Since July 2013, date of original purchase, there was a noticeable drifting of the vehicle on the highway. Speaking with a Toyota salesperson, he recognized this problem and expressed the Toyota FPJ (he owned) exhibited similar characteristics of drifting, requiring the driver to pay close attention to driving. Original Equipped tires were Bridgestone Turanza EL400 p215/55r17.
During the period of driving on the Bridgestones, drifting was noticeable, but not a constant swaying from left to right of the vehicle. Replaced the Bridgestones at 42,513 miles with Pirelli Cintauratos P7 Plus and the problem was exacerbated and continues to date. Since original purchase in September 2016, I have had seven alignments (six from the Tire service center) and one from the dealer in Laurel, the place of purchase.
The tire service center indicates that I must be hitting potholes for the alignment to be thrown out, which invariably is not the case. The problem is worst when a gust of wind pushes the car left to right (more noticeable in my Camry but not my wife's Rav4, or my daughters Corolla), you have to keep inputting Steering corrections to keep the car from swaying into different lanes
Currently, the odometer reading is 67,906, and I will attempt to get another alignment (8 in just over a year) or suffer the cost of replacement of another brand of tire, to see if that will somehow alleviate the worsening drifting. The car does drive straight and true after the alignment but somehow manages to get out of alignment within three to four months on average of mostly highway driving. These conditions do affect my gas mileage, and in conjunction with the steering being troublesome, I know it is time for another alignment. The following are examples of how far out the car’s alignment is at different intervals:
9/4/2016; LF Camber was 0.1 RF -1.8 Degrees, front Steer ahead was 0.07 Degrees while LR Toe was 0.00 Degrees RR Camber - 2.1-Degree total Toe was 0.20 Degree. 11/9/2016, LF Toe -0.26 Degrees total Toe -0.19 Degree and Steer ahead was -0.17 Degree. LR Toe -0.09 Degree and RR Toe 0.24 Degree with rear Toe 0.15 Degree. 1/12/17 Rf Camber -1.5 Degree LR Toe 0.02 Degree RR Toe 0.24 Degree Front Steer ahead was 0.02-Degree ad rear total Toe 0.27 Degrees thrust angle -0.11 Degree. 5/23/2017 LF Toe -0.21 RF Toe 0.17 Degree; Steer ahead -0.19 Degree. 9/18/2017, LF Toe 0.20 Degree RF Camber -1.6 Degree and Toe -0.15 Degree; Steer ahead 0.18 Degree. LR Toe 0.24 Degree.
At ninety-four dollars for an alignment at frequent intervals, an event I never encountered with OEM tires and most certainly not the frequency of constant steering correction to maintain control of the vehicle. The question is, the car has its faults be known and how much does the advent of the tires being an enabler to alignment issues as a cause affecting safe, operable conditions.
Since July 2013, date of original purchase, there was a noticeable drifting of the vehicle on the highway. Speaking with a Toyota salesperson, he recognized this problem and expressed the Toyota FPJ (he owned) exhibited similar characteristics of drifting, requiring the driver to pay close attention to driving. Original Equipped tires were Bridgestone Turanza EL400 p215/55r17.
During the period of driving on the Bridgestones, drifting was noticeable, but not a constant swaying from left to right of the vehicle. Replaced the Bridgestones at 42,513 miles with Pirelli Cintauratos P7 Plus and the problem was exacerbated and continues to date. Since original purchase in September 2016, I have had seven alignments (six from the Tire service center) and one from the dealer in Laurel, the place of purchase.
The tire service center indicates that I must be hitting potholes for the alignment to be thrown out, which invariably is not the case. The problem is worst when a gust of wind pushes the car left to right (more noticeable in my Camry but not my wife's Rav4, or my daughters Corolla), you have to keep inputting Steering corrections to keep the car from swaying into different lanes
Currently, the odometer reading is 67,906, and I will attempt to get another alignment (8 in just over a year) or suffer the cost of replacement of another brand of tire, to see if that will somehow alleviate the worsening drifting. The car does drive straight and true after the alignment but somehow manages to get out of alignment within three to four months on average of mostly highway driving. These conditions do affect my gas mileage, and in conjunction with the steering being troublesome, I know it is time for another alignment. The following are examples of how far out the car’s alignment is at different intervals:
9/4/2016; LF Camber was 0.1 RF -1.8 Degrees, front Steer ahead was 0.07 Degrees while LR Toe was 0.00 Degrees RR Camber - 2.1-Degree total Toe was 0.20 Degree. 11/9/2016, LF Toe -0.26 Degrees total Toe -0.19 Degree and Steer ahead was -0.17 Degree. LR Toe -0.09 Degree and RR Toe 0.24 Degree with rear Toe 0.15 Degree. 1/12/17 Rf Camber -1.5 Degree LR Toe 0.02 Degree RR Toe 0.24 Degree Front Steer ahead was 0.02-Degree ad rear total Toe 0.27 Degrees thrust angle -0.11 Degree. 5/23/2017 LF Toe -0.21 RF Toe 0.17 Degree; Steer ahead -0.19 Degree. 9/18/2017, LF Toe 0.20 Degree RF Camber -1.6 Degree and Toe -0.15 Degree; Steer ahead 0.18 Degree. LR Toe 0.24 Degree.
At ninety-four dollars for an alignment at frequent intervals, an event I never encountered with OEM tires and most certainly not the frequency of constant steering correction to maintain control of the vehicle. The question is, the car has its faults be known and how much does the advent of the tires being an enabler to alignment issues as a cause affecting safe, operable conditions.
- Alex F., Columbia, MD, US