Off centre steering?

[carsarecool]

Get Audi involved now.....they "should" bend over backwards. Mention you've researched on the "Forums" and that should be enough for them to make you a happy customer.

In '99. I had an issue with a S3 and vibration through steering. They couldn't sort it, my dealer advised I reject the car and, low and behold, I got a new car a month later. I had the same with my B7 front disks "warping" Audi said they wouldn't help as they were "wear and tear" items....I pushed and they eventually went 50/50 with the dealer to fix.

Audi will do the right thing but like any CS they need to be firmly and politely pushed.

[Andy_S]

Hi All,

Well they've had the car for a week and a half, and I got it back yesterday...still with wonky steering!

I'm hoping someone could do me a huge favour and check if the their steering wheel stops at the same angle each side when it's turned lock to lock?
To explain better, starting from central my steering in requires nearly half a turn more to reach full lock to the right than it does to the left, so the wheel stops at completely different angles.

I'm guessing this isn't normal, my wives Golf is equal lock to lock, but wanted some one to check their RS4 if anyone would be so kind?

Thanks,

Andy

[Coffee32]

I had an S4 with the same marginal non centred issue. ran it from new with zero issues and got 17k out of front tyres before I decided to swap them out but could have gone on to 20k easily and remained legal.

I now have a new RS4 with the same marginal non centred issue.

Neither car veered when in straight line and rock solid no wobble etc

Both cars had ACC and lane assist which worked perfectly

I would be more concerned with messing about with the steering wheel purely for aesthetic reasons, no idea what the knock ons might be for other gadgets

I also have an Audi TT where the steering wheel is also marginally off centre and no problems with that either

[andyv]

Mine also marginally off centre - pulling to left when centred. Every car i have ever had has done this, and have always put down to most roads cambered to the left. I remember trying to resolve the same issue with the impreza i had and every time it came back the problem was the same, despite testing ok at workshop.

[Graeme4130]

My B7 did it and Audi fixed it (albeit through an external alignment contractor)
My B8 didn't have it, nor the demo's I've driven or my RS5, it'd annoy the absolute crap out of me to the point where I'd refuse the car

[Andy_S]

I'm with you Greame, it may well be marginal but they will be fixing it or getting the car back.

They've done a full alignment, it came back exactly the same, despite them being certain it was straight when it left their prep centre.

Had it back and adjusted the track rods ends to bring the steering wheel straight, it was straight when I left the dealer, 10 miles later it was wonky again! It's almost as though when the steering wheel is straight there is an angle sensor which tells the car it's not, so adjusts the wheel centre to what it thinks is correct, but isn't.

I'm current driving the car as suggested by them on different camber roads to see if it changes, but it isn't, always goes back to exactly the same off centre angle. I've even pinched a diagnostic thing from work to get the reading off the steering angle sensors myself, and they do all look calibrated ok.

I guess it's going to be going back to them for the 4th time next week, and this time they've been told than a diesel A4 isn't good enough haha

To be fair to the dealer, they have been brilliant throughout. Last week when it came back still faulty I sent an email to the dealership head of business, who worked out from my phone number that he didn't live too far from me, and actually came to my house on his way home to look at the car and discuss the best way forward. You can't fault service like that.

[Coffee32]

I think you are getting wound up about nothing

Does the car tramline?

Does it stay straight irrespective of where the steering wheel is?

If the answers are positive - what the ***k are you worried about?

Just drive and enjoy the car and get a life

Life is far to short to worry about whether or not the steering wheel is perfectly aligned if the car is balanced

When all is said and done it's all a question of relativity and triviality if you re too anal to comprehend

[Graeme4130]

I think you are getting wound up about nothing

Does the car tramline?

Does it stay straight irrespective of where the steering wheel is?

If the answers are positive - what the ***k are you worried about?

Just drive and enjoy the car and get a life

Life is far to short to worry about whether or not the steering wheel is perfectly aligned if the car is balanced

When all is said and done it's all a question of relativity and triviality if you re too anal to comprehend

You wouldn't spend £500k on a new house and the kitchen door doesn't fit, so why should you spend £65k on a car for the wheel to be wonky
The wheel's your main point of reference on the car visually, and a pissed wheel would do my head in
It's not being anal, it's being realistic

[RIV]

My van wheel was off after having some work done,first thing I did was have the wheels aligned, bloody annoying driving down the rd with the wheel to one side, not acceptable on a new car

[Andy_S]

Coffee32, you are kind of right if it was just that the wheel was slightly out, but it's more than that.

There is obviously what should be a centre point on the steering rack where the steering feels neutral and centred. On my car that point is around 5 degrees to the right, so if I'm driving straight the rack is out of its central position.

It's hard to describe but that makes the balance of the steering feel all wrong, it's more weighted one way than the other which feels very unnatural.

I'm going to drop them an email today and see how I get on. No point ranting at them, there got to be a solution I'm sure.
It's frustrating because otherwise the car is brilliant.

[carsarecool]

Coffee32, you are kind of right if it was just that the wheel was slightly out, but it's more than that.

There is obviously what should be a centre point on the steering rack where the steering feels neutral and centred. On my car that point is around 5 degrees to the right, so if I'm driving straight the rack is out of its central position.

It's hard to describe but that makes the balance of the steering feel all wrong, it's more weighted one way than the other which feels very unnatural.

I'm going to drop them an email today and see how I get on. No point ranting at them, there got to be a solution I'm sure.
It's frustrating because otherwise the car is brilliant.

He's not right at all. Mine is straight as are probably the majority. That would spoil the car for me. It's an Audi not a Dacia!!

I would kick Audi CS' arse until they fix it.

[RIV]

Reject the car

[Graeme4130]

Reject the car

That's what I'd do
I know it doesn't bother some people, but for me that'd be a deal breaker

[MK2Golf24v]

I'm convinced this issue is almost certainly an electronic calibration error, rather than anything to do with the geometry/alignment

http://www.audi-portal.com/en/diagnostic/ecu_13036.html

[adsgreen]

Reject the car

That's what I'd do
I know it doesn't bother some people, but for me that'd be a deal breaker

It's not always that easy. All depends on how much the dealer wants to fight it.
If they provide one piece of paper with Audi logos and the specifications and tolerances for the sensors showing it is within margins then you will have a huge uphill fight. Even then don't expect a full refund. If this is the direction you want to head in then given that it's already been back multiple times it would be worth getting some advice. I have been in situations where if you have it looked at too many times it can almost be seen as you accepting it. (weird I know).

As for the actual problem - the best place to test is a big car park as they don't have crowning on the roads. Failing that, drive the same bit of road in both directions on the same side of the road.

Surely the process to fix it (irrespective of electornic dynamic steering) is to properly align the car mechanically (including the steering wheel) and then when everything is happy calibrate the sensors as a baseline. Due to manufacturing and installation variations the rack and steering wheel sensors will never be in alignment and this isn't (or shouldn't!) be an issue.

Interesting link here
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthrea ... ost9295767

From my reading it appears that lots of problems occur when a normal alignment is done which involves ODB communication. This screws around with the sensors. Quite a few posts I have seen are now saying that the sensors will sort themselves out as long as you don't hook up the electronics and align as a normal car.

I wonder if it is similar to the B7 in that if you disconnect the battery it re-aligns the steering wheel sensor automatically when driven...