? What about road camber? That would explain the "random" thing.

firemachine69 · 12-11-2011, 09:51 AM

Thanks Egg, great stuff. This is fairly random, I ride this stretch of road all the time with my bus on air suspension, and the dips are very pronounced before the levelling valves kick in. Yep, I remember each and every one!

My method of checking tie-rods and such is "grab and shake". If nothing rattles, all is well (Toyota specs 0mm, so it's pretty easy to spot.) The wheel bearing is 0.05mm... You'll never spot that by hand, mind you, going up to say .1mm usually only results in tire cupping and "dead" ABS sensors, as far as I read. It takes some significant play before things get iffy (and noisy!)

I don't think it's the wheel bearing, unlike the girlfriend's Beetle... I swear her wheel is going to fly off one day soon... But I do need to check these rotors for trueness before noticeable wear kicks in (for warranty purposes).

I have one of those "alignment checks" booked. That should get my camber and caster checked out if either are culprit.

12-02-2011, 10:47 PM	#1
firemachine69 School'er of hard knocks Drives: Silver Yaris 4dr. HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sudbury, On Posts: 556	Yaris randomly pulls to the right. 1) It's not the brakes, it'll randomly occur when I'm lightly throttling the car cruising around. 2) I didn't notice any busted bushings, then again, I didn't look very hard. 3) I know my winter tires make driving a bit "sloppier", but this is way beyond a bit of extra play. I have to give the steering wheel a quarter-turn to correct this. 4) My new rotors aren't dragging on the old pads, but I'm putting in new pads (Monroe) tomorrow anyways. Also, I'm hearing some groaning when I squeeze the brakes (sounds like a caliper is on it's way out - brake fluid level is perfect). Is the Yaris bad for this? Aye folks, any and all help appreciated!

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12-02-2011, 11:38 PM	#2
Betrivent Not quite a noob Drives: e46 325 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: edmonton Posts: 1,408	I would suggest looking BEHIND the rotors at the CV joint to see if the accordion sleeve hasn't torn

12-04-2011, 12:51 PM	#3
firemachine69 School'er of hard knocks Drives: Silver Yaris 4dr. HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sudbury, On Posts: 556	While it was showing some wear and will need replacing eventually, none we're actually torn through. It doesn't feel like a bad CV joint, but I've never had one on the Yaris, so perhaps...

12-04-2011, 08:18 PM	#4
Betrivent Not quite a noob Drives: e46 325 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: edmonton Posts: 1,408	Maybe.. one of the pistons on your brake caliper isn't retracting properly? One time when I had my caliper off one of the pistons had indeed seized and wasn't moving properly.

12-06-2011, 04:21 PM	#5
firemachine69 School'er of hard knocks Drives: Silver Yaris 4dr. HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sudbury, On Posts: 556	Would explain the groaning from the brakes. Having said that, my wheels should heat up pretty quickly, and they're basically ice-cold right after I park it, same with the tiny bit of caliper I can touch through the spoke of the rims. How would I go about another way diagnosing a frozen caliper?

12-06-2011, 05:56 PM	#6
Betrivent Not quite a noob Drives: e46 325 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: edmonton Posts: 1,408	I'm not sure exactly without taking the whole thing off at checking it with your hands. Sorry.. not a mechanic.. just a painter!

12-06-2011, 06:26 PM	#7
matthewai Drives: it is kinda stock Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: united states Posts: 1,258	ya know when i first got my car brand new i did notice a slight pull to the right but my tires were all wearing evenly so i just lived with it and now i got new tires on and it still kinda does it even after balancing and what not i guess its possible to get an alignment but i feel like its just a characteristic of the car and its not so severe that i worry or care about it

12-10-2011, 05:18 PM	#8
firemachine69 School'er of hard knocks Drives: Silver Yaris 4dr. HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sudbury, On Posts: 556	Alright folks, I have a new "toy" along the way to diagnose. In the slight case this may in fact be a a bad bearing, in a few days I'll have a BNIB Snap-On Hub/Rotor run-out micrometer. Bear in mind, the maximum run-out for rotor or hub is 0.05mm... AKA the width of two human hairs. I got it for $200, shipped. The thing costs $600 off the back of the truck!! I know there's a normal tendency for this thing to pull slightly to the right, but this is way, wayyy beyond the normal amount... And I run my all-seasons at 40PSI for MPG's...

12-10-2011, 11:25 PM	#9
TheEgg Drives: 07 Yaris HB (The Egg) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: United States Posts: 24	Here are some things to try. 1. Does it seem to happen more often on any stretch of road? Possibly the crown of the road is causing it to pull in that spot. 2. Swap your tires from side to side (Eliminate any possibility of a tire pull) 3. Usually if a brake is hanging up you will smell it and the side that is hanging up will be super hot to the touch. Pulling a wheel off and trying to compress the caliper is a good way to diagnose a stuck caliper. Also, check the slide pins and make sure they move freely. But as you said you didn't notice it while braking so I doubt that is the issue. 4. Get the wheels off the ground and shake down the front end. If a bearing or bushing is the culprit you will spot it right away. A bearing has to have significant play to cause any kind of pull, and at that point the bearing will probably be growling at that time. And if there is a bad control arm bushing those will usually make a pull worse when applying the brakes because it will cause the control arm to shift from the weight of the vehicle stopping. 5. See if any shops in your area do free alignment checks. It never hurts to make sure your vehicle isn't out of spec. Hope this helps some. These are some things that I check when customers come in complaining of a pull. Keep us posted!

12-10-2011, 11:27 PM	#10
TLyttle Drives: 07 Yaris sedan Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Keremeos BC Posts: 986	Randomly? What about road camber? That would explain the "random" thing.

12-11-2011, 09:51 AM	#11
firemachine69 School'er of hard knocks Drives: Silver Yaris 4dr. HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sudbury, On Posts: 556	Thanks Egg, great stuff. This is fairly random, I ride this stretch of road all the time with my bus on air suspension, and the dips are very pronounced before the levelling valves kick in. Yep, I remember each and every one! My method of checking tie-rods and such is "grab and shake". If nothing rattles, all is well (Toyota specs 0mm, so it's pretty easy to spot.) The wheel bearing is 0.05mm... You'll never spot that by hand, mind you, going up to say .1mm usually only results in tire cupping and "dead" ABS sensors, as far as I read. It takes some significant play before things get iffy (and noisy!) I don't think it's the wheel bearing, unlike the girlfriend's Beetle... I swear her wheel is going to fly off one day soon... But I do need to check these rotors for trueness before noticeable wear kicks in (for warranty purposes). I have one of those "alignment checks" booked. That should get my camber and caster checked out if either are culprit.