Hi everyone!

We recently picked up an ‘02 R53 with 75k miles, and it’s been an absolute blast. It needs a bit of work, but since I’m mechanically inclined, I was excited to take it on as a project. Everything was going great—until recently.

Not long ago, we took it on a four-hour road trip, and out of nowhere, I started feeling a slight jerk to the left through the steering wheel. At first, I thought it was just the road, but it continued even on smooth surfaces. Once we got back home, I did some research and checked for anything loose. I inspected for wheel play (grabbing the wheel and moving it up/down/left/right), used a pry bar to check for any unusual movement in the bushings, and generally looked for anything out of place. I did notice some play in the steering rack, specifically when replicating that same jerking motion.

So, I ordered a new steering rack, dropped the subframe, and replaced it. While the subframe was off, I decided to clean it up since it was covered in grime from a previously leaking valve cover gasket (which has since been replaced). I also replaced both passenger-side engine mounts (one was visibly broken) and the lower torque mount. Additionally, I flushed the power steering fluid. After putting everything back together, I took it for a drive—only to find that the issue was still there, unchanged.

According to the previous owner, the first owner used to autocross on weekends and made a few modifications, including:

• Brembo brakes on all four wheels (massive ones up front)
• A larger rear sway bar
• Stiffer front LCABs
• OZ rims with larger tires (205s)
• An aftermarket intake

As far as I can tell, that’s everything that was done. The issue tends to show up a few minutes into driving and then persists at all speeds. It’s more pronounced during deceleration and always pulls to the left in a series of jerks. It’s rather snappy—without a firm grip on the wheel, it can actually pull you out of your lane.

Here’s what’s been diagnosed/replaced so far:

✅ Replaced steering rack & flushed power steering fluid
✅ New inner tie rods
✅ Power steering pump runs normally, no unusual noises
✅ LCABs were previously replaced (unsure how long ago, but they seem stiff)
✅ All bolts torqued to spec (double-checked since I had the subframe off)
✅ No strange noises while driving or turning hard in either direction
✅ Swapped tires—issue still persists on the left
✅ Replaced engine mounts (except the transmission mount)
✅ Ran the car with the power steering pump unplugged—issue remained
✅ Wheel bearings and CV axles seem fine (spin smoothly, no noise)

At this point, I’m stumped. Could it be sticky brakes? Am I missing something?

I appreciate any insights—thanks in advance!