My yaris drives to the side very easily

[MyYaris(:]

Hi, I'm sorry if there is a topic already about this. It's hard for me to explain but please stick with me and help if you can. I dont know much about cars.

I had my yaris for less than a year and I always noticed that it's hard to drive it centered..... like it goes to the side VERY EASILY??! especially on the highway. I drove my mom honda civic and noticed how more stable it is. I've been on this website, Yarisworld, before I bought my car and I remembered a Topic about this, and something was used to fix this, something put in the car under the hood??????
I looked through pages and can't remember what it was called.


I'm 19 yearold girl and I drive very far to my university and will again this august. I want to get this fixed because I had some close calls.

Also if you have any other advice on how to take care of my car (other than oil changing and tire rotation) like the basics, please do so[:


Other than that I love my yaris(:

Hope you can help! thank you!

[Betrivent]

Under the hood.. would be a strut bar. What would work better is a rear (anti-)sway bar.

[kimona]

I considered "highway wander" such a serious issue with my car that I dreaded driving long distances on the freeways. After some experimentation, I found the single most important factor to correct this problem was finding the correct tyre! To my surprise, I was finally able to completely eliminate highway wander... even at high speed.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

When was the last time you had an alignment done? If you haven't had one done, I'd get it checked out (the place that rotates your tires probably does alignments).


As for other maintenance, check your coolant level weekly (better if you can daily), and the same with your engine oil level. I'd check the other fluids at least once a month (better if more often). Check how dirty your air filter is, especially if you live in a dusty area. Replace if it's heavily soiled.

[yaris-me]

It's common for a tight Toyota suspension to take a few months to break in. Also the tires needs to set a wear pattern so make sure they're at the right pressure. Be patient and you'll get the stability at high speed.

Read your manual. It will tell you what you need to know.

[ilikerice]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

When was the last time you had an alignment done? If you haven't had one done, I'd get it checked out (the place that rotates your tires probably does alignments).


As for other maintenance, check your coolant level weekly (better if you can daily), and the same with your engine oil level. I'd check the other fluids at least once a month (better if more often). Check how dirty your air filter is, especially if you live in a dusty area. Replace if it's heavily soiled.

+1

Also, is this a brand new car? How many miles are on it now? Toyota will do a complimentary free alighnment before it hits 15000 miles if you have an issue. Could also be that a front tire got separated. If you rotate the tires and it goes away, that could be the issue.

hold up. Is it wondering or pulling you left, right or both?

Could also be just the Highway. Road crown can cause this when people drive closer the the left or right of the white lines.

[DMZ]

like it goes to the side VERY EASILY??! especially on the highway.

Take it to the dealer or a tire shop and have the pressure checked, the balance checked, on the tires on the side it pulls to, and the alignment checked.

My Yaris is stone stable at highway speeds. I can let go of the wheel and it will track straight for some distance before small road imperfections cause it to wonder.

It has 50K miles on it and I am running Michelin Harmony tires.

[MyYaris(:]

Thank you everyone for the answers and advice!!!!

ilikerice- it's a 2009 with 26000 miles right now & it mostly sways to the right

[R2D2]

If it wanders to the right when on the right side of the road this is normal. It's caused by the crown (curvature) of the road surface, so that water will run off. Depending on the steepness of the crown it can be barely noticeable to dramatic.

Otherwise there is good advice above.

R2

[ilikerice]

If you know someone who is mechanicly knowledgeable and you can flirt with or better yet is into you, I'd ask him to swap rotate the tires from front to back.
If it goes away, you probably need new tires cuz one of the fronts tires (now on the back) have separated.
If it still does the same thing, Id look into getting an alignment check.
Anything can make the alignment off, by simple pothole or a curb check may throw it off.

Also: You can try to swap the two front tires left to right. See if it pulls Left instead of Right. That would Definitly confirm a tire issue

[MadMax]

Also understand it is a very light car with a short wheelbase, so it will be "twitchier" at speeds and under moderate crosswinds. Please do get it checked out to ensure there is nothing out of order on the car, but it may just come down to the fact that you are new to the Yaris and not familiar with how it handles...

Good luck! M2

[NZ-FE Vios]

I felt a huge difference in the wandering from wind gust or semi-trucks after adding the trd rear (anti)sway bar. It also increased overall highway stability. I've put 4000miles on mine in less than 45days. Most of my driving is highway.

I agree with proper tires, alignment, and equal inflation too.

It will always feel like a 2300lb car, but that's the fun in it.

[toy_toronto]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Also understand it is a very light car with a short wheelbase, so it will be "twitchier" at speeds and under moderate crosswinds. Please do get it checked out to ensure there is nothing out of order on the car, but it may just come down to the fact that you are new to the Yaris and not familiar with how it handles...

Good luck! M2

I truly believe this is probably 75% of the reason why this happens with our Yaris... hell, I couldn't even park straight when I first got my hatchback, lol (rear wider than front).


-toy

[MUSKOKA800]

Adding the rear anti-sway bar game my sedan much more highway cross-wind, truck-wake stability. Frankly, it was a handful at highway speeds on a gusty day. No issues now although the 215 tires do have a mind of there own when in the ruts.

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by kimona

I considered "highway wander" such a serious issue with my car that I dreaded driving long distances on the freeways. After some experimentation, I found the single most important factor to correct this problem was finding the correct tyre! To my surprise, I was finally able to completely eliminate highway wander... even at high speed.

And pressure. "White-lining" is less dangerous in cars than mo'bikes, but what a pain. If you'rte constantly rising onto the high spots, reduce the pressure a couple of pounds. Keep playing till it's right.

[sickpuppy1]

Also note that all cars with factory alignment will pull to the right "slightly" when new. But only if you let go of the wheel. It is supposed to. If you fall asleep at the wheel, the car should pull to the right to guide it that way versus into oncoming traffic. This is mandated by law. That being said, the alignment specs do not have this built in, so when it is realigned, it should go away. I know several guys who get a brand new car realigned shortly after buying them, for this very reason. Its weird though, cause its so slight it doesn't even cause uneven tire wear.Never did figure how they do that.

[ilikerice]

^ Thats probably why they offer first alignment before 15k free. But you have to ask for it though.

[swidd]

Get an alignment ($80). Install rear sway bar ($140+labor for install ($30 at any dirty illegal labor street shop, which is the best place to take it because they'll have some long pipes and big muscles to get leverage on your suspension bolts)).

To avoid having close calls, stop texting or using your cellphone while driving.