Wheel Alignment under warranty ???

Pranav · **July 18, 2011, 14:08:29**

Hi guys,

I am noticing that I have to hold my steering just a tad bit to the right to keep straight. It's not much but annoying for sure, and I cant say right now if it is affecting the wheels.

I wanted to ask if I can ask the dealership to fix under warranty ! coz such a new car should not have this problem.

Any experience ? anyone ?

Kind regards

Pranav

constipated · **Reply #1: July 18, 2011, 14:14:36**

By all means ask them to review it.

Just one thing, are you sure that it's not just following the camber of the road.

Most roads are sloped with it being highest in the middle. A car has natural tendency to go off to the left following gravity.

When I got a new Mazda, it had terrible alignment with drifting to the right into oncoming traffic against the camber of the road. Had to take it back twice to be fixed.

Pranav · **Reply #2: July 18, 2011, 14:24:27**

That's what made me take this long to ask...I was not sure..

..but i notice that when I keep the car straight the steering is not really balanced, it's always tilted towards the right (not much) but is not perfectly leveled.

Did the Mazda guys take care of it no charge ? I dont really feel like paying them for it this soon ! Just been 2 weeks

constipated · **Reply #3: July 18, 2011, 14:34:08**

Yes it was free.

Strictly speaking it should be a pre-delivery check.

I'm sure most dealers skip it.

Just be sure you can demonstrate it, and ask them to take a drive with you.

Do you have an issue with the car drifting, or simply that the steering wheel is not set straight but the car still goes straight?

eye30 · **Reply #4: July 18, 2011, 16:18:40**

Quote from: Pranav on July 18, 2011, 14:08:29

I am noticing that I have to hold my steering just a tad bit to the right to keep straight. It's not much but annoying for sure, and I cant say right now if it is affecting the wheels.

OK here is my take on your issue.

Now you say you have to hold steering wheel to the right.

If it is possible can you drive the same road in the opposite direction, BUT only if safe to do so, actually drive on the wrong side of the road.
If it is the camber then you will have to hold the steering wheel to the left.

Or again if the road is clear actually drive down the centre of the road. On this test the car should drive straight with no left or right hold required.

Another way I've used to test is to drive down what I would consider to be a straight flat road. The best around where I live is the local 3 lane motorway.
I was put onto it by a local garage who use it during their service test drive to make sure the serviced cars are running OK.

I drive in lane 2, as lane 1 falls to the left and lane 3 falls to the right, and just hold my hands clear of the steering wheel. When I last drove the road last week my car went in a straight line.

Surferdude · **Reply #5: July 18, 2011, 23:09:04**

eye30 has it right.
Test along those lines then take it back to the dealer.
Normally wheel alignment is not warrantable as it's too easy to disturb it with potholes etc (or even when parking up against a curb and pushing too hard on the steering wheel the wrong way.).
But as you've only had it a couple of weeks I reckon they should look after you.

Pranav · **Reply #6: July 19, 2011, 00:58:06**

Hey thanks everyone !

Will sure try running it on the other side, I live in the country so not too hard to find an isolated stretch.

I am sure that if I keep the steering leveled, the car goes left !

Kind regards,

Pranav

**Reply #7: July 19, 2011, 02:03:59**

Quote from: Pranav on July 19, 2011, 00:58:06

.. I am sure that if I keep the steering leveled, the car goes left !

Just taking that statement does not indicate an alignment problem but rather the steering wheel fitted with an offset. For sure that is done during an alignment but is a different problem.

Do the road test as suggested but take little notice of the wheel position initially, just whether the car tracks straight (or as expected following the camber) with hands off. Once satisfied that it is (or isn't), only then note where the wheel sits.

Tracking straight and with the wheel straight as well is ideal but often not perfect. Just rotating tyres etc can alter the balance and even when everything is perfect you still need to hold against the camber so the final wheel position when going "straight" is often offset anyway.

Take your findings to the dealer if you find something NQR by all means.

My steering wheel is ever so slightly askew but car tracks ok and tyres are wearing evenly.

Pranav · **Reply #8: July 19, 2011, 07:29:38**

Hmm...an update !

First of all I admit my mistake of buying the car from a non local dealer.

I did the diagnostic check as advised by you, and noticed that when comming back on the same side, the car does not veer right, but it stays straight ! this means to me that the natural road curve is balancing the cars misalignment....I should import my car to a left hand side driving country !

Also, I am very positive the steering does not stay levelled ! so I called my dealer, and also saw the local dealer.

The local dealer quoted 66 $ and said I should not be paying for it, and the selling dealer should do. So I called them, but they refused.

But the thing is that it is not covered under warranty !!!

66 $ is not a huge amount, but the fact that am not supposed to pay it, is making me feel

Am still trying to get hold of the service manager at the selling dealer, so still hoping. Anyway, the local dealer asked me to complain to the Hyundai Customer Service about it, and that if the dealer did not conduct the alignment during the pre delivery check, they might be forced to help me out.

Anyway, If anyone is going to buy their car from the Yarra Hyundai in Abbotsford, Melbourne...please do not, they are very unprofessional. That's been my experience atleast.

I have asked the reports of my cars pre delivery check reports, but i have been told that the manager is out of duty and that will have to wait till day after tomorrow. This is crap !

Anyway, I will get the car fixed locally, whether or not the car dealer pays !

Kindest regards to all who helped me out !

Pranav

Surferdude · **Reply #9: July 19, 2011, 09:30:38**

Pranav, one last thing to try.
Call the salesman who sold you the car and tell him your story.
I've always found the salesman will bend over backward to help recent customers because the early months of ownership are when you are most likely to refer friends and colleagues to him.
pc comment..........or "her"

**Reply #10: July 19, 2011, 10:27:06**

One last thought. You did ensure tyre pressures were even left to right?

Dazzler · **Reply #11: July 19, 2011, 11:14:43**

You definitely shouldn't have to pay (if you need an old fella to help stir the pudding PM me)

Pranav · **Reply #12: July 19, 2011, 13:12:28**

Hi ya I think tyres are evenly filled. Even if not, it would not explain car not going straight when the steering is.

Hi dazz thanks for offering hehe will try to deal with this myself...its like a battle always really...no one wants to make it easy.

**Reply #13: July 20, 2011, 11:04:34**

Quote from: Pranav on July 19, 2011, 13:12:28

Hi ya I think tyres are evenly filled. Even if not, it would not explain car not going straight when the steering is.

".. car not going straight when the steering is" statement suggests to me you have not yet understood my explanation that the passive steering wheel angle has absolutely nothing to do with wheel alignment.

And yes it would explain why the car is not going straight.

And "I think tyres are evenly filled" does not fill me with confidence that you actually checked them.

If they are not even (and correct pressure) any test you did is invalidated.

If you want to do a proper test, pump the tyres first when tyres are still cold to ensure they are evenly filled. "Even" needs to be per axle - i.e., front the same, rear the same.

Then do the road tests - and I'll say it again... take no notice of the steering wheel angle while doing the tracking tests (i.e., don't use it to control direction other than to set the car running straight initially and to stop running off the road!).

From your results you can deduce: 1) Whether the car tracks straight (unassisted) on a straight flat road (and if not an alignment is indicated). 2) Whether the steering wheel angle simply needs to be reset to centre. 3) Both.

beerman · **Reply #14: July 20, 2011, 11:17:26**

I found with my dealer pointing out that you owned your last vehicle for however long, and it didn't do it. So you think that the vehicle is not fit for purpose and or has a design fault. Both of these should be covered by warranty.

They attempted to hit me with the $66 thing too, I suspect it is the dealer trying to line their pockets. A bit of robust debate, and asking for the Hyundai customer service number (which they were reluctant to give me) fixed the problem and the charge....

PS mention the i30 forum....it seems to motivate them, and show them that you have researched, and know what your talking about.

2i30s · **Reply #15: July 20, 2011, 11:25:12**

you only need around 5psi difference in your front tyres to notice that your steering pulls either left or right. on the mater of the steering wheel being fitted not straight,I'm sure from Ian's post[agentr31] about fitting steering wheel controls that the steering wheel will only go on one way and its not spline'd like cars of old.

new cars are supposed to get a wheel alignment as part of pre delivery before its handed over to you.

**Reply #16: July 20, 2011, 11:38:40**

Interesting re the spline. I assume there is still some way to centre the wheel, even if it's even turns on the tie rods, left and right.

Pranav · **Reply #17: July 20, 2011, 12:01:02**

Wow ! thanks guys...so nice to see you all reaching out to help.

# I will now make sure the tyre pressure is correct.

# And, ya may be coz my car only has cruise control...and no audio buttons ! but i am very surprised to know that those few buttons can make difference.

Thanks again ! am really not so pissed now, at least I got some help here

Kind regards

Pranav

2i30s · **Reply #18: July 20, 2011, 12:03:41**

usually the steering wheel is positioned in the straight position before an alignment is done. what you mentioned about the tie rods is 100% correct pip.

2i30s · **Reply #19: July 20, 2011, 12:08:53**

Quote from: Pranav on July 20, 2011, 12:01:02

Wow ! thanks guys...so nice to see you all reaching out to help.

# I will now make sure the tyre pressure is correct.

# And, ya may be coz my car only has cruise control...and no audio buttons ! but i am very surprised to know that those few buttons can make difference.

Thanks again ! am really not so pissed now, at least I got some help here

Kind regards

Pranav

so you've checked out Ian's ,adding audio controls thread. ? [sorry about the off topic

]

**Reply #20: July 20, 2011, 12:29:01**

Quote from: Pranav on July 20, 2011, 12:01:02

# And, ya may be coz my car only has cruise control...and no audio buttons ! but i am very surprised to know that those few buttons can make difference.

No mate, they make no difference... to steering.

eye30 · **Reply #21: July 20, 2011, 16:56:31**

Many moons ago on a car I had it pulled to the left, curb, and the local tyre dealer, well know national, kept saying it was the road camber and would alter the tracking to compensate.

I went to a little back street lock up and had the alignment checked.
They centred the steering wheel and then clamped it so it wouldn't move.
They then found that the number of turns on the rod ends were different on each side, probably as a result of the other place trying to compensate.
They reset by making the rod ends equal and setting to manufacturers speci.

Never had any problem thereafter.

Surferdude · **Reply #22: July 20, 2011, 21:57:16**

Quote from: 2i30s on July 20, 2011, 12:03:41

usually the steering wheel is positioned in the straight position before an alignment is done. what you mentioned about the tie rods is 100% correct pip.

Yep. You drive the car BEFORE putting it on the aligner. Actually, if you are super efficient you should drive the car before you replace the old tyres so see what it's doing (which doesn't apply inyour case, of course). Anyway, with airbags these days you can't take the steering wheel off the spline to centre it, so you do have to "play" with the adjustment on the tie rod adjusters. But most modern machinery tells you what to do and how much to do.
As pip says, ignore where the steering wheel is. Point the car straight ahead and let go of the wheel. If it runs straight - or nearly so, given any road camber, the issue is in th ecentering of the wheel, not the actual alignment. Still needs to be done on an aligner though, as above.
And if it IS just a wheel centering issue, your tyres won't wear unevenly.

Pranav · **Reply #23: July 21, 2011, 04:51:25**

Thanks guys ! it's been raining as hell for the last 2 days....just waiting for it to stop to run the tests.

Pranav · **Reply #24: July 28, 2011, 06:49:47**

Hi Friends,

An update on this issue. Finally my local dealer welcomed me for an inspection today for FREE !

They found the steering wheel not calibrated perfectly. They told me that the steering wheel is mechanically adjusted one, and hence is possible to move it to any angle they want. Eg. Up side down, which would be stupid anyway..but thye told me so.

So they made some adjustments, and then asked me to drive again to tell if it is ok now. I did, but there was not much improvement really

...so they will work on it again tomorrow. I was getting late for work today, so came back.

Am also picking up the original mud flaps I ordered so my second wont be a total waste.

Kind regards,

Pranav

dimons · **Reply #25: July 28, 2011, 08:39:29**

Quote from: Pranav on July 28, 2011, 06:49:47

Finally my local dealer welcomed me for an inspection today for FREE !

I am buying through Yarra Hyundai (pick up car tomorrow) and have been dealing directly with the sales mgr there. Probably not necessary now but PM me if you need his details including mobile ph #
Cheers
Dimons

Pranav · **Reply #26: July 28, 2011, 14:24:35**

Hi Dimons !

Dont worry about me. I do have the contacts, in fact am sick of contacting them now.

It was a bad decision to buy a car from a dealer so far, it made it difficult for me, and for them for various reasons.

Do make sure, they calibrate your cars steering wheel up to Australian Standards. I don't technically know how different it is, but they did not do it in mine as my local dealer (Bairnsdale) told me so today.

Kind regards,

Pranav

Pranav · **Reply #27: July 29, 2011, 05:32:25**

The guys at Bairnsdale Hyundai are awesome, they are fixing the car alighnment for me. Also, as I bought the set of 4 mudflaps for my CW, they are installing them for free...they said as for the alignment the wheels will have to be removed anyway....so it will be just a minute job to fix the flaps from there.

Cool !

Pranav · **Reply #28: July 29, 2011, 05:35:31**

Sorry my point of posting this was that if your car is asking for a wheel alighnment, and you wish to also add mud flaps then it might be a good idea to get them done together

rustynutz · **Reply #29: July 29, 2011, 06:14:11**

Good news, Pranav.....now, fingers crossed it comes back fixed....