QuestionMy son replaced the shocks and struts on his 4Runner a few months ago. Now he complains that while driving, any kind of bump or rough road feels like he is going to lose control of the vehicle. He says it almost pulls the steering wheel out of his hands. The vehicle is in excellent condition and has approx. 140K miles. Any ideas?
AnswerScott,
Check out the shocks, and struts to make sure that they haven't come loose, or nothing has broken. Also, make sure that they are the correct replacement parts. I have seen parts such as these replaced with parts that were listed as replacements, but were not the proper length. If they are too short, this can cause your problem. Next, if it has a steering stabilizer, it should have been replaced at the same time as the shocks.
If these all seem to be ok, then I would check out the power steering pump, if it has power steering.
If this doesn't locate the problem, then I would go to a reputable front end shop, and have the 4-Runner's front end aligned. When this is done, they can check the ball joints, along with the steering components to see if there is a worn, or broken part in the steering system. Any of these parts could cause this type of problem.
Carl
