Tom Pearl

These fractions you’re giving are variations in what exactly? Like what are they measurements of?

I’m starting to really consider the possibility that it’s all in my head. However, that can’t be the case since a number of people (both mechanics and non-mechanics) have driven the car and noticed it. I just can’t believe the mystery hasn’t been solved yet after several hundred dollars and about 10 trips to 6 different shops over a span of several years. It’s really something else. I will mention though that not one person even considered that it may be the cheap tires. It’s a really nice car, I love it, so it’s just killing me that it has this one silly yet incredibly annoying issue.

Im not saying it’s not the tires because they’re new. The car was doing this with the factory tires on. It’s not that I can’t beleive it’s the shitty primewells causing the problem either- although that’s hard for me to believe given the fact that the car was doing the same exact thing with the factory tires. What I’m simply asking is for someone to explain how exactly poor quality tires can cause this exact issue. Like, the science behind what is happening if that’s indeed the case. You can’t really just say “oh, your car is doing this distinct pull to the right even though the alignment is fine, so it must be the shitty set of tires you have on it.” I swear it’s the steering wheel or assembly. I wish you guys could drive it. You would notice immediately. Something is off with the steering. I’m going to try a better set of tires at some point though to see what that does, although I can almost guarantee it won’t do anything. I feel it in my bones. I’m willing to try anything at this point though.

Can somebody please explain how exactly cheap tires correlate to the specific issue I'm having? Like I said, the steering wheel is a few degrees off-center to the right. So when I’m driving straight and let go of the wheel the car starts drifting to the right. It seems to me, and I feel most people would agree that the off-center steering wheel is a much more likely culprit than cheap tires.

It’s not the tires as I’ve stated before in the thread. Car was pulling with the factory tires on. Im fully convinced it’s something to do with the steerIng wheel or steering assembly. The wheel is just not centered. Its a degree or two off to the right

Very interesting. You just installed lowering springs on all 4 wheels? I'm not trying to lower the car though...

The primewells were installed a little over a year ago. I bought the car with the factory tires on it and they were heavily worn in an abnormally way reflective of the pull to the right.

Finally an update: Took it into Subaru for most likely the final time. Both a technician and myself test drove it on both the streets and a freeway and he confirmed there is indeed a pull. I demanded they check all the steering components and said I believed the most likely culprit was debris blocking one of the valves in the steering box. They kept it overnight, called me the next day and basically said "there's nothing wrong we can see with your car and the steering is all electronic so that can't be it. We measured all suspension parts and everything is fine. However, we did an alignment and centered the steering wheel free of charge." Their machine did not indicate it needed an alignment. In fact, it showed all measurements were 100% perfect. The car continues to pull, but not as dramatically as before and the steering wheel is still just a tad off center. Now I think my next and final move will be to go to a Subaru specialist shop. If that fails, then im done with the car. Words can't describe how unhappy I am with this company and how angry with myself I am for buying this car.

No, unfortunately. I've been too busy lately. Well its good to know I'm not alone. What year is yours?

Update: I recently drove another 2017 Legacy and it was perfect. No weird pull to the right and didn't at all feel like something is off like with mine. After reading this thread, I'm pretty convinced the issue lies in the steering components: https://community.cartalk.com/t/steering-is-harder-to-the-left-than-to-the-right/83146 I'll be taking it to Subaru for the final time in about a week and if nothing comes of it again than I'm not putting any more time and money into the car and moving on. Ill give an update.

I got the car in late 2020, not 2022. I've taken it to the same Subaru dealership 4 times since and each time they apparently did a full inspection of the vehicle and each time I left with nothing being resolved. During a full inspection they should check all the things you list, right? I'm starting to feel like this particular dealership is pretty incompetent. Every time I go there its 50% people just getting minor services done like oil change, tire rotation...etc and 50% pissed off customers bitching at them about more involved issues that aren't getting resolved. Got brand new tired Jan 22 so they're fine.

I'm in Southern CA, but thanks for the kind offer. Im thinking my next step will be finding a couple legacys of the same gen in my area and test driving them to see if they do the same thing as mine because there's people telling me that most newer cars drift slightly to the right as a safety feature in case the driver falls asleep they go off the road instead of into oncoming traffic. I'm thinking there might be some truth to that because besides this car I've only owned a couple from the late 90s and they drove straight as an arrow. And the few newer cars I've driven besides mine also drifted to the right slightly. However, you're saying your 2017 doesn't pull at all so it might just end up being a waste of time.

To be clear: I've had three alignments done. First was at a random alignment shop. This reduced the amount of pull slightly. I have a printout of the "after" measurements from this visit but lost the "before" measurements. Next, I took it too a Subaru dealership where they performed an alignment because their machine indicated the measurements were still a bit off. I confirmed this through the display monitor behind the service desk but did not get a printout. This alignment made no noticeable difference and car continued to pull. Next, I took it to a random shop and they're machine said all good measurements. Did not get a printout or see the readings but saw them getting the readings. Next, about a month later, I took it to another random shop. Their machine showed that some measurements were off slightly. The camber on the front driver's side I believe, but don't remember 100%. They did an alignment and it made maybe the slightest noticeable difference but the car continues to pull. I visually confirmed everything by looking at the readings on their computer but did not get a printout. Most recently I took it back to the same dealership and their machine shows all measurements are perfect but they said their printer was down at the time and could not give me a printout. So, from all this I gather that all alignment measuring machines aren't created equally... and I keep going back to the first reply to my original post which states that a truly proper alignment maybe hasn't been performed.

Not sure what you mean by torque steer issue but yes the more I accelerate the more pronounced the pull becomes. At low speeds its hardly noticeable and over 65ish its so pronounced I have to keep a hand on the wheel and turn a little to the left every few seconds to stay in my lane. But overall its a pretty slight and steady pull. I almost wouldn't even call it a "pull" ... Its more like a steady drift to the right. Feels almost like the right side of the car is lagging behind the left like the car had a stroke or something lol. Or the front axle is at a slight angle instead of level/ perfectly perpendicular with the driveshaft.

I didn't get an alignment. It doesn't need one according to the dealership's machine. I asked for a printout but they said the system was down at the time. Ill probably take it back one more time but I mean... Ive already taken it to them 4 times and the issue still isn't resolved. This is why I'm kinda at a loss at this point and starting to feel like its not worth the trouble. My next step is actually find a legacy from the same gen as mine at a dealer somewhere and test drive it to see if is just a thing with those cars and not actually an issue.

While driving and not holding the wheel the car pulls to the right. So I don't see how centering the wheel is a fix. I could take the wheel off and put it back on upside down and the car would still pull to the right.

Not mixed. All Primewell PS830/850. I don't know if they're directional, asymmetrical or what. Today the dealership inflated all tires to specs

According to 3 different shops the alignment is fine. And I just now realised that if the car pulls to the right when driving straight and not holding the wheel, than centering the steering wheel isnt going to solve the problem, right? So I'm thinking this boils it down to a suspension issue or something up with the steering linkage or power steering.

The steering wheel is not centered when driving straight which im just assuming is the reason the car pulls to the right when the wheel is released when driving straight- even while on a flat, level road.

Got it in 2020 as cert pre-owned and after a few days I started to notice something was up. While driving, it seems like the steering wheel wants to be a little off-center to the right- like just between 12 and 1 o'clock. I've only owned a much older vehicle prior to this one and haven't driven many newer cars so I thought this might be something normal for newer vehicles. Nevertheless, I took it to a Subaru dealer, they say it needs an alignment- and afterwards the car continued to pull to the right. So later, I took it to a independent shop and after just a quick drive down the street they confirmed that the steering wheel is off-center. He said it's an alignment issue and if the alignment is indeed all correct, than the steering wheel should be fixed at 12 o'clock while driving. I have measurement printouts from Subaru and another shop I took it to confirming alignment is all correct. I don't really understand this because I thought that alignment has to do with the positioning of the wheels and not really related to the steering assembly/performance? Just looking for info on the technicals of this issue, if/how it can be fixed, how expensive...etc. I have an appointment at a Subaru dealer in a few days but I'm wondering if by chance It may be a relatively simple fix I could do myself.