Torque Steer
The tendency of a front-wheel-drive vehicle to pull to one side under hard acceleration due to unequal axle torque.
Torque steer is the annoying and sometimes dangerous tendency of a front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle to pull or steer to one side when accelerating hard. It is a physical phenomenon caused by unequal torque distribution or unequal angles between the left and right front drive axles.
Because FWD vehicles have engines mounted transversely, the transmission is offset to one side. This typically requires a short drive axle on one side and a long drive axle on the other. Under hard acceleration, the longer axle twists more than the shorter axle, creating a momentary difference in torque delivered to the wheels, which pulls the steering knuckle to one side. Manufacturers mitigate this by using split driveshafts with intermediate center support bearings.
Symptoms of torque steer are a sudden pull in the steering wheel when accelerating from a stop. While it is a normal characteristic of high-horsepower FWD vehicles, excessive pull can be exacerbated by worn control arm bushings, bad engine mounts, or mismatched front tire pressures. Technicians inspect suspension bushings and motor mounts when diagnosing severe torque steer complaints.