FIXED!! Well and truly this time it seems.

After a 'minor adjustment to the steering column' it's now where it should've been from the start.

Went out for a test drive with the manager and when we came back I couldn't thank him enough.

Took some time to get there but at least I'm happy... for now!

Just waiting for a certain back order of rear speakers to complete the set now. Let's hope they arrive soon but 2 weeks already and still no ETA. Grrrrrrr!

Thats great to hear , you must be very relieved!!!! Now you can really start enjoying your driving again .

FIXED!! Well and truly this time it seems.

After a 'minor adjustment to the steering column' it's now where it should've been from the start.

Went out for a test drive with the manager and when we came back I couldn't thank him enough.

Took some time to get there but at least I'm happy... for now!

Just waiting for a certain back order of rear speakers to complete the set now. Let's hope they arrive soon but 2 weeks already and still no ETA. Grrrrrrr!

Glad to hear you got it sorted Scott. It really does spoil the drive. Fortunately mine was corrected just by having a wheel alignment done. I did a 200 mile, mainly motorway, trip and it was a pleasure to drive. Good luck mate..

Hi Everyone,

Never joined a forum before, but do so now to try and preserve my sanity.

Just picked up my new VRS and.....

IT DRIFTS LEFT.

Returned and the technician tried it and said it was fine.

I insisted he came out with me and I asked him to release his grip to which he said, 'You shouldn't let go of the wheel', (that useful tip will make me a better driver). He did and it drifted. He took me to some adverse camber and I pointed out that it wasn't going over the line, but was heading gradually back to the n/s.

How could he drive this car and not feel the problem instantly?

They did the 4 wheel tracking, and...

You guessed, normal.

I am to try the manager's VRS next week, who also follows the 'camber' explanation, adding that because no fault was found, his dealership would be charged £65.

What was the steering adjustment you had Scott?

Thanks Guys.

Anyway, what do I know, I've only been driving 41 years, (and never had this with a new car).

I have driven many, many Fabias now, mark 1s and mark 2s, and every single one of them drifts to the left!

Mk1 Fabia's always had the trait of pulling to the left and my vRS still does it. I'd often complain of it pulling to the left to my dad who has always said that every car he's had pulled to the left.

dont main roads rise slightly in the middle to make water flow off to the edges? which would explain why cars that drive on the left pull to the left

dont main roads rise slightly in the middle to make water flow off to the edges? which would explain why cars that drive on the left pull to the left

Yes there is. A slight camber on all roads as this removes water, however shouldn't be that apparent on the steering, strange how steering column had to be realigned badly put together in factory , I have 2 fabia's neither pull to the left , oh only when the missus yanks it lol

Every single car I've had with 17" wheels and wide tyres (anything over 205) has suffered from tramlining, and pulling to the left to some degree.

I'm not sure there's a great deal you can do about it.

The only way to test reliably is to find some truly level ground (an airfield would be good).

Mine pulls to the left slightly - but only if I drive on the left. On a quiet stretch of road, if I straddle both lanes, it goes in a straight line - so no problems there.

Thinner tyres/wheels will mask this effect to a great degree.

I should add that the best place I've found to conclusively tell me whether the car is correctly aligned is Wheels-in-Motion who are based in Chesham.

Not much use if you don't live near Chesham but they're a professional bunch and really know their beans.

Edited 12 May, 201115 yr by louisv6

When customers brought a car in to the workshop with the 'drifting to the left' issue, first thing we checked was brakes (on the ramp with the freewheel device engaged). Especially if a new car. Not unheard of for a disc or drum to be binding slightly, even intermittently. That being ok, then it was always one of two things. The front wheel alignment (most common), or the tyres with a fault. In 30 years I never had a problem on any car with needing a four wheel alignment.

On the point about front wheel alignment...it's worth mentioning that often manufacturers nearly always demand setup of the alignment of the front wheels differently to local tyre fitting depots. Usually, tyre fitting depots will set the alignment to be straight ahead or neutral for many front drive cars, instead of the factory setting which may require toe out, or toe in by the relevant degree setting depending on the model of car concerned. We came across this on several occasions when smaller franchised dealers used local tyre depots for setups and tyres and discovered the discrepancy in the settings when we checked them ourselves. So some dealers were sending the cars to the locals for set-up only to discover there would be no change in the cars steering performance. However, once we took charge and set it to factory standards, all would be cured. I've since checked the alignment data at several local tyre fitters and found the data to be different to what Skoda say. That's something to be aware of.

Edited 12 May, 201115 yr by Estate Man

When customers brought a car in to the workshop with the 'drifting to the left' issue, first thing we checked was brakes (on the ramp with the freewheels engaged). Especially if a new car. Not unheard of for a disc or drum to be binding slightly, even intermittently. That being ok, then it was always one of two things. The front wheel alignment (most common), or the tyres with a fault. In 30 years I never had a problem on any car with needing a four wheel alignment.

On the point about front wheel alignment...it's worth mentioning that often manufacturers nearly always demand setup of the alignment of the front wheels differently to local tyre fitting depots. Usually, tyre fitting depots will set the alignment to be straight ahead or neutral for many front drive cars, instead of the factory setting which may require

toe out, or toe in by the relevant degree setting depending on the model of car concerned. We came across this on several occasions when smaller franchised dealers used local tyre depots for setups and tyres and discovered the discrepancy in the settings when we checked them ourselves. So some dealers were sending the cars to the locals for set-up only to discover there would be not change in the cars steering performance. However, once we took charge and set it to factory standards, all would

be cured. I've since checked the alignment data at several local tyre fitters and found the data to be different to what Skoda say. That's something to be aware of.

Were have you been estateman?, seemed very quiet here, your post are always a good read!,

A car should drift to the left if you let go of the wheel but it shouldn't pull to the left or require you to input right steering just to stay straight. My Passat is on 235/45's and there isn't any pull, my wifes Fabia doesn't pull either.

If it is camber related it should drift exactly the same to the right if you are driving on the right. Please make sure it's safe for you to try this.

I had a Jeep Cherokee a few years back and that required you to steer right a little to stay straight and would dive for the kerb if you let go of the wheel. Dealers couldn't sort it and eventually took it to http://www.alignment-services.co.uk/index.asp and they made it better but not right. They suggested I may have a bad tyre and I tried swapping tyres around which did alter things but never cured the problem. A few weeks later I got a puncture on the front near side and had to have a new tyre and Bingo, problem gone altogether.

Cheers

Lee

We used to find it roughly to be a ratio of about 4 times out of 5 it would be a steering alignment problem and the other either tyres or brakes. In general we didn't find it something that was an everyday event. Mostly all new cars were fine. The only wonky bit was the driver!!

Were have you been estateman?, seemed very quiet here, your post are always a good read!,

Likewise...always enjoy hearing about your new car! Been having eye trouble after recent eye surgery...can't look at a computer screen for very long. Wife has offered to poke me in the eyes a few times with a bicycle spoke to see if that helps. For some reason I declined!!! preferring instead the eye drops prescribed by my eye surgeon.

Likewise...always enjoy hearing about your new car! Been having eye trouble after recent eye surgery...can't look at a computer screen for very long. Wife has offered to poke me in the eyes a few times with a bicycle spoke to see if that helps. For some reason I declined!!! preferring instead the eye drops prescribed by my eye surgeon.

Well there you go, good to see you ( sorry froidian slip ) posting again , great reads, font of knowledge

hello, pretty new to the forum. Picked up car couple of weeks ago now back at dealer for 2nd time with this 'drift left'. Usual explanations at first visit: camber, then, after 4 wheel alignment, tracking 'within tolerance'. Took it back this morning and dealer keeping it until tomorrow, Thing is, courtesy car (Fabia Hatch) doesn't drift!! Hopefully my car will be the same!!

update; still drifting. dealer couldn't find anything

THREAD RESURRECTION!!

 

My car is a Roomster but the discribed issue was the same for me too. YES WAS. My car was pulling to the left (extremely dangerous since my car is left hand drive and such a pull drives you straight to oncoming traffic) since the day one (29 of June 2010). Then laser alignment performed by the dealer but with minor success. After 15.000Km we fitted front tyres to the back and back tyres to the front. A little better but still car was pulling to the left, of course it was 70% better than day one. About a month and 1.500Km ago I fitted new tyres to my car. The first surprise was the straight line the car was moving. I cannot understand why but problem solved.

Edited 30 August, 201312 yr by stratosg