Question about 2011 Aveo veering issues

Hi folks,

I'm wondering if this vehicle is known for mysterious veering problems when the alignment, radial pull, break pull, and anything else that can be checked out checks out. I've taken my car to a couple of places and paid bank to have the reason for its hard veer to the left figured out, but so far no luck. For the first four months I've owned it, this car drove straight as a bullet. Now it's a constant fight to keep this thing on the road and in its lane. This all started several months back when I had my tires rotated, but I was told it was radial pull and that it would smooth out over time. That never happened, and in fact it steadily got worse. I have since replaced the tires, had them cross-rotated, had the alignment checked, had the power steering checked, had the break pressure checked, had everything checked. But no problems that would cause this veering have been discovered.

1) Is this model known for mysterious alignment issues?

2) Have any other 2011 Aveo owners noticed a tendency for their Aveo to veer hard in either direction?

3) Am I going eventually going to end up like this woman? Woman injured after car veers off I-75 | MonroeNews.com

I'm taking my car in to Les Schwab tomorrow to have an adjustable camber bolt installed. They seem to think that, whatever the reason behind this mysterious veer (everyone has test driven it and agrees that the veer is pretty bad and dangerous), they'll be able to adjust the bolt to level out the veer and get this ridiculous little gas guzzler driving straight again.

Any useful feedback will be appreciated.

I have to replace both lower control arms, both upper strut mounts, and both front struts. All the bushings are shot, and my mechanic stated that the struts could have been bent with the shot bushings.

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Originally Posted by afr33sl4ve

I have to replace both lower control arms, both upper strut mounts, and both front struts. All the bushings are shot, and my mechanic stated that the struts could have been bent with the shot bushings.

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This is a 2011 Aveo?? What were your first symptoms for all this? Veering?

LOL NO. This is a 2005 Aveo. The city I currently live in is notorious for it's well-maintained (or lack thereof) roads. It's been in the city for all the years since it's departure from the manufacturing plant.

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Originally Posted by afr33sl4ve

LOL NO. This is a 2005 Aveo. The city I currently live in is notorious for it's well-maintained (or lack thereof) roads. It's been in the city for all the years since it's departure from the manufacturing plant.

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Ahhh. Yes. I see your car info in the signature file now. My bad. I'm really hoping to get some clue as to why my car is veering so bad.

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Originally Posted by wingnut

Hi folks,

I'm wondering if this vehicle is known for mysterious veering problems when the alignment, radial pull, break pull, and anything else that can be checked out checks out. I've taken my car to a couple of places and paid bank to have the reason for its hard veer to the left figured out, but so far no luck. For the first four months I've owned it, this car drove straight as a bullet. Now it's a constant fight to keep this thing on the road and in its lane. This all started several months back when I had my tires rotated, but I was told it was radial pull and that it would smooth out over time. That never happened, and in fact it steadily got worse. I have since replaced the tires, had them cross-rotated, had the alignment checked, had the power steering checked, had the break pressure checked, had everything checked. But no problems that would cause this veering have been discovered.

1) Is this model known for mysterious alignment issues?

2) Have any other 2011 Aveo owners noticed a tendency for their Aveo to veer hard in either direction?

3) Am I going eventually going to end up like this woman? Woman injured after car veers off I-75 | MonroeNews.com

I'm taking my car in to Les Schwab tomorrow to have an adjustable camber bolt installed. They seem to think that, whatever the reason behind this mysterious veer (everyone has test driven it and agrees that the veer is pretty bad and dangerous), they'll be able to adjust the bolt to level out the veer and get this ridiculous little gas guzzler driving straight again.

Any useful feedback will be appreciated.

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I apologize for the inconvenience that this issue has caused you. Please keep us posted on what the dealership advises you. Feel free to contact us privately if you would like but please include your VIN#, name, situation, dealership, contact information, and mileage. I hope this is repaired quickly for you. Regards.

Matt,

GM Customer Service (Assisting Vanessa)

Pulling is often a caster problem, did the tech show you the specs he/she found when checking the alignment?

did you check your tire pressure? a car will usually pull to the side that has an underinflated tire.

Not as hard as open is describing. Also, did they align front and back independently or align the fronts to the back? It does sound like a caster problem, could be a bent control arm. Hit any curbs recently?

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Originally Posted by wingnut

.... For the first four months I've owned it, this car drove straight as a bullet. Now it's a constant fight to keep this thing on the road and in its lane. This all started several months back when I had my tires rotated, but I was told it was radial pull and that it would smooth out over time. That never happened, and in fact it steadily got worse. ...

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Unless you drove into a 3 foot pot hole immediately afterwards, I don't see how this could be anything other than some mistake by the shop that did the original rotation. Messing up a brake or way over-torquing and warping something, especially the left front would tend to explain what's happening. Or perhaps for some reason they did an alignment and made a major mistake with that. Stuff like this doesn't just start happening on a 2 year old vehicle for no reason.

I'm thinking bushings in the lower control arms. During the original tire rotation, when the front suspension drooped, it could have shifted a cracked bushing.

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Originally Posted by odypilots

I'm thinking bushings in the lower control arms. During the original tire rotation, when the front suspension drooped, it could have shifted a cracked bushing.

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Which is exactly the issue I have, with the shot upper mounts, and the bent struts. :\

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Originally Posted by wylee

Pulling is often a caster problem, did the tech show you the specs he/she found when checking the alignment?

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An out of spec caster will not cause a pull concern. Camber and toe being out will. However the only thing you can adjust is the front toe, being that the rear is a dead axle. If you install camber bolts, then you will be able to adjust the front camber slightly, which may be all you need. Have you checked your control arm bushings?

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Originally Posted by Ratchet104

An out of spec caster will not cause a pull concern. Camber and toe being out will.

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That is incorrect. caster can cause hard steering and shimmy, and cross caster will cause a pull. Toe will cause scuffing and shoulder wear, and camber affects turn in and out response