Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Memory steer is typically caused by which condition?

Memory steer happens when a front suspension component binds, preventing the wheel from returning smoothly to center after a turn. The most common cause is a seized or stiff upper strut mount bearing in a MacPherson strut setup. When that bearing sticks, the wheel doesn’t rotate freely as you straighten the steering, so it tends to “remember” the angle you just steered to and can pull or stay off-center as you drive. If the upper strut mount bearing is seized, you may feel stiffness or binding when turning and when trying to straighten the wheel, and the effect can be more noticeable after making a turn. Other conditions produce different symptoms: worn wheel bearings typically cause play, wandering, or noise; low power steering fluid makes steering heavy but not remember a previous position; a misaligned brake caliper tends to cause pulling under braking, not a steering-angle memory once you’re on the straight.

Memory steer happens when a front suspension component binds, preventing the wheel from returning smoothly to center after a turn. The most common cause is a seized or stiff upper strut mount bearing in a MacPherson strut setup. When that bearing sticks, the wheel doesn’t rotate freely as you straighten the steering, so it tends to “remember” the angle you just steered to and can pull or stay off-center as you drive.

If the upper strut mount bearing is seized, you may feel stiffness or binding when turning and when trying to straighten the wheel, and the effect can be more noticeable after making a turn.

Other conditions produce different symptoms: worn wheel bearings typically cause play, wandering, or noise; low power steering fluid makes steering heavy but not remember a previous position; a misaligned brake caliper tends to cause pulling under braking, not a steering-angle memory once you’re on the straight.