Understeering and oversteering are two different types of handling characteristics that a vehicle can exhibit. Below we will take you through what they are and what causes a car to understeer or oversteer.

Understeering

Understeering occurs when the front wheels of a vehicle lose traction and the vehicle does not turn as much as the driver intended. This can cause the vehicle to continue straight ahead or slide wide in a turn. Understeering is usually caused by a lack of grip at the front wheels, which can be due to worn tires, poor alignment, or a suspension problem.

Factors that can contribute to understeering

Several factors can contribute to understeering, including:

1. Tire wear and condition: Worn or damaged tires can reduce the amount of traction available to the front wheels, making it harder to steer the vehicle.
2. Road conditions: Wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces can reduce the amount of traction available to the front wheels, making it harder to steer the vehicle.
3. Vehicle suspension: A worn or damaged suspension can affect the handling of the vehicle, making it harder to steer and control.
4. Overdriving the headlights: If a driver is going too fast for the visibility of the road ahead, it may cause them to enter a turn too fast and lose control of the vehicle.
5. Vehicle weight distribution: Vehicles that are front-heavy, or have more weight on the front wheels, will have less traction on the rear wheels, making it harder to steer.
6. Driving style: An aggressive driving style with high speed and fast cornering can cause the front wheels to lose traction and understeer.
7. Vehicle geometry: The alignment of the wheels, steering, and suspension can affect how the vehicle handles. A misalignment can contribute to understeer.
8. Tire Pressure: Underinflated tires can cause a loss of steering and lead to understeer

By understanding these factors, drivers can take steps to prevent understeering and improve their handling of the vehicle in turns.

Oversteering

Oversteering, on the other hand, occurs when the rear wheels of a vehicle lose traction and the vehicle turns more than the driver intended. This can cause the vehicle to spin or fishtail. Oversteering is usually caused by a lack of grip at the rear wheels, which can be due to worn tires, poor alignment, or a suspension problem. It can also be caused by a power-slide, when a driver applies too much power in a turn, which causes the rear wheels to lose traction.

Both understeering and oversteering can be dangerous and can lead to accidents if the driver does not know how to handle them properly. Drivers should be familiar with the handling characteristics of their vehicle and how to correct for understeering or oversteering.

Factors that can contribute to oversteering

Some factors that can contribute to oversteering include:

1. Tire wear and condition: Worn or damaged tires can reduce the amount of traction available to the rear wheels, making it harder to control the vehicle.
2. Road conditions: Wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces can reduce the amount of traction available to the rear wheels, making it harder to control the vehicle.
3. Vehicle suspension: A worn or damaged suspension can affect the handling of the vehicle, making it harder to control and steer.
4. Vehicle weight distribution: Vehicles that are rear-heavy, or have more weight on the rear wheels, will have less traction on the front wheels, making it harder to control.
5. Driving style: An aggressive driving style with high speed and fast cornering can cause the rear wheels to lose traction and oversteer.
6. Vehicle geometry: The alignment of the wheels, steering, and suspension can affect how the vehicle handles. A misalignment can contribute to oversteer.
7. Power delivery: The way the power is delivered to the wheels, specifically rear-wheel drive vehicles that deliver power to the rear wheels, can cause oversteer when the driver accelerates too quickly while turning.
8. Tire Pressure: Overinflated tires can cause a loss of traction and lead to oversteer

By understanding these factors, drivers can take steps to prevent oversteering and improve their handling of the vehicle in turns.

You may also be interested to learn about how differentials work here as they play a huge role in whether a car under or oversteers.