Difficult Driving In Windy Conditions

[ishepherd]

Does anyone else experience a poor driving experience when it is very windy? I feel that I have to work particularly hard when driving as the car seems to be thrown about by the wind. The wind noise coming through the passenger and driver door seals adds to the problem.

[Norbreck21a]

Funny you should say that. I was thinking the same thing today about my 1.8 T3-X,

seems very unstable at speed. I commented about this to Toyota shortly after getting the car in march, and they told me that it was probably that I wasn't used to the cars electric power steering coming from a Focus with Hydraulic power steering.

Having driven it fo rabout 6 months, it doesn't seem to be getting any better, so I was think of asking my local dealer to check over the car. The steering itself doesnt seem to weight up at speed as I have been used to so maybe that's the problem.

Anyone else any ideas ?

Andrew

[jamesholden]

My old shape Avensis isn't as stable at speed as the Primera I used to have, but there is a pattern emerging.

The hatchback CarinaII was never as stable at speed as the saloon was (had experience of both) as was the CarinaE, the old shape Avensis is 50% CarinaE and also appears to suffer from this, so i'm wondering if the new Avensis also suffers from the same trait.

[jtsongas]

I've noticed the same problem when driving with a very strong cross wind. It only seems to be a problem at speeds above 170 KPH but can catch you off guard if you move into an open area. I think it is more to the shape of the car than anything else.

Jason

[adi]

its just the characteristics of the car.. nothing you can do about it.

The power steering thing was just a line they were throwing at you...

[AvensisTR]

my avensis is not sooo stable over 170 kph but i dont think that it is because of wind. coz it doesnt matter if its windy or not. i guess it is because of the road contiditions. coz on a nice road i made upto 190-195 kph on curves and 220 on straight with our 2004 model 1.6 16V V-VTI and it was stable

[breezer]

its a right byatch driving in windy conditions, especially at high speed when youre doin 70-100mph (as i was yesterday - not braggin) everyone else was doing same speed and i was gettin blown all over the place and found it hard to control car, when i passed some truck and just as i got clear i felt the gust blow my car quite hard. it is common in most cars!! so there wont be a problem with yours

very scary! :!Removed!:

[jtsongas]

AvensisTR:

Have you done mod work (or had done) on the car? If so what was involved, if you don't mind, costs and such. I ask as the limiter should be far less than 220 on the vehicle.

Thanks,

Jason

[GT4 BOOSTER]

its not common in a lowered celica or a mr2 , its over our heads :P :P

[css]

I don't blame the car for instability to be honest, I put it down to the tyres you have on it more than anything. I used to have some issues with wind, but not since I put a decent set of tyres on the car.. What are you guys using?

[Norbreck21a]

Actually, it's interesting what iShepherd said about tyres.

My T3X has only done 5k so replacing the nearly new Bridgestones is not really an option for me. However, it got me into thinking about tyre pressures.

I normally run (1 up with no luggage) at 32-33psi all round. At the weekend I increased this to 35-36psi. Not sure if it's a coincindence or if one of the tyres previously was a little low, but it seems to have helped immensely. I used the car today on the motorway in severe cross winds and it didn't seem half as bad (still present but nothing like it was).

Could this be a real factor or just coincidence ?

Cheers

Andrew

[Norbreck21a]

OOps, I meant what CSS said not iShepherd (sorry)

[css]

You should check your pressures every couple of weeks, and when the tyres are cold too.. I'm not so sure about 35-6 psi, I'd keep it within the 30-32 range..