Audi A3 - Alignment 100% but steering wheel off-centre

AdrianH

AdrianH

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I bought my new Audi A3 1.8 TFSI a while back and the steering wheel has always been slightly off centre. I took it to Audi initially and they took it to TWT and did full alignment. This did not fix the off centre steering wheel as the car would turn slightly to the left if the steering wheel is dead level. I took it back and they adjusted the steering wheel to the other side which just reversed the problem to the car turning right when steering wheel was straight. So I took it back again and they gave some speech about camber of the road and this and that, and in my gatvolness I just left it. I have has wheels balanced and aligned about 3 times since then.

Today I had two new front tyres fitted, and a full alignment done and the guys at the fitment centre test drove the car. He came back saying something isn't correct as the car steering wheel is off centre. We re-did the alignment with me sitting in the car to ensure the steering was dead centre, checked the alignment and ensured it was 100%. We both drove the car and another manager drove the car, but the same off centre steering wheel was there. Its important to note that the car isn't pulling to the left, but merely turning left if I hold the steering wheel dead centre. To get the car to go straight, I have to hold the steering slightly to the right, but if I leave the steering wheel at that angle, the car continues straight, so it isn't a pull.

The two managers had a discussion and they told me that I need to have the "steering wheel sensor" reset and adjusted ay Audi. So I phoned Audi and explained the situation. They tried to say alignment and tyres were the issue, but I said not a chance as tyres are new, alignment is 100%, and its done this from day one. They are actually the dealership I took it to initially so they will see it on their records. The car subsequently got booked in for Thursday at Audi.

Has anybody experienced this? The managers at the fitment centre are saying the is nothing wrong with the alignment, nothing wrong with the suspension, there is no damage, which echos what the previous service centres I approached said. I just don't understand how a sensor can cause a steering wheel to be off centre, it boggles my mind.
 
AdrianH said:
I bought my new Audi A3 1.8 TFSI a while back and the steering wheel has always been slightly off centre. I took it to Audi initially and they took it to TWT and did full alignment. This did not fix the off centre steering wheel as the car would turn slightly to the left if the steering wheel is dead level. I took it back and they adjusted the steering wheel to the other side which just reversed the problem to the car turning right when steering wheel was straight. So I took it back again and they gave some speech about camber of the road and this and that, and in my gatvolness I just left it. I have has wheels balanced and aligned about 3 times since then.

Today I had two new front tyres fitted, and a full alignment done and the guys at the fitment centre test drove the car. He came back saying something isn't correct as the car steering wheel is off centre. We re-did the alignment with me sitting in the car to ensure the steering was dead centre, checked the alignment and ensured it was 100%. We both drove the car and another manager drove the car, but the same off centre steering wheel was there. Its important to note that the car isn't pulling to the left, but merely turning left if I hold the steering wheel dead centre. To get the car to go straight, I have to hold the steering slightly to the right, but if I leave the steering wheel at that angle, the car continues straight, so it isn't a pull.

The two managers had a discussion and they told me that I need to have the "steering wheel sensor" reset and adjusted ay Audi. So I phoned Audi and explained the situation. They tried to say alignment and tyres were the issue, but I said not a chance as tyres are new, alignment is 100%, and its done this from day one. They are actually the dealership I took it to initially so they will see it on their records. The car subsequently got booked in for Thursday at Audi.

Has anybody experienced this? The managers at the fitment centre are saying the is nothing wrong with the alignment, nothing wrong with the suspension, there is no damage, which echos what the previous service centres I approached said. I just don't understand how a sensor can cause a steering wheel to be off centre, it boggles my mind.
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Ironically I had the same, also with an Audi A3 :D

Was a short fix for me, they just corrected it at the next normal service. Think they just unlink the steering wheel from its column, turn it slightly and re-attach?

Audi Cape Town didnt even bill me for it.
 
Boomstomp said:
Ironically I had the same, also with an Audi A3 :D

Was a short fix for me, they just corrected it at the next normal service. Think they just unlink the steering wheel from its column, turn it slightly and re-attach?

Audi Cape Town didnt even bill me for it.
Click to expand...

Was it off centre even after a full alignment, or did you just take it back to Audi?
 
AdrianH said:
Was it off centre even after a full alignment, or did you just take it back to Audi?
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Same with my Tiguan. Had it fixed by some tyre place only to drive on a **** dirt road 2 weeks after and the problem came back. I have no idea what they initially did to fix it but the previous place that tried to fix it got so gatvol that the technician got irritated with me so I just left.
 
I did wheel alignment and balancing recently. When they completed the wheel alignment and balancing , I test drove the car. The Car pulled to the right.

Took it back, they swopped the front tyres. Rotation was off. Then I took my car for a test drive again.

After that it didn't pull as much but still had a pull to the right.

I had to hold the steering wheel slightly to the left to go in a straight line.

I then took it back, They then told me that my control arm bushes were worn, they are slightly. I plan to replace them in the future. I spoke to the manager and asked him to do a wheel alignment one more time just to check if it right. They then proceeded to do wheel alignment. The wheel alignment had gone off in the five min test drive. They then fixed the wheel alignment for the second time.

So far car has been fine, no pull or anything. This was all on Monday so let's see after a week how it goes.
 
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ChocolateBadger said:
How much of a tilt to the left?
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I would say about 3 - 4 degrees to the right to get the car to drive straight. But then I can let go of the steering wheel and the car continues straight, so its not a pull.

Anyway, its at Audi now but I'm not expecting anything other then them blaming the camber of the road and/or the tyres like they always do.
 
Back in the nineties, when I worked for a Supa Quick, all wheel alignment techies had to do a specialised course to handle the equipment. They were not allowed to do wheel alignment without valid certification.

Nowadays I don't know. They probably get a quick on the job demo, and that's it.

I too, took my A3 to a local dealer for alignment. After I took delivery, various warning lights came on while driving home. I turned around and asked them to redo. Needless to say it was way way off. After the second attempt it was fine.
 
I had the same issue on my A3, never had it fixed though as I got rid of the car quickly.
 
Surprisingly, Audi have straightened the steering wheel. Upon speaking to the workshop foreman, he says they has to re-calibrate the servo for the steering wheel. It turned out to be a quick simple fix. Pity it took 2 years to resolve.
 
AdrianH said:
Surprisingly, Audi have straightened the steering wheel. Upon speaking to the workshop foreman, he says they has to re-calibrate the servo for the steering wheel. It turned out to be a quick simple fix. Pity it took 2 years to resolve.
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Hi Adrian,

please tell me where you had this re calibrated. I've been struggling for over 1 year. Managed to get it 95% but still irritates me.
 
MFS3 said:
Hi Adrian,

please tell me where you had this re calibrated. I've been struggling for over 1 year. Managed to get it 95% but still irritates me.
Click to expand...

Audi Centurion

You need to go to Audi and tell them you want to be present when they calibrate/centre the steering wheel. Then will take you into the workshop and plug a device into the car which connects to a laptop. Then they go some some screen where the can show the angle of the steering wheel as you rotate it. So then you sit in the car and get the steering wheel level and tell them to set reset the calibrate/centre. I used the gear paddles to align the steering wheel. Basically what you are doing is telling the servo motor of the steering where centre is, based on the steering wheel position.

Once the steering wheel is calibrated/leveled correctly, you need to get wheels aligned. I prefer HiQ, but I guess any will do. Again, you sit in the car when the check the initial alignment. Hold the steering wheel straight and have them check the alignment initially. Chances are it is slightly out (wheels pointing ever so slightly left or right), and moving the steering slightly left or right off centre will centre the alignment. Then you need to get them to adjust the alignment to match the centered steering wheel. Don't let them tell you otherwise.

The only thing I did pick up is that if you had a bit of pull, a tyre might have a little bit of wear. This could affect your straight line steering, but should correct itself after a couple thousand KMs.

Good luck!
 
Thanks so much. I will let you know if I come right.
 
AdrianH, I followup your latest advise, had the same exact issue where the steering wheel was not centered and when the steering wheel was centered the car goes left(no pull at all)

The service advisor at VW, did not know if it could be done. I then requested to talk to the workshop manager, after a few arguments, they understood and they did recalibrate my steering angel sensor.

End of the day the steering angel sensor was calibrated and VW took the car for wheel alignment.

Now the car is 100%, thank you so much for the advise definitely worth it. All and all it cost me R500.00 excluding the three other wheel alignment I did prior to following your advise.

P.S I drive a 2019, Polo TSI .
 
Hi Fokenbal
I hope you are well.
I saw your VW Polo TSI story here and I have same issue. My 2016 Polo TSI steering is off centre but alignment is 100% ..I wish to find out where did you sort your Polo.

I have been doing alignment for almost two years now and no one seems to know what might be the problem. Last Saturday, I went to Bestdrive but they couldn't get it right either.
 
Lungile_Majelezi said:
Hi Fokenbal
I hope you are well.
I saw your VW Polo TSI story here and I have same issue. My 2016 Polo TSI steering is off centre but alignment is 100% ..I wish to find out where did you sort your Polo.

I have been doing alignment for almost two years now and no one seems to know what might be the problem. Last Saturday, I went to Bestdrive but they couldn't get it right either.
Click to expand...
I still need your advise
 
Lungile_Majelezi said:
Hi Fokenbal
I hope you are well.
I saw your VW Polo TSI story here and I have same issue. My 2016 Polo TSI steering is off centre but alignment is 100% ..I wish to find out where did you sort your Polo.

I have been doing alignment for almost two years now and no one seems to know what might be the problem. Last Saturday, I went to Bestdrive but they couldn't get it right either.
Click to expand...
If the steering wheel is off center then by definition the alignment is wrong. End of story.
 
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