08 Es350. Base model no computerized suspension. This car has a noticeable propensity to fishtail in poor weather or on a gravel road. I assumed the handling balance would be weighted in favor of understeer/front end push like most family sedans...this one however, the rear end has stepped out on me on a couple occasions now and the stability system has kicked in to save my own rear end lol. And before you say I'm driving too fast, these incidents have happened when traveling along with other traffic, same speed same road...and much worse than other car's I've owned.

I have an old f150 pickup that I use for chores around the house and it, even though it is a truck with a light bed, seems more stable in inclement weather than my ES.

The tires on the ES are Michelin Premier All Season with about 15000 miles on them. The date codes are from mid 2015 so not very old either. I keep the pressures at 32 psi front and back. I was going to take it in for an alignment although it does track perfectly straight...is there anything else I can check or recommend to the shop - I feel like it may be a problem they "can't duplicate" if I just provide symptoms.

 

I've never felt this in any ES, even in snow. In panic stop, it brakes straight, and only understeers if I purposely try to make it fishtail. It must come down to tires.

 

Just to clarify mine stops straight as well, my issue is related to navigating wet roads or gravel roads and going around turns at speed, even if I am just keeping up with trraffic . It is as if I have a heavy weight on the rear bumper that once it gets a little sideways inertia it wants to keep swinging out...

If i were to induce a fishtail like you mentioned ..something I used to do for fun in my mustang, I don't believe I would be able to control it and have any fun, I am fairly certain I would end up facing the other direction

 

Considering it is a FWD car I find it interesting that you can kick out the rear so easily. Usually the worse case issue with FWD cars is torque steer under heavy acceleration. The tires and the 32 psi my contribute but also quick steering maneuvers would cause this affect. I would consider getting a 4 wheel alignment to make sure that the car is tracking straight and then see if you continue to experience the same problem.

 

Welcome to winter driving with the ES A friend from Houston told me it snowed in Texas this week
The car understeers badly in wet/snowy weather. I believe it is due to the weight imbalance FR/RR. Engine/trans combo far outweighs the RR of the car. I experience the understeer on tight turns and poorly banked ramps and have to compensate for it always in such weather. Extra weight in trunks helps a little but the understeer is still there...
Cheers and be safe!

 

How many miles are on it? You could have leaking or worn/failing rear struts that are contributing to your handling issue. Or a broken rear sway bar link. Easy for a shop to inspect.

 

Yeah, no, the car understeers by design. He could have those things, but even mine that has suspension intact (*touch wood*) and winter tires on, with a little snow it understeers in corners like a drunken monkey

 

well tell him that he needs to send us our snow back up north because in Utah i am wondering why we only got snow 1 day in the last 2 weeks and 2 days in the last 2 months

 

Huh It is ok, we got already plenty enough up North here, and technically it is not even winter yet Just yesterday, I was checking local ski hills to see if they would open sooner than Xmas break!