Whether you're driving in Salem, OR, or in a far-off locale, oversteer and understeer can potentially ruin your automotive day. At Volkswagen of Salem, we can explain these traction-related scenarios and how to avoid them.
If you've ever entered a turn going fast enough to feel your vehicle's tires lose grip, you have experienced one or both these two concepts. Usually, oversteer happens to rear-wheel-drive cars. In fact, some RWD cars are modified to engage oversteer. Known as track cars or drift cars, these machines perform maneuvers we must not attempt on public roads.
Alternatively, understeer is usually seen in front-wheel-drive vehicles. Also, it can occur in some all-wheel-drive configurations. Google your AWD vehicle to see if it is prone to understeer in certain conditions. During understeer, the vehicle's front tires skip, and the vehicle resists turning. Fortunately, manufacturers are putting torque vectoring, which reduces understeer, into more vehicles. Optimally, you'll avoid oversteer or understeer through smooth operation of your vehicle.