New car - tracking

[Saints]

Hi,

I just picked up my new Fabia S Estate 1.6TDI (90) on Friday. Drives well but I've noticed that if I take both hands off the wheel it starts to pull to the left almost straight away. Before I contact the dealers is there anything obvious I'm missing?

Thanks

[Whitelighter]

Cars will pull to the left as that is the way the road cambers. If your car tracks straight on a cambered road it us actually pulling right

[Saints]

Cars will pull to the left as that is the way the road cambers. If your car tracks straight on a cambered road it us actually pulling right

Thanks, point taken - however I was driving back from work last night (1am up the M1, little traffic) and it seemed to be the case in any lane hence my concern

[pipsyp]

Nearly every new VAG group car I've had over the past few years pulls slightly; tends to be characteristic.

I once went to the efforts of getting a main dealer to sort the tracking out on one car (a MK5 Golf Bluemotion Match) and it was returned 100 times worse, steering wheel ended up a half turn to the right in a straight line! Had to go back again and it was a real nuisance. Have it addressed if you like but at your peril as its likely to be no different or worse at the end of it.

[Bullyboy]

Sounds like the tracking, but maybe worth just checking the tyre pressures.

Would have thought though a quick trip back to the dealers.

Good Luck

[Saints]

Thanks guys,will certainly check tyre pressures and if those are ok think may pop into dealers when going past

[multiskoda]

In my experience, dealers haven't a clue how to set up the tracking on a car (they just don't have the equipment).

They'll have a go if you complain enough, but they'll do it 'by eye', which is no good.

If you're really concerned, and you're anywhere near Chesham then Wheels-in-motion are experts on the subject, and can usually tweak the car to your preferences - even if it wasn't intended that way (for instance Mercedes deliberately engineer in a pull-to-the-left for 'safety reasons' - Wheels in Motion were able to sort mine so it drove dead straight).

L

[FinFerNan]

I was going to suggest tyre pressures too. But if that fails then Louisv6 is spot on IMO

[carloscov]

my monte pulled to the left and steering wheel was down to the left!!!! so put the tracking gauges on and it was well out so i would get them to check it

[Mike Wrightson]

Strangely it can also be caused by tyres even if they are at the right pressures. There as a good post around somewhere about it which I will have to see if I can find.

[adamc260]

I've noticed my monte pulls to the left a wee bit

[paulplom]

Ours tends to pull to the left also.

[arny]

I have had this issue from new on my car (only 4 weeks) , see link to post a few weeks back http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/206395-fabia-monte-carlo-steering-wandering/page__p__2449810__hl__monte__fromsearch__1#entry2449810

I am putting up with it as i don’t think there is an easy answer , Scott replied to a PM i sent and said it was a number of small adjustments that made his car "better". I also found on here a Roomster owner with the same issue. Its defiantly camber sensitive in my case as on a flat road its not very noticeable, and when on the opposite side of the road (when safe to test) its almost perfect. Its almost as though its set up for driving on the other side? I have yet to decide if i am going through the pain of trying to get it sorted as its annoying rather than anything else. If anyone gets a solution then please let me and others know.

[Guest]

99.99% of the time it's always either tyres, as per Mike Wrightsons post above, or tracking. Usually it's nothing else. Get the dealer to check your tracking first rather than a tyre specialist as the tyre specialist will set it up differently to the dealer, usually! The dealer will set to manufacturers specs and the tyre company will use a generic setting which sometimes is not very good for the steering optimum. You can check this by asking the tyre company what spec they would set your tracking to, then ask the dealer. The two specs will usually be quite different. Stick with the dealer setting. However, sometimes new cars come from the factory with the incorrect setting for tracking. It isn't something that would be checked on PDI. Normally an easy fix and nothing new so don't worry about it.

[morelia]

99.99% of the time it's always either tyres, as per Mike Wrightsons post above, or tracking. Usually it's nothing else. Get the dealer to check your tracking first rather than a tyre specialist as the tyre specialist will set it up differently to the dealer, usually! The dealer will set to manufacturers specs and the tyre company will use a generic setting which sometimes is not very good for the steering optimum. You can check this by asking the tyre company what spec they would set your tracking to, then ask the dealer. The two specs will usually be quite different. Stick with the dealer setting. However, sometimes new cars come from the factory with the incorrect setting for tracking. It isn't something that would be checked on PDI. Normally an easy fix and nothing new so don't worry about it.

I remember having a Ford Cortina which pulled strongly to the left, when the tyres supplied by Kwik-Fit wore out and new tyres fitted it competely cured the problem.

I have never used Kwik-Fit after that.

Edited 21 July, 2011 by morelia

[giandougl]

My 2005 MK1 Fabia VRS has always pulled left since having the car from new.

Skoda said it was a common trait and called it 'Torque Steer' something to do with the driveshaft lengths ?? lost me in the science.??

I will say the tyres have always worn even on the front before requiring replacing every 15,000 miles, regardless of brand or non-brand tyres being fitted.

[tonystop]

it seems that several Monte Carlo Fabia's are having this problem. My car is less than a week old and is pulling to the left as well. I will book it back at the dealers. If anyone has had any success then please let us know. Many thanks

[logiclee]

Our two Fabia's run straight as did our old Mk1.

My Passat runs straight with it's summer tyres but pulls a little to the left with winters on.

I had a Jeep that pulled badly to the left, tracking checked at dealers and at a pro alignment centre and still the same. Replaced the front tyres and problem was instantly solved.

Cheers

Lee

[baker1493]

Wifes monte also pulls left. Insisted on a four wheel alignment. Dealer agreed but all checks normal and still pulls left. Excuses of low profile tyres and road camber etc. wonder if this is across the board with all montes?

[123BRIAN]

Wifes monte also pulls left. Insisted on a four wheel alignment. Dealer agreed but all checks normal and still pulls left. Excuses of low profile tyres and road camber etc. wonder if this is across the board with all montes?

[123BRIAN]

I suggest you have a look at the Roomster section!

[123BRIAN]

I suggest you have a look at the Roomster section!

[MartynVRS]

My vRS is what I'd consider normal as it pulls slightly to the left/right depending on camber. There's a section of M4 you can test to see if it's right. At about 65-70ish going round this bend in the inside lane you can take you hands off the wheel and for several hundred yards will go round it on it's own. Been in other cars with tracking issues and they couldn't do this.

[tonystop]

Took the monte back to the dealers. They noticed the pull as well. They swapped the front and rear tyres over and checked the pressures. Car has improved significantly but still has the tendency to pull slightly depending on the camber of the road. I can put up with this but can't understand how swapping brand new tyres should make a difference. Will get the car checked out again in about 6 months for tracking issues.

[allias]

Took the monte back to the dealers. They noticed the pull as well. They swapped the front and rear tyres over and checked the pressures. Car has improved significantly but still has the tendency to pull slightly depending on the camber of the road. I can put up with this but can't understand how swapping brand new tyres should make a difference. Will get the car checked out again in about 6 months for tracking issues.

It does happen like 1 to 100 that pair of brand new tyres will be slight different from side to side and changing then will effect pull. Tyre manufacture dont treat this as a fault.

As to concerns to pull to one side... There are always ways to eliminate problem as long vehicle wasnt hit. Most of a time its just waaay out of adjustment and dealer will stick to FACTORY SETTINGS and you need to treat every vehicle separate. I would suggest to visit really good garage with 4 wheel alignment/geometry equipment to check it. There is no way places with Hunter or John Beam gauges wont be able to do it.

We recently had one 04' Fabia VRS owner geometry problem. He had coils and it was very low. Some other local places couldnt find fault. After we tested on our machine we found that cradle was shifted 5mm to one side. After adjustment owner felt like in new car - btw - NO PULL.

Only proper places where they specialize in alignment geometry can help with problems like that.