Car Pulls To The Right

sle39lvr · 11-03-2011, 02:28 PM

So today I got an alignment with wheels balanced and N2 filled. Alignment was not that off. Spec sheet:

The car still pulls to the right on highway. I have to hold the steering to the left otherwise I would go off the lane within 3 seconds on highway around 70mph.

Dealer is blaming it on the tires that I put on that has about 80% thread left.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long Version:

Car is a CPO pre-LCI 328i with non sport suspension. It came with 16" wheels. Car used to pull slightly to the right on highway. When I told the dealer, after a test-drive, it wasn't according to them.

I got 18" sports suspension wheels that has non-runflat tires few weeks ago and now the car pulls more to the right. It feels like the above issue with 16"'s but more exaggerated now.

If you look at the alignment sheet, the technician ran it as a lowered sports suspension setup, even though this is with non-sport but with sport wheels. Is this something I should tell them?

Car has been well taken care of before CPO and has no signs of any structural damage, etc.

It feels very uncomfortable to hold the steering that has no precise center on highway. I contacted several other dealerships, yet they all point to tires.

Syndicategt · 11-03-2011, 03:13 PM

Your steering wheel could be out of alignment. If your tires are properly balanced and have good pressure, they should be ok unless there is very uneven wear.

sle39lvr · 11-03-2011, 03:33 PM

Well since the tires are non-RFT, they should not have radial pull correct?

They would not check the steering alignment during wheel alignment?

sle39lvr · 11-04-2011, 09:59 AM

Measured with a tape measure, I noticed there is about 3-4mm difference in fender height from left to right of the car. Wouldn't this have been caught during the alignment? Or this is not significant..?

Stucks · 11-04-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

Measured with a tape measure, I noticed there is about 3-4mm difference in fender height from left to right of the car. Wouldn't this have been caught during the alignment? Or this is not significant..?

this is not significant. My car pulls to the right also. I have to hold the steering wheel slightly to the left. Its always been like this, ever since i bought the car. its got coilovers on it now and the alignment is fine, so im assuming its the steering wheel that needs to be re-adjusted.

Dackz · 11-04-2011, 12:09 PM

Same here, before and after alingment and new tires, done this week. The car has a gradual pull to the right and always has. I have to hold hte wheel to dead center, it doesnt really stay there itself. I think its 'normal' from what I could search for.

sle39lvr · 11-04-2011, 01:10 PM

This does not bother you? Long trips on highway seems less relaxing with this...

VMRWheels · 11-04-2011, 02:47 PM

One of the easiest things to check would be your air pressure. I've heard of people saying that if the pressure is off between tires that a car can pull in one direction.

FRRYY · 11-04-2011, 02:59 PM

my car is rather neutral on flat road.

on some certain roads tho, it is influenced a bit by "road crown"

sle39lvr · 11-04-2011, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMRWheels

One of the easiest things to check would be your air pressure. I've heard of people saying that if the pressure is off between tires that a car can pull in one direction.

All that is checked.

kiwi29 · 11-04-2011, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMRWheels

One of the easiest things to check would be your air pressure. I've heard of people saying that if the pressure is off between tires that a car can pull in one direction.

+1, if anything, add more to the right. And release air from the left, maybe add 3 psi to right subtract 1 from left

Dackz · 11-05-2011, 01:14 AM

It doenst bother me much, just speed and drive fast in the left lane, the road crowns the other way and you dont have the pull on that side of the lane. Probably how BMW intended it

johnnyg238 · 11-05-2011, 06:38 AM

Wow! I just took my 2011 in for this same issue for the third time!...I finally had the head mechanic take a ride with me to figure it out. When he finally realized what i was talking about it was a eureka moment. They ended up taking aprt part of the suspension, letting it settle out and then adjusting the steering wheel to center and doing another alignment (the third one). Car drives like a dream now and is perfectly straight. I absolutely refused to believe that a 50,000 dollar car would have a steering wheel that was constantly off center. I understand about road crown so what i did to show him that this wasn't it was when I had the mechanic in my car I went to a very quiet street and drove on the wrong side of the road. So for it to be a "road crown" effect that would mean that if I kept the wheel horizontal then the car would drift to the left on the wrong side of road...well guess what, it stayed straight and that was the proof that it was NOT a road crown effect but that the steering wheel was out of alignment!

sle39lvr · 11-05-2011, 02:04 PM

Exactly.

So did they tell you what exactly the issue was?

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyg238

Wow! I just took my 2011 in for this same issue for the third time!...I finally had the head mechanic take a ride with me to figure it out. When he finally realized what i was talking about it was a eureka moment. They ended up taking aprt part of the suspension, letting it settle out and then adjusting the steering wheel to center and doing another alignment (the third one). Car drives like a dream now and is perfectly straight. I absolutely refused to believe that a 50,000 dollar car would have a steering wheel that was constantly off center. I understand about road crown so what i did to show him that this wasn't it was when I had the mechanic in my car I went to a very quiet street and drove on the wrong side of the road. So for it to be a "road crown" effect that would mean that if I kept the wheel horizontal then the car would drift to the left on the wrong side of road...well guess what, it stayed straight and that was the proof that it was NOT a road crown effect but that the steering wheel was out of alignment!

Randomaccess335 · 11-05-2011, 02:28 PM

My also pulls to the right very little usually road angle crown and whatever decides the direction it pulls
But on flat roads it goes off to the right

For the longest time I thought It was cause my dick hangs to the right
But than I remembered I'm white..... So it's probably not the case

johnnyg238 · 11-05-2011, 06:42 PM

They never told me what they though it was but apparently they had to take some stuff apart and let the suspension settle??? Anyway, I will try to find the work order and snap a photo of it so you can see it. Your car should NEVER drift to either side on a flat road with no crown...but the only way to get these guys to even acknowledge the problem is to drive with them and point out that driving on the wrong side does not create the problem to the opposite side. I personally think the road crown is kind of a cop out. I know firmer sidewalls will cause this but maybe a foot or two every 100 feet of driving, not all of a sudden swerving into parked cars!!!

ZTUNER · 11-05-2011, 06:56 PM

I have the same issue. This suddenly happened when the car was at the dealerfor routine maintenance. When i got the car back they stated i need tires and alignment. Was definately not an issue before dealer visit. Hmmmmmn

Harry

sle39lvr · 11-05-2011, 07:39 PM

So after talking to the dealer, they are going to give me a loaner and take the car to do some extensive testing. It's still under 50K so I hope they find something and fix under the warranty...

DrDurt · 11-13-2011, 11:14 PM

Im having a similar issue, I have to hold my wheel a couple degrees left to keep it straight. It is driving me insane.

sle39lvr · 11-13-2011, 11:31 PM

After many complaints, I am going to the dealer soon. I will update..

sle39lvr · 11-14-2011, 11:42 AM

Ok, the dealer agree to look at it again. I rode with the shop foreman on their test road, which they call totally flat. He was only up to around 45-50mph and he did notice the slight pull. I mentioned to him how worse it is at 70+. He agreed to put it back on the machine and take a look.

The technician got the specs even closer to target. They confirmed that nothing else was wrong with the car.

The car still pulls to the right!

The foreman told me if it still exists, it very well could be the REAR tires, and if not, I could get the rear end adjusted specifically to correct this. But he did not recommend that last option since it is a custom solution going against alignment specs.

I will put on a new set of tires in few months and see...

If anyone else have had this issue, which seem to be a lot, and resolved it, please give us your input.

Thanks in advance.

sle39lvr · 11-14-2011, 01:15 PM

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=590384

11-03-2011, 02:28 PM	#1
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	Car Pulls To The Right So today I got an alignment with wheels balanced and N2 filled. Alignment was not that off. Spec sheet: The car still pulls to the right on highway. I have to hold the steering to the left otherwise I would go off the lane within 3 seconds on highway around 70mph. Dealer is blaming it on the tires that I put on that has about 80% thread left. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Long Version: Car is a CPO pre-LCI 328i with non sport suspension. It came with 16" wheels. Car used to pull slightly to the right on highway. When I told the dealer, after a test-drive, it wasn't according to them. I got 18" sports suspension wheels that has non-runflat tires few weeks ago and now the car pulls more to the right. It feels like the above issue with 16"'s but more exaggerated now. If you look at the alignment sheet, the technician ran it as a lowered sports suspension setup, even though this is with non-sport but with sport wheels. Is this something I should tell them? Car has been well taken care of before CPO and has no signs of any structural damage, etc. It feels very uncomfortable to hold the steering that has no precise center on highway. I contacted several other dealerships, yet they all point to tires. Last edited by sle39lvr; 11-04-2011 at 12:02 AM..
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11-03-2011, 03:13 PM	#2
Syndicategt Brigadier General 153 Rep 3,730 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Nor Cal iTrader: (11)	Your steering wheel could be out of alignment. If your tires are properly balanced and have good pressure, they should be ok unless there is very uneven wear. __________________ 2008 BMW 335i e90 - Sold - Rob Beck Turbos / PROcede V5 / Aquamist HFS-4 / AR Downpipes / AE Exhaust / ER Comp FMIC / ER CP / TiAL BOV / Custom Intake / RPI Scoops / Quaife LSD / Swift-Koni Coilovers / DSS HS / Morr VS8.2 Sig Black / Michelin PSS / P3 Boost Guage / M3 body / M3 steering wheel / Adam's Rotors / Hawk HPS / SS lines /
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11-03-2011, 03:33 PM	#3
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	Well since the tires are non-RFT, they should not have radial pull correct? They would not check the steering alignment during wheel alignment?
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11-04-2011, 09:59 AM	#4
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	Measured with a tape measure, I noticed there is about 3-4mm difference in fender height from left to right of the car. Wouldn't this have been caught during the alignment? Or this is not significant..?
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11-04-2011, 12:09 PM	#6
Dackz Hates Speed Limits 111 Rep 2,589 Posts Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Northern CO iTrader: (4)	Same here, before and after alingment and new tires, done this week. The car has a gradual pull to the right and always has. I have to hold hte wheel to dead center, it doesnt really stay there itself. I think its 'normal' from what I could search for. __________________ E92 Space Gray 335i - COBB, BMW Performance Exhaust (stock tips), style 230 rims, LUX H8 AE's
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11-04-2011, 01:10 PM	#7
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	This does not bother you? Long trips on highway seems less relaxing with this...
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11-04-2011, 02:47 PM	#8
VMRWheels BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 2038 Rep 25,989 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [10.00] 2015 BMW M4 [0.00] 2013 BMW F30 [0.00] 2014 BMW F22 [0.00] 2013 BMW F06 [0.00]	One of the easiest things to check would be your air pressure. I've heard of people saying that if the pressure is off between tires that a car can pull in one direction. __________________ VMR\|Wheels \| 714.442.7916 \| sales@velocitymotoring.com \| www.velocitymotoring.com \| facebook \| flickr \| Instagram
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11-04-2011, 02:59 PM	#9
FRRYY First Lieutenant 25 Rep 399 Posts Drives: 2008 AW e92 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (1)	my car is rather neutral on flat road. on some certain roads tho, it is influenced a bit by "road crown"
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11-05-2011, 01:14 AM	#12
Dackz Hates Speed Limits 111 Rep 2,589 Posts Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Northern CO iTrader: (4)	It doenst bother me much, just speed and drive fast in the left lane, the road crowns the other way and you dont have the pull on that side of the lane. Probably how BMW intended it __________________ E92 Space Gray 335i - COBB, BMW Performance Exhaust (stock tips), style 230 rims, LUX H8 AE's
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11-05-2011, 06:38 AM	#13
johnnyg238 Drive it like you stole it 66 Rep 279 Posts Drives: 2020 Sapphire Black M340i Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Baton Rouge, LA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW M340i [0.00]	Wow! I just took my 2011 in for this same issue for the third time!...I finally had the head mechanic take a ride with me to figure it out. When he finally realized what i was talking about it was a eureka moment. They ended up taking aprt part of the suspension, letting it settle out and then adjusting the steering wheel to center and doing another alignment (the third one). Car drives like a dream now and is perfectly straight. I absolutely refused to believe that a 50,000 dollar car would have a steering wheel that was constantly off center. I understand about road crown so what i did to show him that this wasn't it was when I had the mechanic in my car I went to a very quiet street and drove on the wrong side of the road. So for it to be a "road crown" effect that would mean that if I kept the wheel horizontal then the car would drift to the left on the wrong side of road...well guess what, it stayed straight and that was the proof that it was NOT a road crown effect but that the steering wheel was out of alignment!
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11-05-2011, 02:28 PM	#15
Randomaccess335 Captain 69 Rep 868 Posts Drives: 07' 335I Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: boynton beach, Fl iTrader: (11)	My also pulls to the right very little usually road angle crown and whatever decides the direction it pulls But on flat roads it goes off to the right For the longest time I thought It was cause my dick hangs to the right But than I remembered I'm white..... So it's probably not the case __________________ JB4 G5 ISO , AR DP's, DO Meth kit Trunk Mount, ETS 5" Intercooler, M6 Rims, ER Charge Pipe, Fordged DV's, MMp relocated inlets, Ebay 4" chrome Tips, Lux Angel Eyes ********11.910 @ 117.091.851 60'*********
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11-05-2011, 06:42 PM	#16
johnnyg238 Drive it like you stole it 66 Rep 279 Posts Drives: 2020 Sapphire Black M340i Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Baton Rouge, LA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW M340i [0.00]	They never told me what they though it was but apparently they had to take some stuff apart and let the suspension settle??? Anyway, I will try to find the work order and snap a photo of it so you can see it. Your car should NEVER drift to either side on a flat road with no crown...but the only way to get these guys to even acknowledge the problem is to drive with them and point out that driving on the wrong side does not create the problem to the opposite side. I personally think the road crown is kind of a cop out. I know firmer sidewalls will cause this but maybe a foot or two every 100 feet of driving, not all of a sudden swerving into parked cars!!!
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11-05-2011, 06:56 PM	#17
ZTUNER Lieutenant 21 Rep 551 Posts Drives: 91 Z32TT, 2000 I30, 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sarasota iTrader: (0)	I have the same issue. This suddenly happened when the car was at the dealerfor routine maintenance. When i got the car back they stated i need tires and alignment. Was definately not an issue before dealer visit. Hmmmmmn Harry
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11-05-2011, 07:39 PM	#18
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	So after talking to the dealer, they are going to give me a loaner and take the car to do some extensive testing. It's still under 50K so I hope they find something and fix under the warranty...
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11-13-2011, 11:14 PM	#19
DrDurt Lieutenant 30 Rep 519 Posts Drives: e90 325xi Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: BaskingRidge, NJ iTrader: (3)	Im having a similar issue, I have to hold my wheel a couple degrees left to keep it straight. It is driving me insane.
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11-13-2011, 11:31 PM	#20
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	After many complaints, I am going to the dealer soon. I will update..
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11-14-2011, 11:42 AM	#21
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	Ok, the dealer agree to look at it again. I rode with the shop foreman on their test road, which they call totally flat. He was only up to around 45-50mph and he did notice the slight pull. I mentioned to him how worse it is at 70+. He agreed to put it back on the machine and take a look. The technician got the specs even closer to target. They confirmed that nothing else was wrong with the car. The car still pulls to the right! The foreman told me if it still exists, it very well could be the REAR tires, and if not, I could get the rear end adjusted specifically to correct this. But he did not recommend that last option since it is a custom solution going against alignment specs. I will put on a new set of tires in few months and see... If anyone else have had this issue, which seem to be a lot, and resolved it, please give us your input. Thanks in advance.
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11-14-2011, 01:15 PM	#22
sle39lvr Captain 124 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=590384
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