Steering wheel not centered

[kaitechno]

I recieved my car back from the garage yesterday where it's just had a full service and two new front tyres. When I got it back the steering wheel isn't centered anymore.

They checked all the bushings, did an allignment and said they didn't adjust anything. I tried changing the front wheels round but no difference and it's definately not because of the camber of the road. On the left hand side of a normal camber the wheel does have to be a bit to the right but the steering wheel has to be noticeably more to the right than before.

I took it back to the garage this morning and he doesn't have any ideas. The same thing also happened with a previous Fabia I had.

Any ideas anybody?

[Mike B]

Take it elsewhere and get the alignment done! That should sort it!

[Damo152003]

strange,there is nothing on a service which would effect the steering wheel. you say you have swapped wheels from os to ns was it the same or pulled the opposite direction? sometimes tyres can make them pull one direction,not all the time but you get the odd one. If they say they didnt do any adjustment on tracking then very strange.

might be worth getting 4wheel alignment done that should sort things out.

[kaitechno]

strange,there is nothing on a service which would effect the steering wheel. you say you have swapped wheels from os to ns was it the same or pulled the opposite direction? sometimes tyres can make them pull one direction,not all the time but you get the odd one. If they say they didnt do any adjustment on tracking then very strange.

might be worth getting 4wheel alignment done that should sort things out.

Aye it's a proper strange one seeing as they haven't adjusted the tracking or anything. I swapped the wheels around and it's exactly the same(this has worked for me previously). Everything about how it tracks and steers is spot on, it's just when the steering wheel wants to centre it is still turned to the right slightly which it didn't do before.

This might sound incredibly stupid but does anyone know if the pinion can jump a tooth on the steering rack if both the wheels are off the ground when they're testing the bushings?

[Damo152003]

impossible mate, are you sure the tracking is spot on when tracking a car the tracking can be within limits but there is a centre line called thrust line which could be out,had to explain! but as you say they havnt touched it! is the wheel straight when driving ? very strange this.

[Big Mikey]

Mate it's the same with mine - it's only very slightly off centre but it's enough to annoy me. I buckled one of my wheels hitting a pothole after the recent bad weather which needs replacing - hopefully when I get the cash together to get a new one and get the tracking done it will sort it.

[SimonK24]

My steering wheel is slightly off to the right as well, has been ever since the front arb was replaced :S

Everything seems fine though, I have thought about taking the wheel off and moving it back a spline to the left, but have been advised not to do this.

[Damo152003]

if the steering wheel is out its eaither something is bent or tracking!I do tracking daily as i work for a ford dealer.My fabia pulls to the left but thats my console bush worn which is causing that!

[SimonK24]

Hmm, I've had the tracking checked and it was fine. Also the car was fine before the work was done, so seemed strange that it came back with a wonky wheel. Any reason why I couldn't just straighten the steering wheel up on the splines inside?

[Benjiman]

I have this same problem on mine too..

Been recommended a very bizarre fix - going to try it tomorrow & will report back.

[kaitechno]

I have this same problem on mine too..

Been recommended a very bizarre fix - going to try it tomorrow & will report back.

Sounds curious. I'd be interested to hear it

[dgmp]

possibility of a bent track rod maybe. If they were ferreting around looking at the tracking they may have swiveled it on the rod end joint and altered the geometry a tad. Mind you this surely would happen during every day driving too though.

There's a chance it's this anyway.... OR; they did try and change the tracking and haven't told you. Maybe if they rounded a nut etc they won't want to own up to it.

[kaitechno]

possibility of a bent track rod maybe. If they were ferreting around looking at the tracking they may have swiveled it on the rod end joint and altered the geometry a tad. Mind you this surely would happen during every day driving too though.

There's a chance it's this anyway.... OR; they did try and change the tracking and haven't told you. Maybe if they rounded a nut etc they won't want to own up to it.

Cheers for the reply. I think my best solution is to take it to the Skoda garage to get someone that knows the car a little bit better. The independent one round the corner from mine(very convenient) are great for most things but I've always had problems when it's come down to matters of suspension/allignment/geomotry and the likes.

[warwick hunt]

no reason why you cant re-centre the steering wheel...better option it to count the turns and centre the wheel and get the tracking reset around that.

[allias]

If you have a different sterring position after changing 2 front tyres it will be down to their condition while you had old set on rims. If alignment place does it ONLY to spec that means they dont understand it and only use machine to set it to spec instead to vehicle. I would suggest you to give them one more chance - if not visit different place.

If you have no joy - fancy a ride to Leeds to see me with your suspension problems? So far I got every single Skoda sorted :p