What is Car understeer? – Auto logy explains
Understeer is when you want to turn around, but the car seems to ignore you, we explain it here.
We have already explained what car oversteer is, but in this case we are talking about something that is totally the opposite: understeer.
This term is used when we want to describe in a general way the fact that the car continues with the tendency to move in a straight line instead of attacking a curve despite having moved the steering wheel.
Why does this happen?
Usually this phenomenon occurs more frequently in front-wheel drive vehicles, although it also occurs with rear propulsion, since the front axle is in charge of propelling and steering the car and when performing both tasks under high demand it can lose grip, and therefore not direct the car where we want and continue with the inertia of the straight movement.
Some drivers, worrying about this fact, try to correct the direction of the car by turning the steering wheel further, which will only cause a greater loss of grip, the tires will squeak and the steering wheel will become light.
There are several reasons why understeer can occur, but it is mainly due to the distribution of weight in a vehicle, with a greater load of it in the front of the car.
How to correct understeer?
If you notice that your car begins to understeer in a curve, you should gradually stop accelerating until you feel the front tires regain their grip, and progressively turn the steering wheel towards the vertex.
On the other hand, if understeer occurs in a rear-drive vehicle, we will only have to progressively release the pressure from the brake pedal and let the movement of the rear axle put the car back into the curve.
Some experienced drivers even tap the accelerator lightly to regain traction more easily, all while pointing the wheel where we want to go in the curve. If you are planning to buy used cars online than Auto for Trade is the best platform to avoid these type of issues.
Understeer in rear-wheel drive vehicles usually occurs when the driver brakes very hard before entering the curve, an action that causes a sudden transfer of weight and as a result the loss of grip of the front tires.
Thanks to modern technology, these types of situations such as oversteer or understeer can be controlled by the car almost completely.
Electronic Stability Control and Electronic Traction Control play an important role in road safety, so never disable these items from your vehicle unless you are on a closed circuit with the intention of having fun safely.
There are vehicles like the Volkswagen Jetta GLI that make use of a special differential on the front axle to counteract this phenomenon when entering a curve by independently distributing the necessary amount of torque to the wheels to compensate for the trajectory of the furthest tire. to the vertex and not lose grip.
It is a fact that in our country, there is still no law that obliges the brands that are part of the purchase of cars in Mexico to equip elements such as ESP and TCS, but the national consumer has little by little put pressure on the assemblers.
