Here is the history. The car is a 2002 Seat Leon Cupra.
1. Purchased car from main dealer. Noticed that tracking etc is fine, but steering wheel requires around 30 degrees of clockwise turn when the car is in a straight line.
2. Dealer has a go at fixing it while I wait. End result - now off anticlockwise.
3. Dealer agrees to pay for four wheel laser alignment. Alignment shown to be out and corrected. Wheel now ends up as in step (1). After two attempts.
4. Make noises at dealer. Dealer has another while you wait go. Now pretty much central, but I have nagging doubts (it is slightly off still).
So what's new?
I took it to a different four wheel alignment centre, due to my suspicions that the first one may have been a bit clueless, and that the dealer may have bodged the steering wheel correction in the while you wait appointment.
This technician briefed me on the whole thing and showed me everything he was doing. Everything ran true with what I have been advised elsewhere. The initial measurements showed the rear end was within limits, but the following were out:
* Front right caster (7'26 - tolerance is 7'30 to 8'30)
* Front right toe (0'08 - tolerance is 0'05 to -0'05)
Which is obviously worrying considering the dealer had apparantly fixed this less than a week before.
The technician then got me to climb in the car and set the steering wheel to my liking.
He adjusted the front toe. He make equal turns each side (half a turn, iirc). The front toe was then central "in the green".
He could not adjust the right caster. The software showed this was not possible with this model car.
With all this done, the car is now back at the beginning It needs about 30 degrees clockwise turn to go in a straight line.
So I think there is something fundamentally wrong. The technician said he was concerned about the right caster, and could indicate something ever-so-slightly bent concerning the right front wheel (kerb hit hard by previous owner?).
So, if nothing else, the car has been consistent. It's initial state, and that after each laser alignment, has been the "steering wheel 30 degrees clockwise" position, and the final time I have personally made sure the steering wheel was locked straight.
As above, when the dealer has put the steering wheel straight, it seems to have been done by fudging the right front toe.
So the car is going for a full steering system strip down to the dealer on Monday (warranty job). I am armed with the tracking printouts anyway!
Gah.
Advice welcome!
1. Purchased car from main dealer. Noticed that tracking etc is fine, but steering wheel requires around 30 degrees of clockwise turn when the car is in a straight line.
2. Dealer has a go at fixing it while I wait. End result - now off anticlockwise.
3. Dealer agrees to pay for four wheel laser alignment. Alignment shown to be out and corrected. Wheel now ends up as in step (1). After two attempts.
4. Make noises at dealer. Dealer has another while you wait go. Now pretty much central, but I have nagging doubts (it is slightly off still).
So what's new?
I took it to a different four wheel alignment centre, due to my suspicions that the first one may have been a bit clueless, and that the dealer may have bodged the steering wheel correction in the while you wait appointment.
This technician briefed me on the whole thing and showed me everything he was doing. Everything ran true with what I have been advised elsewhere. The initial measurements showed the rear end was within limits, but the following were out:
* Front right caster (7'26 - tolerance is 7'30 to 8'30)
* Front right toe (0'08 - tolerance is 0'05 to -0'05)
Which is obviously worrying considering the dealer had apparantly fixed this less than a week before.
The technician then got me to climb in the car and set the steering wheel to my liking.
He adjusted the front toe. He make equal turns each side (half a turn, iirc). The front toe was then central "in the green".
He could not adjust the right caster. The software showed this was not possible with this model car.
With all this done, the car is now back at the beginning It needs about 30 degrees clockwise turn to go in a straight line.
So I think there is something fundamentally wrong. The technician said he was concerned about the right caster, and could indicate something ever-so-slightly bent concerning the right front wheel (kerb hit hard by previous owner?).
So, if nothing else, the car has been consistent. It's initial state, and that after each laser alignment, has been the "steering wheel 30 degrees clockwise" position, and the final time I have personally made sure the steering wheel was locked straight.
As above, when the dealer has put the steering wheel straight, it seems to have been done by fudging the right front toe.
So the car is going for a full steering system strip down to the dealer on Monday (warranty job). I am armed with the tracking printouts anyway!
Gah.
Advice welcome!