Memory Steer?
 

My steering has been feeling really off lately.

After a sharp left turn my steering wheel will not return to normal. It will stay slightly turned left in order to go straight. However, the strange part is after a sharp right turn it does the same thing but stick to the right.

One of my friends told me this is somethign called memory steer which is something I've never heard of?

Anyone have any advice. I'm taking the car into the shop in a few days, just figured i'd get some input.

Hey TTT,

I have a similar issue going on, but I'm sure mine is due to an alignment as I have done a few suspension changes. Here's some info to look at which might help (not necessarily for the FD specifically):

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MEMORY STEER

The steering wheel and wheels want to return to some position other than center. This may cause a steering pull or drift to one side after turning. Possible causes include:

• Misalignment or improper installation of Ford rubber bonded socket (RBS) tie rod ends. RBS tie rod ends do not swivel freely like conventional tie rod ends. When installed, the steering linkage must be centered and straight ahead before the tie rod studs are tightened. Inspect and readjust as needed.

• Binding in upper strut mounts. Raise wheels and turn the steering from side to side. If effort is high, disconnect tie rod ends from steering arms and turn each wheel by hand to check for resistance. If upper strut mount is binding or loose, the strut will have to removed or rebuilt to replace the upper bearing plate assembly.

• Binding in steering gear or linkage. Inspect tie rod ends and sockets. Check idler arm bushing. Check rack yoke adjustment or steering play in steering box. Replace or adjust as needed.

• Binding in ball joints. Unload the ball joints by raising the suspension. Let the suspension hang free with MacPherson struts. Support the lower control arm on an SLA, modified strut or wishbone suspension if the spring is on the lower arm, or the upper arm if the spring is over the upper arm). Turn the wheels from side to side to check steering effort. If high, disconnect the tie rod ends and try again. If a ball joint is binding, replacement is required.

• Unbalanced power assist. Seal leaks in the control valve or off-center steering may route hydraulic pressure into one side or the other of the boost cylinder piston causing the steering to want to turn itself to one side. This can be checked by raising the wheels with the engine running. If the steering goes to one side all by itself, the control valve assembly or steering gear needs to be replaced.

I had a similar issue in my old Integra. May be of some worth, may not.

My spring coils sat on top of eachother. Occasionally, on hard cornering, the coils would overlap. After a few months of this, the plastic wore off the coils, leaving bare metal. When the overlap hapened on the bare metal, they would stick, causing the car to pull to the side I just turned to. Sometimes I could hear a *click* when one coil would slip over the other. I had Intrax springs at the time. Sorry if this is no help. :)

TTT I had this exact same problem!!

Turned out one of the steering rack mount bolts had fallen out and the rack was moving slightly. It took me a while to figure it out. Crawl under the car and check the four bolts in the front subframe where the steering rack mounts; I bet one is lose or gone.

Subaru guys sometimes experience this and claim that stiffened steering rack bushings are helpful.

It could be something simple like yours need to be lubed also.

-s-

I was in a plymouth prowler that was doing this....the car could turn a full circle with no hands on the steering wheel. Very strange.

THanks DAMONB, I tried posting a pic of rack but the forum is being weird again. I'll jack up the car tonight and take a look. Thanks!

holy crap DamonB you were right on. I was missing two mounting bolts for the steering rack!

:eek:

Good call!

i love when people know everything :)

Re: Memory Steer?
 

The 7 doesn't have memory steering #1, if there is such a thing. And #2 that's your alignment, its extremely loose allowing you to turn it whichever way making the steering wheel stay where you last pulled it hard from a hard turn. You need to go get that checked and fixed. It's just alignment cost and they will tighten it up. I would say thats kinda dangerous.