car pulls to left when i accelerate

roggen1of8

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2008
Location
colorado
TDI
2003 vw tdi wagon
I have a 2003 jetta wagon tdi. 364000+ miles. All front end parts are either new or in good condition. I just replaced the front struts and springs. Monroe quickstrut 171525. The top flange mount for the strut will not set tight to the body. According to my front end guy he says they don't. That it is a VW design. True or not?

Also, when I accelerate the car pulls to the left and when I take my foot off of the accelerator it then pulls to the right. Most noticeable at speeds over 40.

What ya all think?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Those quickstruts are junk. They are double plus junk on that application.

Just get some quality struts, springs if necessary, and upper mounts and put it back the way it is supposed to be.

I seriously take SO many of those stupid things out and chuck them in the scrapper. What sucks is, then I have to order the upper spring perch since the OEM stuff is all generally missing. :rolleyes:
 

roggen1of8

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2008
Location
colorado
TDI
2003 vw tdi wagon
Ok thanks for not answering my question. yes you don't like quick struts and even in your professional opinion that is a personal choice. So, leaving that aside can you give me any ideas why the car is pulling to the left when I accelerate?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The upper mounts of the quickstruts are unable to keep the strut assembly in proper geometry, because they are of low quality.

Like I already said.

You said the rest of the front end parts are good.... I took that to mean the control arm compliance bushings are also good... and if they are, the only other thing that causes torque steer to that degree is the UPPER mounts.

It is a simple Mac strut front suspension, same as any other, although some cars have an actual fastener to attach the upper mount to the body, some just let it sit in a pocket (like on this application). The upper disk and nut keep the strut assembly from dropping out of the pocket when the car is lifted off the ground. This is not unique to Volkswagen, but not common either. Fiat 500s are like this too.

I am sorry if you do not like my answer. But you asked.
 
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Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
The top flange mount for the strut will not set tight to the body. According to my front end guy he says they don't. That it is a VW design. True or not?
Yes, this is true. Been that way since the early Rabbits. :)

Your car is throttle-steering because something in the car's front suspension or steering geometry is changing under engine torque.

If this just started after you changed struts the struts are of course the prime suspect. Otherwise, any wear item in the car's front suspension or steering is a possibility... aside from the struts themselves there's:

- ball joints
- outer or inner tie rods
- upper strut bearings / bushings (did they get replaced when you did the struts?)
- any of the control arm bushings

Potentially loose subframe bolts could cause this as well, but likely you would have heard noise already.

Did this start *after* you changed struts?
 
Last edited:

Fahrvegnugen

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Location
Burlington Vt
TDI
01 golf 1.9 alh gls silver
I replaced everything but the struts themselves, and I have the same situation. I checked it over and tightened everything, and still get the pull to the left. I had a couple of shops check into it and they didn’t find anything wrong, so when I get on it I have the turbo spooling noise sooth me while holding the wheel straight. It rides nice until I goose it.
 

My_name_is_Rob

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Location
Mexico 🇲🇽
TDI
2013 A4 Quattro
My mk3 does this, but it pulls to the right when accelerating. I even went as far as to change the engine mounts, and it still does it. Next on the list is an inner and outer tie rod for the right side, and sway bar bushings.
 
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