Hi all,
I'm hoping that you Volvo experts out there can give me a hand. Car in question is a 2006 V70 2.5T AWD with about 50000 miles. Wheels were just road-force balanced on Hunter machine.

Immediately upon accelerating from a stop, my wheels pull hard the right about 15-20 degrees (and turn the steering wheel) until the car is moving about 15mph where it straightens out for the most part.

It's to the point where if I wasn't holding the wheel, over a span of 20ft, my car will move over about 3ft to the right. I don't know much about cars. Is there differential in FWD that might be putting too much torque to the left front wheel? Or maybe a sticking right front brake?

Is there something in particular I could check? The car pulls a bit to right in general, and the steering is never quite centred (always to the right just a hair).

Thanks,
Vince

 

Hello, I'm not a Volvo expert. I do like the ease with which you can inspect a brake caliper. See if the guide pins and mating surfaces are lubed. You can look for uneven pad wear if such a condition is old enough. See if your right lower control arm is bent or not. A little slide into a curb is all you (or the previous owner, spouse, kids) need to bend it. It would immediately change the steering wheel angle. Do you have a jack and safety stands? They go on sale a lot. Get a floor jack and 2 stands. Remove both front wheels (once the car is lifted safely) and compare the brake hardware and control arms. You must get your hands a little dirty. Post back and tell us what you learned. Where are you located? Kira

 

I've got the lousy Volvo jack, and a floor jack that I used to use for my Hyundai. Unfortunately, the Volvo suspension seems to go on forever, and the jack tops out before the car lifts. I'll have to pick up a new, full-size one.

I'm in Ottawa, ON.

It wouldn't surprise me to know that something is bent. I just replaced one rim ($250 refurbished - ouch) that I just found out was bent when we bought the car (got the car in November, so we just put the winters on right away - never used the summers). The wheel was damaged laterally, meaning it wasn't just a pothole; it was a side/face-on impact.

 

Hello, The inboard side of the control arm, where it's bolted to the frame, is where you'll see the bends. When you get your new jack don't forget a wheel chock and scrap 2X lumber to shim it. You'll save on gas and time when you're able to inspect your vehicle. You actually can share a good code reader with friends and save even more. Kira