pulls while braking

[adamkpl]

Just bought a 2007 XC90 with 150,000 km and noticed the dreaded pulling to the left when braking on the highway. Glad I found this thread so I'm hoping the front or rear control arm bushings are the culprit.

[adamkpl]

Update - in my case the front/rear control arm bushing was in fact the culprit - all better now

[ragtopgto]

Hate to resurrect an old thread but I am having this same issue but I have already replaced the outer tie rods, LCA's and ball joints( had bad rear bushings on LCA's, one bad tie rod and both lower ball joints).
When applying the brakes lightly there is a little shutter but if you brake hard the car wants to pull hard left but then when you let off it feels like the ass end swerves to the right or waddles for lack of better terms. Checked all the calipers and from what I can tell they all grip evenly and release evenly, none are hanging up.
At a loss. Anyone got any ideas where to go from here.

P.S. Car has been aligned twice at two different shops.

Thanks

[FLXC90]

For those of you who have had these symptoms: how many of you have had your transmissions replaced? I wonder if the Sub-frame bushings could be contributing to this syndrome? I would expect control arm bushings more, but if they have been replaced and symptoms persist...

[Ou2mame]

I had a bad wheel bearing that was causing that

[FREE-PPV]

Crazy, I have same issue, pulls to left, but as many have pointed to the obvious, brakes, calipers, master cylinder, etc., it is not a pull that would be the typical brake or tire issue, it is a spongy dip to left, not an actual pull in steering.

OK, being involved in my own repairs for decades, I knew it was not brake or tire issue. I looked at wishbone rear bushings and yes, they were questionable, a bit of a crack in rubber, but not totally floating whereby rubber separated from wishbone. Changed both anyway, not just bushings, but whole wishbones, and did ball joints although did those last year, but since it was apart, replaced them anyway given they were not very expensive, and I hate doing suspension work without lift.

So after replacing all of the above, same exact issue, not to the right, only to the left which seems to be consistent with most complaints. Given the subframe bushings seem to be the real culprit, this is my next step, which I am certain is where real problem was to begin with. Will let you know when done.

Thanks,

[Rrrfrates]

it was the control arm bushings in the rear, but we replaced both front and rear and that solved the problem. If the front are good, then just replace the rear. If the rear are bad that will force the front to swerve either left or right.

Would this cause the steering wheel to turn as the car is swerving

[Zach81]

I had the same problem on my xc90, p0it was solved after replacing front control arm bushings. I used Meyle HD, they were marked how to be installed. First I used some cheap ones and the problem remained, I changed many things and than came back to the real cause.