Van pulls to the right when accelerating at highway speeds

ANSWER : What you’re experiencing is torque steer, which is the tendency for a front-wheel drive vehicle (such as yours) to pull to one side under acceleration. Some torque steer is normal in a front wheel drive vehicle. However, there are several potential causes for torque steer that is greater than designed. A few of the most likely causes include improper tire pressure, alignment that is out of adjustment, worn tires, and loose wheel bearings. If you feel the torque steer you are experiencing is excessive, I suggest you have a professional diagnose your vehicle’s pulling issue. The team at YourMechanic is an excellent option.

ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. This is a common problem associated with fuel/air delivery which is very commonly related to what is called a mass airflow sensor. This monitors the flow of air intake into the throttle body as it is mixed with fuel to deliver the right air/fuel mixture into the motor. When this is not working properly, this will cause this kind of hesitation or surging when trying to accelerate. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home or office to confirm a diagnosis on the issue and make or suggest the necessary repairs or replacements.

ANSWER : Hi there. It is possible, the fuel pump and/or fuel filter is responsible for the lack of power at freeway speeds. It could also be, the exhaust system is restricted ie; restricted/plugged catalytic converter. The lack of acceleration at low speed and high speed may be a faulty MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor incorrectly calculating engine vacuum. There are more possibilities and proper diagnoses should be performed. Replacing components without diagnoses, can be expensive and time consuming without resolution. I recommend having your vehicle’s slow to accelerate at 70mph be diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.

ANSWER : Hi there. At first glance, I would assume the grinding noise is caused by a damaged wheel bearing. When the wheel bearing is starting to fail, it looses lubricity; which causes metal-to-metal contact and a grinding noise is often the symptom. It’s also possible that the rotor is warped and causing contact on the brake caliper. Have your mechanic complete a wheel bearing inspection first to see if this is the cause of your grinding noise, as this is rather common with Ford Focus’.

ANSWER : If there were something in the way of foreign material (e.g., road debris) stuck, you’d probably hear the noise all the time. The noise may be due to the brake pads (particularly if they are not OEM pads). Non-OEM pads sometimes have chunks of metal in them and if the caliper is sticky, at take-off (i.e., while still at low speed) the pad may be rubbing against the rotor until you get to a high enough speed that the pad finally retracts. It is also possible that the brake dust cover is contacting the rotor, because it was impacted and bent, but the noise should be present all the time if that is the case. Really, the first thing to examine is the brake assembly (pads, caliper, pins in torque plate, rotor, dust cover) on the right side. If the source of the noise is not found there, obviously another rotating component is responsible and that means stuff like axles and the transmission. Be sure it is really wheel related, though. It is possible for accessory drives and pulleys to make noises, too, and such could disappear at higher RPM, just as you are describing. In any event, inasmuch as the noise is so obvious, the origin would be quickly identified during an actual, on site noise diagnostic. Such can be scheduled by YourMechanic at your convenience and performed right at your location. Please let us know if you have additional questions or concerns.

ANSWER : Hello. This can be caused by a number of things. I usually start by checking the tire balance. If the balance is off, then this will occur. If the balance is fine, then I check the engine mounts and the CV axles. If it has a worn out engine mount or a worn CV axle joint, then this will occur. Both of these are common issues on this vehicle that will occur over time. If you would like to have this looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose the vibration problem in person.

ANSWER : There was probably at least some damage to your tie rods. These are the connections between the steering rack and the wheel. If one is bent or fatigued, it could even be dangerous to drive the car. There are some other components that may also have suffered including the control arms and the struts. At the very least you need to have the alignment set. Alignments are available at tire stores as well as the dealerships for a wide range of prices, but this can be a real case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. The alignment at the dealership or at a BMW specialty shop will be more expensive, but also more complete than a tire store.I recommend you have the front end inspected by a Technician from your mechanic before you get that alignment. you can usually count on the alignment technician to inform you of what pieces are damaged and need to be replaced before completing the alignment, but then you have to do the repairs on their terms and not yours.

ANSWER : The intake variable runner control may be stuck in the wrong position and would need to be checked to see if it is able to move. The control valve for this or the solenoid for the variable valve timing may be stuck or have open circuit. Have systems tested for operation and scanned. I’d recommend getting some help from a professional mechanic who can diagnose your acceleration issue. Once this is done, an accurate repair can be followed through.