Tires or suspension

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Boatman79
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:08 am

I have not narrowed it down yet... Don't know if it is the tires or the suspension... but when I am driving and hit a bump this car jerks around on the road... now when I first bought this car it never did this... but hell I put cheaper tires on it.... about 140 a piece but I have never had this problem with any ever car I have owned... Maybe it is the low profile tires on it...
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kegard
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:50 pm
Location: Chicagoland

I'm putting my money on the tires. I have the GTS with the slightly sportier suspension and notice the same thing when hitting expansion joints on the highway. Especially when turning and hitting these joints, or ruts in the road.

The tires on this car are simply OK. I've owned new cars with much worse tires (Subaru OEM tires are total crap) and these were decent in the snow. When you put a good set of tires on it will make a huge difference with the handling. I had a WRX with a modified suspension and it would bounce all over with the stock tires.
2011 GTS manual

former life:
Tuned 2007 Subaru Forester XT auto
Tuned 2005 Subaru WRX manual
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~tc~
Posts: 999
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:33 am
Location: Houston, TX USA

While I have noticed the bump steer can be pretty bad hitting bumps while turning, I don't have any issues with it being "darty" while going straight over bumps.

I would look to the alignment being slightly off.

If it's a bad tire, you should be able to rotate them and see if it goes away.
2011 Sport SLS with nav Black Pearl Metallic
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Boatman79
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:08 am

I will get it checked out with suzuki... thank you for writing to me... this subject does bother me... I hope it is just the tires because it sure as hell makes the car feel unsafe.... I just do not make that much money to go out and spend two hundred or more dollars on a tire... but I am going to have to suck it up and do something... Have any of you driven this car in the winter.... If so, tell your experiance... I would love to know....
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kegard
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:50 pm
Location: Chicagoland

I got mine this past March so I had a few days of snow. Mine is FWD, and I found the tires to be decent. I'll have a better impression this winter.

I traded in a Subaru Forester, and even with AWD that car was worse in the snow because the stock tires on it were total crap.

All OEM tires I've found to be mediocre at best.
2011 GTS manual

former life:
Tuned 2007 Subaru Forester XT auto
Tuned 2005 Subaru WRX manual
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Firefly
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:45 pm
Location: Northern New Jersey, USA

I get the same experience - but I would say its the suspension, and the harder low profile 18" tires make it more pronounced. The steering wheel sometimes jerks on a sharp bump, and on a bumpy curve the front seems to skitter, but there is never loss of control or any tramlining.
Former driver of a 2011 SLS AWD Platinum
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tigerbangs54
Posts: 91
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:20 am
Location: Springfield, MA
Contact:
Contact tigerbangs54

You'll find that tire inflation pressures are critical on a Kizashi to how well it rides and handles. Check your door sticker, which usually indicates an inflation pressure of 38PSI on all 4 tires. You'll find that a variation of even a couple of PSI will make a marked difference in the hide and handling ...
Last edited by tigerbangs54 on Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

My 2011 S AWD exhibits a modest amount of bump steer but ONLY under specific conditions; I do NOT notice it EXCEPT under those specific onditions.

I live in Vermont, in a snow belt, and picked up my car two days before Christmas.
It was snowing.
I'd had them mount my newish General-brand snows before I took it, and the car performed superbly in our extreme snow conditions.
Locomotive-like......
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Boatman79
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:08 am

glad some of your are getting good use out of your cars.... I have already had mine repainted.. (red) stereo turns up on me and the AVC is off... I will talk to suzuki about the suspension... Really glad to see some of you like how it handles in the snow because I told the company mine sucks... It takes me over a hour and twenty minutes to get to work, one time it took me over three hours to get home because I was so uncomfortable with this car... no grip on the road, every little gust of wind that hit my car pushed my car around and almost went into the ditch several times... did not feel safe at all, but I bet it is just the tires... I am going to make a appointment with suzuki this upcoming monday or tuesday.... I thank all of you for your comments...
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EnfinityX
Posts: 127
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:11 am

i feel rock solid on turns and over bumps. no unwanted movement. On the snow, i have snow tires, but once again tracks straight and true. The stock tires are decent enough for stock tires. They give good grip indication. Took a turn hot today got lots of tire squeal minimal understeer. My car is set up well. I got the awd.
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