DEFINITION: At a constant highway speed on a typical straight road, lead/pull is the amount of effort required at the steering wheel to maintain the vehicle straight path.

Did you review the General Description and perform the visual/physical inspections?

Go to Step 2

Go to Symptoms - Suspension General Diagnosis

Road test the vehicle in order to verify the complaint.

Does the vehicle operate normally?

System OK

Go to Step 3

Inspect the tire/wheel assemblies for:

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 4

Perform the Radial Tire Lead/Pull Correction in Tires and Wheels.

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 5

Inspect and correct/adjust the suspension and steering systems for:

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 6

Inspect the brake system for brake drag. With the vehicle suspended on a hoist, brake drag can be identified by rotating each wheel several times and observing whether more force is needed to rotate the left wheel or the right wheel. Refer to Diagnostic Starting Point - Disc Brakes in Disc Brakes.

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 7

Inspect the wheel alignment and adjust as necessary. Refer to Wheel Alignment Measurement in Wheel Alignment.

Did you correct the condition?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 8

Inspect the steering gear for unequal effort. The vehicle must be suspended on a hoist, the engine running, and the transmission in park or neutral. Grasp the tire assembly and manually simulate a turn from the left of center and the right of center observing whether more force is needed to turn to the left or to the right. If this condition exists, replace the steering gear.

Did you correct the condition?

System OK

Go to Step 3

Operate the vehicle in order to verify the repair.

Did you correct the condition?

System OK

Go to Step 3