Steering off centre - what should I check first?

[deepakvrao]

Read more than a few threads here but still unclear on this.

 

For the car to drive straight, my steering wheel has to be held pointing slightly to the left. If I leave the steering though, the car does not pull to either side and drives straight.

 

So is it likely an alignment issue, or is it that the steering wheel needs to be re fitted a few splines differently?

 

Brand new Octavia, so not a tyre issue.

[dunc69]

Get a four-wheel alignment done. 

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

It's nothing to panic about, and certainly doesn't require the steering wheel to be removed! It also doesn't require a full 4-wheel alignment (although that said, it's a 'nice to have' on a 'new to you car').

 

It's just lazy work by whoever last did the front wheel tracking - and that includes the factory - I've seen more than a few brand new cars with such an issue.

 

It's quite difficult to get the steering wheel 'absolutely perfectly' aligned dead centre, it takes a bit of effort and trial and error. Most places don't operate to such a degree of precision, and most joe public wouldn't even notice a slightly mis-aligned steering wheel.

 

However, I am a ridiculous anorak about having my steering wheel absolutely perfectly dead centre - and my local wheel alignment place is well aware of that haha! I always 'insist' that it is done perfectly, and there is one chap in particular who seems to be brilliant at doing it, and understands my boring needs. He fiddles and then keeps taking the car out round the block himself - sometimes 3 or 4 times until he gets it 'just so' for me.

 

You just need to find a decent wheel alignment place who will work on the tracking hard enough for you to get it spot on is all.

 

 

 

[Gabbo]

If its a new car just go back to the dealer & get them to sort it out.

No point spending your own money if it was wrong from the beginning.

 

Don't leave it too long though because they can always argue you've had the tracking/alignment done yourself which is why its off.

[penguin17]

I had this on my Superb.  Picked up on it straight away so I have no idea why it wasn't sorted during PDI.  As above, the steering alignment needs to be sorted.  Return it to the supplying dealer as you do have (IIRC) up to 6k miles to have any snagging sorted but obviously with this, the sooner the better as the dealer could easily argue "you must have hit a pothole", or similar. 

[SC03OTT]

Also had this issue on my last vRS.  Just popped back up to the dealer the next day and they apologies and booked it in for a full alignment.  Got it back all sorted.