Let's see if I can explain this so everyone can understand what I'm saying. I have a 2001 Xterra 4X2, The problem or at least what I feel is a problem is - When at a stop turning the wheels all the way right or left the vehicle locks the steering instead of the steering wheel coming back you have to turn it back. This happens all the time, when you pull into a parking space at a mall and it is tight and you have to go all the way right or left. I have had it to the dealer 5 times for this at first they said it should not do this and even replaced the gear box. That did not fix the problem. Called Nissan North America got them involved. They had there techs talking with the dealer techs. Now they are telling me that all cars do this. Well my other two vehicles do not. They also have said that all Xterras do this, well again I went out and test drove 2 others one same make and model and the other a year older. Neither of them did it. I was wondering am I imagining this? Any help would be appreciated. Oh and by the way I love my Xterra.

check your local lemon laws. you might be able to get a new xterra and maybe a 4x4 this time, lol. just kidding

If you were to just hit the gas without touching the steering wheel in an empty parking lot with the wheels locked to the left or right--would the X keep turning in the same circle? Have you tried this?

When I'm parking the X between two cars--I want the wheels to stay locked for some period of time. For me, the "effort" to unwind the steering wheel back straight has never even crossed my mind because it takes very little strength.

Now, I drove a Chevette in high school that did not have power steering and it took much more effort on any turn than my '01 or '02 Xterra.

On front wheel drive cars I've owned--there was definitely the unwinding of the steering wheel(without my hands on the wheel) as you refer to.

However, I currently own a rear-wheel drive car that if I repeat my suggested parking lot maneuver mentioned in the first paragraph above--it always unwinds itself and turns in a larger and larger circle until it takes little effort to straighten out.

In summary, I'm not of the opinion that your experience is normal for an Xterra. My suggestion is to keep dealing with different Nissan Techs until the problem is fixed or look into the Lemon Laws in your state.

That's normal.

It sounds like you are used to a front-drive car, which returns to center much easier than a rear-drive car.

I have to make about a 120 degree sharp downhill right turn to get onto the road to town. Depending on my exact angle and speed, I often have to unwind the steering wheel to return to straight in both my X and Frontier. I've always considered this to be entirely normal.

Thanks for some of the suggestions. Some suggested I was use to a front wheel drive. My last car was a 4X4 nissan Pathfinder and it did not do this. There is an area of this car that when you get to it it continues to turn right or left. I have taken it to large parking lots, wheels locked right or left you have to get going about 25 miles an hour before it starts to come out of the turn. It just feels like there is a flat spot on this vehicle. I have been in the automotive field for 20+ yrs. I have never felt anything like this one. I was jsut wondering if anyone one else had a similar problem.

Thanks

I have a 2002 Xterra with 3300 miles and have also noticed that when you make a left or right turn at slow (parking lot) speeds with the wheel cranked all the way right or left it will tend to hang in the full right or left position until you coax it to begin unwinding and return to straight ahead position. Normal? I don't know, but by the replies in this thread it seems to be common.

Please post some video of your Xterra, with the steering wheel at full lock, travelling 25 miles per hour, I would really like to see it.

BTW, which tires are on it, and what pressure are they at ?

My 1966 Mustang does this..but it doesn't have powered steering either

On a more Xterra note, I can have my wheels cranked all the way to the left or right, and at low speeds under 20~15mph they will stay cranked to the left or right. It is more physics then anything else.