Car pulling to the left when braking

[Gatouzze]

Hi all,

I need some help to understand what is happening with my 2...

When i am braking, the car pulls to the left/passenger side but nothing when driving...

I already changed the front brake calipers and did a wheel alignments but still the same... The rear calipers were refurbished a year before I bought the car (so 2 years ago)

The strange thing is when I brake just a bit, nothing happens... it only happens when I really brake...

I was thinking maybe something is wrong with the bushes but before changing them, I wanted your opinion (especially that changing the bushes does not seem something I can do myself)

I can also bring my car for tests if someone live near me

Thanks in advance for your help  s;) s;)

[Carolyn]

It does sound as though one of the front 'A' arm bushes is sloppy.  Causing the wheel to go out of alignment under braking.  This is backed up by it being the near side, which takes all the worst hammer from the potholes and gutters.

If you can get it jacked up and have a good tweak with a pry-bar, yuu'll spot it. (IF that's what's wrong).

If you don't have the facility to do this yourself, perhaps you should run it in to your friendly local garage and have them take a look.  (It is a safety issue).

If it is the 'A' arm waggling about, Scion ones from the USA fit your car, are quite inexpensive and they come ready jointed and bushed.  (On the theory that if one bush has gone, more are bound to follow...) I bought a pair for a little over £100 shipped.

 m https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Front-Lower- ... 51b9af4bbf m

[jonbill]

I'd also check that the rear brakes are fine. Just because you were told they were refurbished 2 years ago doesn't mean the right rear is working well. Maybe compare the temp of the two rear disks after braking hard.

[Gatouzze]

Thank you both for your advises  s;) s;)

Sadly I don't have pry-bar to test so I will go to a garage to check instead if someone near my place can help me with this?? We never know ^^

I will also check the disks temperature and jack the car to check if the rear calipers work as expected

[mr2garageswindon]

Take it to your local MOT centre and ask them to put it on the brake rollers. Only takes couple of mins and will give you a better idea without stripping and inspecting brakes. If the bush is knackered you will see the arm moving back under braking on the roller brake tester.

[ChrisGB]

Take it to your local MOT centre and ask them to put it on the brake rollers. Only takes couple of mins and will give you a better idea without stripping and inspecting brakes. If the bush is knackered you will see the arm moving back under braking on the roller brake tester.

This is exactly what I did last time I had pulling under braking.

[Gatouzze]

I will try to go to my nearest MOT center to check the brakes but I did brig the car to MOT in October and nothing even if the car was already pulling...

For now I have checked the disks temperature (front include) and all are hot but the rear left on felt hotter than the others...

Also new update on the symptoms (or maybe I haven't realized it before) when I brake I can tell the car twisting left and when I accelerate again it's like it goes back the way it's supposed to (I may not be very clear sorry)

[ChrisGB]

Sounding like rear trailing arm or lower arm bushes, either tired or moving on their bolts under load.

[Gatouzze]

I checked the car today and I am not sure if something is wrong...

So I took some picture if it can give you some clues (not sure though...)

Front passenger side:

[attachment=2:bic4qslt] ia2 20180127_103221_HDR-min.jpg ia2 [/attachment:bic4qslt]
[attachment=1:bic4qslt] ia1 20180127_103230_HDR-min.jpg ia1 [/attachment:bic4qslt]
[attachment=0:bic4qslt] ia0 20180127_103236_HDR-min.jpg ia0 [/attachment:bic4qslt]

(I was not able to upload more than 3 pictures per post so if the admin can merge the posts  s;) s;)  )

[Gatouzze]

Front driver side:

[attachment=2:1afpwbr6] ia2 20180127_105026_HDR-min.jpg ia2 [/attachment:1afpwbr6]
[attachment=1:1afpwbr6] ia1 20180127_105042_HDR-min.jpg ia1 [/attachment:1afpwbr6]
[attachment=0:1afpwbr6] ia0 20180127_105054_HDR-min.jpg ia0 [/attachment:1afpwbr6]

[Gatouzze]

Rear driver side (part 1):

[attachment=1:gg012lhp] ia1 20180127_110233_HDR-min.jpg ia1 [/attachment:gg012lhp]
[attachment=0:gg012lhp] ia0 20180127_110301_HDR-min.jpg ia0 [/attachment:gg012lhp]

[Gatouzze]

Rear driver side (part 2):

[attachment=1:14dqs46j] ia1 20180127_110323_HDR-min.jpg ia1 [/attachment:14dqs46j]
[attachment=0:14dqs46j] ia0 20180127_110337_HDR-min.jpg ia0 [/attachment:14dqs46j]

[Gatouzze]

Rear passenger side:

[attachment=2:loakxgdm] ia2 20180127_111519_HDR-min.jpg ia2 [/attachment:loakxgdm]
[attachment=1:loakxgdm] ia1 20180127_111534_HDR-min.jpg ia1 [/attachment:loakxgdm]
[attachment=0:loakxgdm] ia0 20180127_111602_HDR-min.jpg ia0 [/attachment:loakxgdm]

[Carolyn]

Your front A arm bushings are shot.  That does not mean it's the cause of the problem, but highly likely.  As you've been advised, a trip to an MOT station and a quick session on the brake rollers will pin it down.  Might as well do your A arms, though.

[frogger]

I know it's an obvious one, so perhaps you've already ruled it out _ but seeing as it isn't mentioned in the thread so far:
Check tyre pressures.  A low tyre on one corner causes the same effect.

[Gatouzze]

So I ordered the arms thanks to Carolyn link and changed them today (terrible weather for working on the car...)

It seems better but I could not try on a long drive especially with the wet roads... I'll try more tomorrow if the weather is better.

when I was under the car I checked the arm control (hope it's the correct name...) and they are very rusty so I will change them too (so if someone have a link with a good price  )

Also ChrisGB you mentioned the rear trailing arm which, I'm sure, will need to be changed too (the car is very rusty on these parts...). Do you have a link I can use to order them?

Thanks again for your help and support 

[Carolyn]

Most suspension arms (unless they've had attention) look pretty rusty. Doesn't always mean they're bad.  A good wire-brushing and painting is often all that's needed. It's the bushes in the arms that tend to cause the problems. Again a good poke around with a pry-bar will show up bad bushes.
Keep us posted on the braking behaviour now you've swapped the a-arms.  Got to have made some difference??

[Call the midlife!]

Just a little bit out of left field but I had a similar problem with a different car, turned out to be the disc that had separated inside. It didn't show under normal, steady braking just when I braked hard. The rolling road was the only way to diagnose it.


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[Gatouzze]

I was able to test the car for longer this morning and I can say changing the arms helped a lot but it is still not perfect... the car still feels like it's twisting when breaking and when accelerating again...

But it's an amazing improvement and I guess changing the other bushes might solve the issue for good (or at least it will not make it worst than it currently is lol) so if you can point on which I need to order (I'm sure I sound helpless but I'm not used with the English terms to find parts...)

@Call the midlife!: I don't think the disk has separated inside but they do move a bit on the hub...

I will also check that the suspension are properly tightened as they were moving lot when the arms were not in place...

[Carolyn]

It's great that things are improved. 
First, now that you've driven it, check that all the bits and pieces you undid are still done up tight. (Sometimes suspension bits 'settle' when driven).
Second, the discs all do flap about a bit when the wheel is off as it's the wheel nuts that hold them to the hubs.
Third, if there are still symptoms check all the rear suspension arms with a pry-bar (if you can) and identify anything sloppy.  These parts can add up and I don't want you to be spending money if you don't have to.
Did you take take it to a bake test facility (MOT garage) as advised?  'cos it's the most direct way to identify where the problem is.

[Gatouzze]

Well I finally had time to bring the car to a garage to test bushes (yeah I know the last message was a while back)

He told me that the driver side handbrake was sticky so he worked on it to make it better but that actually did not help with the issue...

He also found a bolt on the left lower arm which seems loose and I really think it could be the reason why the car acts this way.

Sadly he did not take any picture so I do not know exactly which one is loose...

So if someone knows where I can buy a full set of bolts to replace them that would be great 

Thanks again for your help

[Call the midlife!]

Well I finally had time to bring the car to a garage to test bushes (yeah I know the last message was a while back)

He told me that the driver side handbrake was sticky so he worked on it to make it better but that actually did not help with the issue...

He also found a bolt on the left lower arm which seems loose and I really think it could be the reason why the car acts this way.

Sadly he did not take any picture so I do not know exactly which one is loose...

So if someone knows where I can buy a full set of bolts to replace them that would be great 

Thanks again for your help

Main dealers should be able to order the bolts or try Paul at TCB one of the affiliates on here who's usually spot on with sourcing spares.
Be warned though some of the prices will make your eyes water, Toyota know how to charge for nuts and bolts!


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[Gatouzze]

I will see if someone in the FB group has a set, we never know but if know I will with Mr T 

[Gatouzze]

Good news, the problem is now solved 

The problem was actually a bolt that was not tight enough...

Thank you again for your help

Admin, you can lock the thread 

[shnazzle]

Good to hear and thanks for the update. Definitely helps future readers with similar problems.