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My recently acquired '01 S60 (T-5 w/ 17" wheels and tires w/ 60% evenly worn tread and 30 psi front, w/ 100k miles) suffers from somewhat vague steering feel.
More correctly, it seems to want to follow every irregularity in the road (though on perfectly smooth roads it wants to pull to the left putting you off the pavement in about 5 seconds). The steering wheel is perfectly centered when the car is held to cause the car to go perfectly straight, however.
If you drive on a less-than perfect road (that's everywhere here in Texas), and let go of the steering wheel, the wheel (and the car) will kind of wander around the road (following every depression, crack, or seam) like a hound on the scent.
If you apply light pressure to the wheel and hold it, it will point wherever you want it to like an arrow (though you are aware of slight forces feeding through the steering wheel wanting to redirect the car).
The effort to steer the car feels way to "light" as if there is no caster, or if the power steering is way too aggressive (too MUCH assistance), and there's absolutely no friction in the steering (as if "ball bearing" smooth).
In other words, the car will GO where it's pointed, and tracks the position of the steering wheel perfectly (indicating no loose parts or joints in the front suspension), but left to its own devices, the car wanders.
The prior owner (a family member) very recently spent big bucks having the front struts, the top strut bearings, and everything else changed out because the dealer said the rubber bump stops were cracked.
Before the struts and bearings, I'd driven the car and the steering had some feeling of friction requiring some appropriate, reasonable effort to turn the wheel and steer the car.
There is no caster/camber adjustment as I understand, and nothing is "bent" anyone is aware of, or can discern, according to the place that replaced everything.
One of the things I LOVED about my old 965 (I LOVED that car) was the stability this car doesn't seem to have.
Suggestions?
Thanks-
Bob
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