What can cause heavy steering?
Heavy steering can come from more than one steering & suspension branch. Operating conditions, warning behavior, scan data, and physical tests are needed to separate the supported cause from look-alikes.
Plausible causes
- Steering, suspension, or wheel-support concern
- Tire or alignment influence
- Joint, mount, damper, spring, or bearing
Useful next checks
- Record whether the wheel is centered, the car drifts with a centered wheel, the problem occurs during cruise/braking/acceleration, and the road crown. Check cold placard tire pressures and visible damage only.
- Full module scan and steering-angle status
- Tire pressure, construction, conicity, wear, and runout
Sources and method
This answer provides hypotheses and a verification plan, not a component verdict. Exact repair procedures require authoritative service information for the specific vehicle.
Pull/Drift Diagnostic Guidance · NHTSA / Subaru