Highway Driving

[RDE]

I have a new IS 350 w/18"wheels. Although I think that the car handles phenomenally on curves and in the city, I've noticed that my car takes a little more effort to hold a straight track while driving straight at highway speeds. I don't mean to say that it's out of alignment - it's not - it's just that when driving straight on the highway, it seems to wander side to side more than other cars I drive, requiring more driver input to keep it straight. Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks,

Russ

[lambobaby1218]

I have a new IS 350 w/18"wheels. Although I think that the car handles phenomenally on curves and in the city, I've noticed that my car takes a little more effort to hold a straight track while driving straight at highway speeds. I don't mean to say that it's out of alignment - it's not - it's just that when driving straight on the highway, it seems to wander side to side more than other cars I drive, requiring more driver input to keep it straight. Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks,

Russ

I haven't. I just know when you hit certain spots on the freeway, the wheels may grab the concrete a little more. But that happened in my BMW, and it happens in my Toyota truck, as well.......

[one swell foop]

the larger the wheel, the more difficult it is for it to track straight.

[SilverSport]

Mine tracks straight and true with little effort as long as the pavement is decent. With 18" wheels and performance tires, they will grip the imperfections in the road, especially the wheel ruts that you find in a lot of Interstates.

[jamz76]

I have an IS 250 with the 18s and I have noticed this as well. It is definitely more pronounced on rougher pavement, but it does happen on smooth pavement sometimes as well. I don't mind it as long as nothing detrimental is happening on/to my car...

[mdsbrain]

this issue was driving me nuts for a week or so, checked my tire pressure. The fronts were 2-3psi different from each other. The rears were also down a few psi. Added air where needed and the problem is about 50% better.

Also remember folks that you need to check your tires periodically.

[RDE]

this issue was driving me nuts for a week or so, checked my tire pressure. The fronts were 2-3psi different from each other. The rears were also down a few psi. Added air where needed and the problem is about 50% better.

Also remember folks that you need to check your tires periodically.

Thanks for the input. I'll check the tire pressure. And the idea that these bigger tires grip the imperfections in the road more makes perfect sense. Here is Southern California, there are A LOT of imperfections in the highways.

Russ

[kardanial]

I have a new IS 350 w/18"wheels. Although I think that the car handles phenomenally on curves and in the city, I've noticed that my car takes a little more effort to hold a straight track while driving straight at highway speeds. I don't mean to say that it's out of alignment - it's not - it's just that when driving straight on the highway, it seems to wander side to side more than other cars I drive, requiring more driver input to keep it straight. Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks,

Russ

Read my topic about steering has no center point. I have the exact same problem, and tried different tires from 16" to 18".

Made 2 alignements, center point recalibration, everything you can imagine with no luck.

These cars have a terrible flaw in the steering, but it seems no one likes to admit it. Some owners though like it this way because it makes the steering very quick and responsive when driving aggressively, I don't think that this works for me for my day to day driving (I drive like an idiot only 10% of the time).

Here is in my opinion the problem after many online researches, and going to the toyota dealer instead of lexus ( I have a friend working there ):

It's all about the electric assisted steering, and its chip programming. Some larger lexus, I believe GS350 had same problem, got many complaints (I guess age demographic is elder for their owners) so lexus made various programs to tone down steering response for those tastes. Unfortunately, the IS has no updates from the manufacturer yet because there aren't enough complaints yet I guess. I also think that some solve straight line stability by inducing out of spec negative camber and some toe in, which explains complaints some owners have about tire wear at the inside of the rims.

(read topics about uneven tire wear).

The new 2007 Rav4 has electric steering with a completely different program, hence feel, to avoid this problem.

My car drives form day one as if I'm against heavy winds.

Good luck, keep me posted if you find any solution, because I gave up myself.

[Manolo1]

I posted exactly the same problem a couple of weeks ago in a post titled "Steering "loose" At High Speeds >100 Mph" except the problem appears at 80+ i/o 100+ as I have noticed later.

I am going to add a post there so it shows in the same page.

it definitely has its origin in the electric steering...

let's starts complaining louder to have ot fixed...

[Tango]

Here is in my opinion the problem after many online researches, and going to the toyota dealer instead of lexus ( I have a friend working there ):

It's all about the electric assisted steering, and its chip programming. Some larger lexus, I believe GS350 had same problem, got many complaints (I guess age demographic is elder for their owners) so lexus made various programs to tone down steering response for those tastes. Unfortunately, the IS has no updates from the manufacturer yet because there aren't enough complaints yet I guess. I also think that some solve straight line stability by inducing out of spec negative camber and some toe in, which explains complaints some owners have about tire wear at the inside of the rims.

(read topics about uneven tire wear).

How do you induce out of specification negative camber except by using lowering springs or coilovers? The 2nd Generation IS doesn't have camber or castor adjustment, just Toe adjustment front and rear.

My IS250 had the 'centre line' or 'loose' steering feel from new so I took it for a full four wheel geometry check. I obtained the Lexus geometry settings from the local dealership for comparison purposes and we found that the Lexus settings for the 2nd generation IS are flawed in the same way as they were on the IS300. The settings not only cause the steering issues but can lead to extreme localized wear on the very inner edge of the front tires. Unfortunately the fix for the IS300 cannot be used on the IS250/350 as there is no camber adjustment.

The guy that researched and published the fix for the IS300/200 (and has been proven correct over many hundreds of resets) carried out the check on my IS250. He reset the toe on front and rear and the car was transformed. The car immediately felt very planted with no vagueness in the steering throughout the speed range or any feeling of adverse tracking on poor surfaces.

We also measured the tread depth with a micrometer gauge and monitored it at 2000 miles intervals...the car has completed over 10,000 miles now and has absolutely even tyre wear.

Tony Bones (also known as 'The Doctor') on the LOC UK Forums has his own website http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk with a general geometry and suspension forum (not just LExus) , alternatively go to LOC UK and search for member 'wheels-inmotion.co.uk' and send him a pm for the new settings and explanation.

[BostonKiller]

The guy that researched and published the fix for the IS300/200 (and has been proven correct over many hundreds of resets) carried out the check on my IS250. He reset the toe on front and rear and the car was transformed. The car immediately felt very planted with no vagueness in the steering throughout the speed range or any feeling of adverse tracking on poor surfaces.

What exactly is a 'reset'?

My 740i is as steady as a locomotive on the straight line/highway and I don't want to lose that switching to an IS350.

I did notice that the car required more immediate corrections on the straight than my bimmer. Otherwise I had no problem with the steering.