430 Steering Question

I have a 2007 430. I have had the car for about a year, and recently noticed that when I am in a parking lot or driveway making a very sharp turn at slow speed, the front wheels shimmy or jerk. Essentially the car does not turn smoothly. This never used to happen. Also, it seems like it only happens when the car is somewhat cold, as if the power steering fluid needs to be pumped into the lines.

The steering is dead on otherwise. It does not seem like an alignment problem since the car tracks perfectly. The car is under the manufacturer's warranty, so I am going to bring it in to get it checked out, but I was wondering if anyone else experienced anything similar.

 

I have an 07 430 spider also. I have a REAL steep driveway.. and I have noticed that after I creep down it, after a cold start... that when I drive down the street leaving my house, the steering is really squirly. It pulls to the left real hard and the alignment seems off...

It really scared me first time it happened, but it usually seems to correct itself by the time I get to the main roads. I suspected the same thing as you.. that the power steering needed to warm up or something of that nature.

Let me know if you find anything else out.

 

I have an '07 F430 as well, but haven't noticed this behavior.

Frank

 

Noticed the same phenomenon on my 07 CPE and previous 360 CPE when making extreme
turns at slow speeds when cold. I had always thought that tires were touching inside of wheel well?

 

My first thought was that I had a flat front left tire! hahaha it really doesnt concern me anymore... but would love to know the definitive answer.

 

Wow! Sounds like a lot of people have this problem and it is related to the car being cold. I too thought I had a flat the first time this happened. Don't think its a big deal because the car seems to drive perfectly and this doesn't happen when the car is warm, but I am going to bring it to the dealer and see what they say. The part that bugs me is that I don't remember this ever happening with the car until about three months ago, so I would say that some part has given out.

 

Tires rubbing wheel well, or tire tread catching & skipping with pavement.

 

My '05 has occasionally done this since new only when quite cold. I think it is the tires.

Dave

 

I notice this too on my 2000 360- only when doing a sharp, say 90 degree turn out of my garage to the main part of the driveway, I believe this happens only when the car is being used the first time of the day (i.e. still cold). Becuase I just recently got my car it's been cool every time I drove it first time with the NJ weather this time of year....this seems to be temperature related- like the power steering pump needs a few more seconds to operate properly with cold fluid or something.. Fundlawyer maybe you noticed this as the weather got cooler as opposed to anything being wrong with your car?

Like the others my steering is perfect otherwise.

My 1993 911 power steering does something a little different- it will have no power assist for the first few feet backing out of the garage when cold- I never did anything about it in the 7+ years I've owned the car because it was so minor and the steering worked fine after the first few feet- but after this with the 360 I now think it is merely a temperature related minor quirk with both cars.

 

Same experience. If it was front wheel drive I'd say it was down to worn CV joints but clearly that cannot be the case! It's a kind of lumping~bumping~knocking sensation at full lock. Feels almost like the tyres are being pulled over the concrete rather than being able to turn normally.

In my case it happens at all temperatures but I do find it more noticeable when backing out of the garage onto the road and then turning but I suspect it's not so much that the car is cold as the severity of the turn I'm making.

Looking forward to someone posting the definitive answer here shortly.

 

my 430 used to do that when it was cold as well. (06' 430)

 

I just checked my steering fluid before I schlep the car to the dealer and noticed it is low. What is the proper brand and type of fluid to use?

 

Make sure the motor is hot when you check it. Makes a difference.

Dave

 

This skipping is due to the steering geometry and camber/toe setup from the factory. Totally normal! You will notice that it will skip/hop more if the wheels are turned at sharper angles.

 

I have a F430 07 as well, what kind of tires does everyone here have on the front. I have the 19 inch challenger wheels in the front on michelin ps2 tires. I have the same issue, but could it maybe be that the tires are a bit small for the front. Maybe a different size or brand of tire would fix this.

i think they are 19/235/85

But they do look small for being a front tire. I know this is standard size for the F430, but maybe a bigger tire will help.

 

It is due to the aspect ratio and the hard compounds in the Performance tires. It will happen when they are cold.

 

So I had the steering fluid topped off - big difference. Now I only experience the skipping when the car is really cold, and only at start up. Once I have been driving for more then two minutes, I can turn as sharp as I want at really slow speeds and there is no skipping.

So my guess is that the skipping was from low fluid, and it takes a minute or two for the cold steering fluid to get pumped up to pressure in the steering system.