How to Correct Understeer During Cornering

Understeer occurs when the front tires of your car lose traction during cornering. This causes the car to “push” or continue traveling forward even though you are turning the wheel to the left or right. The root of the problem is that the front tires do not have enough grip to turn the car where you would like it to go. Understeer can easily be corrected whether you are on the race track or simply driving in bad road conditions like snow.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car

1. When you feel the car is beginning to understeer, gently lift off the gas pedal and straighten the front wheels.

2. The front tires will regain traction by reducing the speed of the car and the amount the steering wheel is turned.

3. When you feel the front wheels regain traction, begin turning into the corner again.

4. Complete the turn.

Tips & Warnings

• You can apply the brakes after you have lifted off the gas pedal and straightened the wheel to make the front tires grip more. However, you need to be careful not to apply too much brakes because you do not want to lock up the front wheels.
• Turning the steering wheel more while experiencing understeer will make the situation worse.

[grouch]

on 12/15/2007 I way could have used this today. Stuck while turning a corner on ice. Ahhhh the wonders of winter. Thanks for the information.