Steering wheel tilted after 3 alignments!!!
03-07-16, 06:23 AM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Steering wheel tilted after 3 alignments!!!
I have a 2014 IS350 F Sport RWD with roughly 28k miles on them. Recently bought Conti DWS tires with OEM sizes from TireRack. Had them delivered to a recommended installer (i'll leave their name out for now).
So here's the history:
1) Tire place installed tires and did an alignment. I drove the car after and the car pulled to the right and there was vibration on the steering wheel going 75mph+, which was not present before. I could do 90mph before and it was still smooth as a baby's butt.
2) Took the car back to the same installer, they redid alignment and balancing. No charge, so I guess first alignment and balance was off and it was their fault. Drove the car but it still pulled a little to the right. Less vibration in steering wheel.
3) Took it back for the third time, which this time the car tracks straight, with maybe the slightest ever pull to the right, no vibration, HOWEVER, the steering wheel is TILTED to the RIGHT! I didn't notice before because I equated it to the right pulling previously. Now that it goes straight, i don't understand why the steering wheel is titled.
4) Took it back again, the tech said he did the alignment each time and its within spec, he's the only one that works on the car, no other tech did (company policy). They also had a alignment software update recently during my third visit. But still doesn't explain why steering wheel is titled. I told him it still pull very, very slightly right and steering wheel is slightly tilted right. He said he didn't notice since he tests cars on local roads. I notice it slightly on local driving, but even more so on smooth flat highways. He cross rotated the front tires side-to-side. It helped a little, tracks somewhat straight, but steering wheel is still tilted. He says if it persists, come back and he will cross rotate the rear tires.
5) Issue still persisted. Visited the tech on a day he told me to return. A$$wipe was not there, was his day off!! WTF? Came back on a different day, decided to call in an hour ahead before going there. Only a swap of the rears to no appointment necessary. Called in and found out he left an hour early since there was "no work" left for the day. This place is god awful!!!
Now i'm sitting around searching through CL to see if other 14 IS350 RWD owners are having similar issues and how they corrected it? I even did general searches on the web and some people have said its a tie rod issue with the toe spec. Granted is on a BMW but in concept it should all work the same. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=749585
The original alignment all was green and in spec. I misplaced my original alignment sheet, and the other two they never gave me printouts for. Otherwise i would post up specs. Anyways if anyone has suggestions, i would really appreciate the help!!! Thanks much!
So here's the history:
1) Tire place installed tires and did an alignment. I drove the car after and the car pulled to the right and there was vibration on the steering wheel going 75mph+, which was not present before. I could do 90mph before and it was still smooth as a baby's butt.
2) Took the car back to the same installer, they redid alignment and balancing. No charge, so I guess first alignment and balance was off and it was their fault. Drove the car but it still pulled a little to the right. Less vibration in steering wheel.
3) Took it back for the third time, which this time the car tracks straight, with maybe the slightest ever pull to the right, no vibration, HOWEVER, the steering wheel is TILTED to the RIGHT! I didn't notice before because I equated it to the right pulling previously. Now that it goes straight, i don't understand why the steering wheel is titled.
4) Took it back again, the tech said he did the alignment each time and its within spec, he's the only one that works on the car, no other tech did (company policy). They also had a alignment software update recently during my third visit. But still doesn't explain why steering wheel is titled. I told him it still pull very, very slightly right and steering wheel is slightly tilted right. He said he didn't notice since he tests cars on local roads. I notice it slightly on local driving, but even more so on smooth flat highways. He cross rotated the front tires side-to-side. It helped a little, tracks somewhat straight, but steering wheel is still tilted. He says if it persists, come back and he will cross rotate the rear tires.
5) Issue still persisted. Visited the tech on a day he told me to return. A$$wipe was not there, was his day off!! WTF? Came back on a different day, decided to call in an hour ahead before going there. Only a swap of the rears to no appointment necessary. Called in and found out he left an hour early since there was "no work" left for the day. This place is god awful!!!
Now i'm sitting around searching through CL to see if other 14 IS350 RWD owners are having similar issues and how they corrected it? I even did general searches on the web and some people have said its a tie rod issue with the toe spec. Granted is on a BMW but in concept it should all work the same. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=749585
The original alignment all was green and in spec. I misplaced my original alignment sheet, and the other two they never gave me printouts for. Otherwise i would post up specs. Anyways if anyone has suggestions, i would really appreciate the help!!! Thanks much!
03-07-16, 06:29 AM
#2
It sounds like that place and the guy doing the alignment sucks. There is nothing different about the Lexus alignment procedure that is different from pretty much any other car manufacturer in regards to bolts to tighten and loosen to get it in spec.
Just check this off as a loss and go to another shop.
Just check this off as a loss and go to another shop.
03-07-16, 08:46 AM
#3
if your alignment was fine before the new tires, and way out of whack afterwards, then it's highly possible the shop got into an accident with your car and messed up the alignment. I would get it checked out by another shop and see if anything looks scraped underneath the car or if any suspension components look damaged.
It is also possible the alignment tech is just an idiot and can't perform an alignment to save his life. He'd have to be REALLY bad though for the steering angle and vibration to happen after a simple alignment.
It is also possible the alignment tech is just an idiot and can't perform an alignment to save his life. He'd have to be REALLY bad though for the steering angle and vibration to happen after a simple alignment.
03-08-16, 10:17 AM
#4
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
It sounds like that place and the guy doing the alignment sucks. There is nothing different about the Lexus alignment procedure that is different from pretty much any other car manufacturer in regards to bolts to tighten and loosen to get it in spec.
Just check this off as a loss and go to another shop.
Just check this off as a loss and go to another shop.
if your alignment was fine before the new tires, and way out of whack afterwards, then it's highly possible the shop got into an accident with your car and messed up the alignment. I would get it checked out by another shop and see if anything looks scraped underneath the car or if any suspension components look damaged.
It is also possible the alignment tech is just an idiot and can't perform an alignment to save his life. He'd have to be REALLY bad though for the steering angle and vibration to happen after a simple alignment.
It is also possible the alignment tech is just an idiot and can't perform an alignment to save his life. He'd have to be REALLY bad though for the steering angle and vibration to happen after a simple alignment.
03-17-16, 08:59 PM
#5
Go to a different place. Alignment machines need to be calibrated periodically. If they're not, and most shop owners won't spring for it, the sensors may read perfect but you still won't get a good alignment. Hunter calibration service isn't cheap.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
Last edited by GrandSedanFan; 03-17-16 at 09:04 PM.
03-18-16, 03:37 PM
#6
Go to a different place. Alignment machines need to be calibrated periodically. If they're not, and most shop owners won't spring for it, the sensors may read perfect but you still won't get a good alignment. Hunter calibration service isn't cheap.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
03-23-16, 08:10 AM
#7
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Go to a different place. Alignment machines need to be calibrated periodically. If they're not, and most shop owners won't spring for it, the sensors may read perfect but you still won't get a good alignment. Hunter calibration service isn't cheap.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
I only go to shops that use Hunter machines and I tend to ask when the last time a Hunter guy came out to do calibrate the rack.
Also, the guy under the car is the most important part. I've had a guy try to align my car with the ramps uneven before. I told him to bring the car down on the locks before locating the sensors or else it'll screw with the readings. He didn't. I had to come back.
I'm a nut about alignments, but they're a real ***** to get done right and I don't have the space or a perfectly level area to do them myself, or else I would.
Nice, i'm thinking about picking up some half downs and then getting an alignment, AT ANOTHER TRUSTWORTHY SHOP!
Trending Topics
03-31-16, 05:29 PM
#10
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post