Pulling to one side

[multiskoda]

Mines going in on the 12th on 15" winter steels to prove the point. I'm going to make it clear I don't want the thing back unless it goes in a straight line when they're done. Shall report back on what happens!

[Gazbull17]

Just got my Monte back after the dealer has had a second crack at the steering.

Early signs look good, very little or no pull, vibration between 50-70 is gone and steering wheel now seems to be centred.

Senior tech has worked on it this time and it seems 100% better than before, even got another full valet.

Will monitor it over the next few days but touch wood, it's now cured.

[multiskoda]

Just got my Monte back after the dealer has had a second crack at the steering.

Early signs look good, very little or no pull, vibration between 50-70 is gone and steering wheel now seems to be centred.

Senior tech has worked on it this time and it seems 100% better than before, even got another full valet.

Will monitor it over the next few days but touch wood, it's now cured.

 

Sounds good. Balancing and alignment again? Or something magical I can tell my dealers about?

[Gazbull17]

I don't think there was any wizardry, maybe a little cursing, all they said was that the wheels had been rebalanced, another four wheel alignment done and the steering adjusted.

They assured it was fixed now, which it appears to be but anymore problems then just call them.

They've activated the alarm chirp which I asked for on top of the one press lock/unlock which they did the last time.

The technician also tried to activate the cornering fog lights like on other VAG cars but he could not get them to work.

[PDIBK]

I'm gong to caveat this...it was my Dad's last Fabia, hasn't affected his current on or my Monte.

His last Fabia had the pull, they checked it, tweaked it, checked it again etc. eventually, after going around what sounds to be standard, dealer to SUK, back and forth, they did a geometry check and said rear geometry was out, but as it's fixed, there was nothing that could be done.

He got rid of the car after that (px' diet at the dealer who pronounced that bombshell). I'm just wondering whether some Fabias could have the same problem, leading to this incessant pull and for some reason a change of tyre brand works (or they're unconnected). Has anyone had a geometry check.

[R4zb3rry]

I'm gong to caveat this...it was my Dad's last Fabia, hasn't affected his current on or my Monte.

His last Fabia had the pull, they checked it, tweaked it, checked it again etc. eventually, after going around what sounds to be standard, dealer to SUK, back and forth, they did a geometry check and said rear geometry was out, but as it's fixed, there was nothing that could be done.

He got rid of the car after that (px' diet at the dealer who pronounced that bombshell). I'm just wondering whether some Fabias could have the same problem, leading to this incessant pull and for some reason a change of tyre brand works (or they're unconnected). Has anyone had a geometry check.

Apparently this was checked on mine when it went in last and had pirellis put on, I have never seen the report however and nothing was ever mentioned above and beyond the fact that it was checked.

[multiskoda]

I went to Wheels in Motion in Chesham and had geometry/alignment checked by them. They adjusted it slightly at the front end (that's after two alignment/geometry checks at Skoda) and said it was slightly out.

 

Car now drives straight on my winter wheels, though if you yank the steering wheel to the left, it doesn't centre fully (which it does if you yank it right).

 

I'm going to put my summers back on for a couple of days to see what the difference is like.

 

Will probably still go in on the 12th to have the steering checked for the lack of self-centering if it drives straight on summers too.

[VKKFabiaVrS]

The car was bought from Skoda Stockport with 23330 miles on clock at three years old. Skoda tracked it after id had it a week due to pulling left. I then hsd event tyres in Manchester fit new dunlops (£450 as aposed to skoda wanting £700 for a full set). Instant pull to the left. Event tyres have done four wheel laser alignment twice (watched it done and saw it was actually out). They then swapped front and rear wheels around. All to no avail. I only put dunlops back on as it came to me with them on and I knew they were an oem tyre.

Ive regreted it since cause of the pull.

Skoda provided a twelve month warranty with its purchase. They're staff are looking into the tyre issue with dunlops and im awaiting their feedback.

The cars done 1100 miles on the new tyres since being fitted 6wks sgo.

Failing this I'll take it to a VAG specialist (awesome gti in Manchester possibly) and have them assess it.

[VKKFabiaVrS]

Skoda Head Office have admitted the Fabia VRS has a issue running Dunlop Tyres and will fit Pirelli P nero tyres under warranty (where suitable).Lookers Skida in Stockport resolved my issue this week (service manager stated mine was the 3rd Fabia VRS with this fault that he had seen but admitted the Fabia Monte Carlo suffers badly from camber sensitivity with Dunlop tyres).

[finscout]

I just bought an used Fabia II HB 2007, and it was pulling to one side especially when accelerating. I had it adjusted at my local Skoda dealer, and it turned out there was 3-4mm too much toe-in on another side. The car rides much better now..

[jrw]

I am having the same problem with swmbo's VRS.

 

Dealership can't find an issue and are stating there is nothing on the 'Skoda system' regarding this.

 

Would someone be willing to PM me their Reg number and what dealership carried out the work?  I can then present this to the dealership on Monday when they have it in to check the alignment even though it drives perfectly straight with the winter tyres on and have demonstrated this to them.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Ootohere]

If it is driving correctly with the Winter tyres on, but pulling left on the cars Original tyres, it is unlikely that Alignment checks are going to show any adjustments being required.

 

The Tyres fitted by Skoda & their replacement is going to be the issue when they are fitted again i would have thought.

Not much to be getting done on Monday and time to get the Information on Tyres from Skoda.

 

george

[pistolpete559]

I am having the same problem with swmbo's VRS.

 

Dealership can't find an issue and are stating there is nothing on the 'Skoda system' regarding this.

 

Would someone be willing to PM me their Reg number and what dealership carried out the work?  I can then present this to the dealership on Monday when they have it in to check the alignment even though it drives perfectly straight with the winter tyres on and have demonstrated this to them.

 

Thanks in advance.

PM sent

[pumpsmynads]

I'm having a falling out with my local dealer at the moment.

Mine runs straight with winter wheels and tyres on but pulls left with gigaros on. I don't remember what the original tyres are. I'll look later.

What have Skoda Head Office said VKK please? Do you have anything in writing?

My local dealer has said that the car does pull to the left but it isn't dangerous enough to constitute warranty work!?!? They also explained that the reason the car runs true with winter wheels/tyres on is that the "rubber is stickier and grips the road better!" I called them out on this and said they're treating my like an idiot.

[mymonte]

Hi pumpsmynads,

 

Have a look at  "My Monte Carlo is pulling to the left HELP!" this is now on the 3rd page.

 

A lot more info on this problem.

[jrw]

I'm having a falling out with my local dealer at the moment.

Mine runs straight with winter wheels and tyres on but pulls left with gigaros on. I don't remember what the original tyres are. I'll look later.

What have Skoda Head Office said VKK please? Do you have anything in writing?

My local dealer has said that the car does pull to the left but it isn't dangerous enough to constitute warranty work!?!? They also explained that the reason the car runs true with winter wheels/tyres on is that the "rubber is stickier and grips the road better!" I called them out on this and said they're treating my like an idiot.

I'm having a similar story. It's going in for round 3 of diagnosis on Monday after getting Skoda UK involved. They won't accept the winter wheels experiment as they aren't like for like so now need to test with wheels off a donor car

I've got last week's auto express with an article about it. I will upload it to here shortly.

I'm getting to the end of my tether with it now. I know what the problem is, they know what the problem is so why they can't just replace the Dunlop tyres with a different make is beyond me.

[jrw]

Just picked the VRS up and it has had some Continental SC5 tyres fitted. There appears to be a slight pull still there but the roads were busy and couldn't properly test it.

 

It took a lot of arguing with Skoda UK to get this sorted.  The castor on the front nearside was out by 1.3 degree.  Because of this Skoda wouldn't authorise the tyres until this was sorted but the caster doesn't have that much adjustment apparently so until common sense kicked in it went back and forth between the dealer and SUK.  This was even after the dealer went back to them with a VRS with 190miles on the clock with the same issue and same readouts as mine.

 

Even though SUK wouldn't admit it was a known problem they advised which brand of tyres resolves the issue (go figure?!).  As the Pirelli's were on back order the Contis were ordered.

 

I have since found out that this is a known issue on this platform throughout the VAG range and the problem is in fact to do with the rear axle being the incorrect one.  Apparently there is a LHD and RHD version and if the LHD is fitted this problem becomes apparent, more so depending on the tyres.  SUK will not admit this though, nor will they come up with a solution besides changing the tyres.

 

I will update this when i have done a few more miles on quieter roads.

[skoda1982]

Ok had new pirelli p nero fitted today after 8 month. And still pulling not to bad on roads but on the motorway cannot let go turns to left. (Where do i go from here)

[Gazbull17]

I've got the same tyres on mine now and it's fine, only get a drift on heavily cambered roads but that's the same for most cars but definitely no pulling now.

Most people on here have found that the new tyres have cured it, if it's still doing it and you're not happy then your only option might be to reject the car but that's as a last resort.

[Carlodiesel]

Skoda 1982

As I have said before , " are Pirelli's masking a problem with the car?

 

Looks like this issue is going to run, until Skoda come clean with us all as to the problem".

 

The only other avenue left open to you is to reject the car.

This normally sets off Skoda & dealer to come up with a permanent solution.

You could ask them to supply you with a car that does not pull. New of course.

Good luck, keep us posted.

CD

[skoda1982]

Skoda 1982

As I have said before , " are Pirelli's masking a problem with the car?

 

Looks like this issue is going to run, until Skoda come clean with us all as to the problem".

 

The only other avenue left open to you is to reject the car.

This normally sets off Skoda & dealer to come up with a permanent solution.

You could ask them to supply you with a car that does not pull. New of course.

Good luck, keep us posted.

CD

Will do

[Ootohere]

Just another of the many threads, on here, 

Some seem to think the New Tyres is all that is required, but obviously for those in never worked for not so.

 

Page 4 has some interesting suggestion on why it is happening.

[savaphil]

Just to wade in with my 2 penneth.

 

Bought the car (8 months old), last February. Saw that it had Contis all around except for a Pirelli on the N/S/F. Thought "oh that's a buggar (because I like things to be neat), I'll change that for a Conti when it wears out"

 

Always felt that the steering was lighter when turning left than right and that the grip was lacking on the inside edge during left turns. This could have been paranoia over a different tyre being fitted there.

 

A few weeks ago I got a puncture so replaced both front tyres for Contis (SC5s if you need to know - the rears are still the Conti SC2s that were on when I purchased the car).

 

Since then the car has been pulling to the left on all surfaces and speeds (lots of camber, little camber, no camber, inside lane, outide lane, middle lane, 30mph through to 70 mph).

 

Initially thought it was trye pressure or alignment so had that checked.

 

Rang Skoda (Westgate in Grimsby) who looked at it and said it was straight and true.

 

They passed me on to a body specialist (who didn't want to know so passed me on to Bush Tyres in Grimsby) who said it was showing as fine on the computer. I even then popped it in to Bush Tyres in my home town (Beverley) who said it was all fine too.

 

Still pulling left. Rang Skoda (Grimsby) again on Friday and got a lot of, "we've never heard of this", "don't know what else we could do as computer says it's fine", "what do you want us to do about it?", "I haven't seen a technical bulletin that suggests anything of the sort", "I can't imagine Skoda UK having any more ideas about this than us".

 

I mentioned that I'm not the only one to experience this issue and that he may want to check the tech bulletin to find out if it has been reported/mentioned anywhere. Or even the Honest john website. I alluded that the Pirelli being on there is a bit suspect (I had originally assumed that the last owner had a puncture at some point and just changed for a PIrelli as that's all that wa sin the garage that she assumably took it to and didn't care for matching tyres. Skoda Grimsby said they've never fitted a Pirelli to that car (hmm!).

 

So I'm currently awaiting Skoda Grimsby to check the bulletins. He (the service manager) has also said that he will submit a report to Skoda UK (but that "that's a lot of forms and takes time" - like I should care what his job involves?). I have also rung Skoda UK diretly and logged the issue with them (and the lady on the end of the phone had, "never heard of this issue before" - a standard response to stop them giving anything away they shouldn't until they know the car has the fault they know it has but won't admit to).

 

With a 70 mile round commute, it's getting quite boring holding it in a straight line and gene4rally feeling like i'm fighting the car at all times. I would like a courtesy car whilst they sort it out but as yet are trying to wash their hands of me. I'm happy to be that thorn in their side until they SORT (not mask) the problem. I like my Conti tyres (had them in the past and been very happy with them and dislike Pirellis (had them in the past too and been very diappointed with them - life and handling) so would struggle to accept a simple tyre swap.

 

Geez, I bought a new(ish) car to avoid problems. Feel like I should have bought a £500 Clio at times and just run it into the ground!

Edited 22 January, 2015 by savaphil

[Ootohere]

So some are just professionals and see so few cars. Some can not be bothered and some lie. Skoda uk know about it, that is why they tell dealers replace with pirelli. That is their solution.

[savaphil]

Yet as you've pointed out here before (and I totally agree with), dealing with the syntoms doesn't necessarily deal with the underlying issues.