Oversteer and Understeer: Know the Difference

Odds are, when you turn the wheel of a vehicle you expect it to behave in a certain way. Hopefully, this is the case most of the time. Sometimes things do not quite go according to plan, however. At Autohaus BMW, we want to explain the difference between understeer and oversteer.

Imagine that you turn the wheel and your vehicle does not turn nearly as much as you were expecting. This is what is known as understeer. Although it can happen in rear-wheel-drive vehicles as well, it is far more likely to occur in a front-wheel-drive model.

Then there is oversteer. If you gently turn the wheel and the back of your vehicles whips around, causing you to fishtail or spin around completely, oversteer is the culprit. Those in Saint Louis with a rear-wheel-drive car are more likely to have this experience than those in a front-wheel drive.