Understeer

Keywords

What is understeer?

Understeer happens when a vehicle doesn't turn as sharply as intended, causing it to stray towards the outside of the corner.

This normally occurs with front-wheel drive cars when the front wheels lose traction and fail to follow the steering input.

Often, the best way to correct understeer is to slowly unwind the steering wheel and gently apply the brakes.

It's best to try and avoid understeer if you can by not carrying too much speed into corners.

Related Jargon

How does electric power steering work?

Electric power steering uses electric motors to reduce the amount of effort that the driver has to put in to turn the steering wheel.

What is a front-wheel-drive car?

A car with front-wheel drive (FWD) means that the engine and gearbox are connected directly to the front wheels only.

What is a chassis?

A chassis is the structural framework of a vehicle that supports all of its components.

What is oversteer?

Oversteer is when a car's rear wheels lose traction during a turn, causing the rear to slide out.

What exactly does handling mean and why is it relevant to a car?

Handling describes the way a car reacts on the road to what a driver does, using the steering wheel and pedals.

What exactly does horsepower refer to in a car?

Horsepower is how the power produced by an engine is measured.

What is a 4x4 car?

A 4x4 car is one that is fitted with four-wheel drive, which means that the power created by the engine is sent to all four wheels.

What is all-wheel drive?

An all-wheel-drive (AWD) system sends the power of the engine to both the front and rear wheels all the time so if one or more wheels is stuck, or can’t get any grip on the road, the other wheels are still driving the car forward.

What is rear wheel drive in a car?

A rear wheel drive car is one where the power generated by the engine is sent to the rear wheels, which then ‘push’ the car along.

What is a limited-slip differential and what is it good for?

A limited slip differential (LSD) is a device on a car that limits the amount that a wheel spins, for example, when a car loses grip on the road.

What is an automatic transmission?

Automatic transmission changes gears as the vehicle moves, without the driver having to do anything themselves.

What does a car's ride quality mean?

Ride quality refers to a how comfortable a car is to travel in.