Car experts: Please help. Alignment issues

[Mao Tse Tongue]

I have a 2006 BMW 550i. I have had alignment issues for about six months, but have been too busy to get it fixed.

I take it in to BMW the other day. They put it on the machine for a few hours, and tell me the problem is solved, complete with the bullshit printout showing tack and toe and all that other nonsense.

I get in the car, drive it home, and the problem is exactly as it was before. The car pulls to the right. It's not excessive, but it's persistent. Over time, it drives me CRAZY.

My question is this: If my tires are bought at the same time (three months ago, brand new) and they're pressurized equally once a week, which they are, can there be other issues that the machine at the dealership can not solve?

What is the best way to definitively solve the problem? I want to be armed when I go back to the dealership.

Thanks!

Mao

 

[stormchaseryvr]

Are you driving down the same road every time?

Most roads are graded to allow water to flow to the right, and your car will veer slightly to the right as well.

 

[Mao Tse Tongue]

Are you driving down the same road every time?

Most roads are graded to allow water to flow to the right, and your car will veer slightly to the right as well.

No, not the same road. I'm accounting for the grade. It pulls EVERYWHERE. It's maddening.

 

[elmufdvr]

Are you driving down the same road every time?

Most roads are graded to allow water to flow to the right, and your car will veer slightly to the right as well.

very true most do not know that....

 

[stormchaseryvr]

Make sure they do a four wheel alignment. If they did, then take it back and ask to speak to the service manager.

Since it is a BMW...have them check the brake calipers, one may be grabbing.

 

[Geoff]

Did it pull before you purchased the new tires?

 

[Mao Tse Tongue]

Did it pull before you purchased the new tires?

Yes. It was solved by another dealership, but started again. Both dealerships tried to blame it on uneven wearing of the tires, but I replaced the tires twice to prove them wrong.

 

[sonyminidiscman]

its BMW... so they need to fix this no matter what....... give it to them so they can figure it out... its a 2006... so its gotta be under some sort of warranty...

when you say pulling to the right...is your steering wheel turning also? or just that your car is going right..... i have driven 330 and m3, their steering is so stiff, i don't think you are suppose to feel the steering move...

 

[Mao Tse Tongue]

its BMW... so they need to fix this no matter what....... give it to them so they can figure it out... its a 2006... so its gotta be under some sort of warranty...

when you say pulling to the right...is your steering wheel turning also? or just that your car is going right..... i have driven 330 and m3, their steering is so stiff, i don't think you are suppose to feel the steering move...

Yea, steering is off. The steering wheel is never in the 3/9 position, but always slightly off as I drift right.

 

[tboy]

As stated, EVERY road is graded with a hump in the middle to allow for run off. Therefore every car will pull to the right.....and those with more sensitive suspension/steering will translate that to the steering column. It is my understanding that BMW sedans are sold as performance vehicles with sensitive performance suspension which will make the vehicle more susceptible to varying road conditions.....

Now as for the wheel alignment data being nonsense, maybe that's your problem? you think it's nonsense when in fact it is proof that your alignment is off or on. For the record, these days (and since the 70's) when a garage checks the alignment, they check all FOUR wheels).

Now let me ask you: when you take the vehicle in, do you say: I want you to check my alignment because it feels off? Or do you say: I want you to find out what is causing the vehicle to pull to the right?

BTW: since this seems like it has been happening for a while (2 sets of tires) it most likely isn't the brakes because if they were actually grabbing, they'd wear out by now.

Do you carry something in the trunk that is excessively heavy on the right side?

Have you had the dealership do a road test so they can feel it?

When you drive on the DVP, does it pull to the right even when you are driving the long sweeping left hand turns?

For the record, every vehicle I have ever driven (including thousands of rentals in all cities) need to have the wheel cocked slightly to the left to keep it tracking straight.......

Here's a quick easy test for you: one night around 10 or 11 find yourself a long straight side street. Drive on the left side of the road with your driver's side wheels at the curb. Take your hands off the wheel. If the car veers to the left, you have your answer......

 

[Bud Plug]

I know exactly what you're talking about.

Hit any big pot holes? Has the car ever been in an accident (even a very minor one)?

The problem lies in the tie rods. Your tires can be fine, the angles set perfectly, but if your tie rods are damaged, even slightly, your car will pull once it's moving on the road. The alignment test won't disclose the problem.

Ask your dealer to do a detailed check of the tie rods.

 

[sonyminidiscman]

Yea, steering is off. The steering wheel is never in the 3/9 position, but always slightly off as I drift right.

then go back to dealership...... tell them to fix the steering! i have ran into a curb before, and had to replace a few things... control arm... ball bearings... + a few more things... and then as i was driving my own car to the alignment place, the steering is pointing 30degrees to the right when my car is going straight.

After alignment, car was straight, steering was straight...

but when i put on my +2 size summer tires and rims, it'll start to pull left or right depending on the road... so i know its my tires... not my alignment

 

[Mao Tse Tongue]

I know exactly what you're talking about.

Hit any big pot holes? Has the car ever been in an accident (even a very minor one)?

The problem lies in the tie rods. Your tires can be fine, the angles set perfectly, but if your tie rods are damaged, even slightly, your car will pull once it's moving on the road. The alignment test won't disclose the problem.

Ask your dealer to do a detailed check of the tie rods.

Thank you very much. Just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

 

[Mao Tse Tongue]

As stated, EVERY road is graded with a hump in the middle to allow for run off. Therefore every car will pull to the right.....and those with more sensitive suspension/steering will translate that to the steering column. It is my understanding that BMW sedans are sold as performance vehicles with sensitive performance suspension which will make the vehicle more susceptible to varying road conditions.....

Now as for the wheel alignment data being nonsense, maybe that's your problem? you think it's nonsense when in fact it is proof that your alignment is off or on. For the record, these days (and since the 70's) when a garage checks the alignment, they check all FOUR wheels).

Now let me ask you: when you take the vehicle in, do you say: I want you to check my alignment because it feels off? Or do you say: I want you to find out what is causing the vehicle to pull to the right?

BTW: since this seems like it has been happening for a while (2 sets of tires) it most likely isn't the brakes because if they were actually grabbing, they'd wear out by now.

Do you carry something in the trunk that is excessively heavy on the right side?

Have you had the dealership do a road test so they can feel it?

When you drive on the DVP, does it pull to the right even when you are driving the long sweeping left hand turns?

For the record, every vehicle I have ever driven (including thousands of rentals in all cities) need to have the wheel cocked slightly to the left to keep it tracking straight.......

Here's a quick easy test for you: one night around 10 or 11 find yourself a long straight side street. Drive on the left side of the road with your driver's side wheels at the curb. Take your hands off the wheel. If the car veers to the left, you have your answer......

tboy, you never fail to charm me. Geez.

I'm saying it's bullshit because my car is still off, even after they print out their five pages of detailed blah blah. In fact, car people I know have told me that alignment machines can be off for months and a dealership won't admit it. It happened to me on the last dealership I dealt with, followed by a long apology from the owner for all the time I wasted.

What I'm saying is that all the matters to me is how it drives, not what their numbers say. Seems like common sense, no?

In answer to your other question, I told the dealership it was pulling. They checked my alignment.

 

[tboy]

I know exactly what you're talking about.

Hit any big pot holes? Has the car ever been in an accident (even a very minor one)?

The problem lies in the tie rods. Your tires can be fine, the angles set perfectly, but if your tie rods are damaged, even slightly, your car will pull once it's moving on the road. The alignment test won't disclose the problem.

Ask your dealer to do a detailed check of the tie rods.

That's true, but it doesn't just apply to tie rods. Could be the idler arm, connecting rod, could even be any of the a arms (or wishbones). But the odds of them being in perfect alignment yet bent, are astronomical.

 

[tboy]

tboy, you never fail to charm me. Geez.

I'm saying it's bullshit because my car is still off, even after they print out their five pages of detailed blah blah. In fact, car people I know have told me that alignment machines can be off for months and a dealership won't admit it. It happened to me on the last dealership I dealt with, followed by a long apology from the owner for all the time I wasted.

What I'm saying is that all the matters to me is how it drives, not what their numbers say. Seems like common sense, no?

In answer to your other question, I told the dealership it was pulling. They checked my alignment.

Ok, then have them do a driveability test. For that matter, do that test I told you about while driving on the wrong side of the road. Then you'll have your answer.

But no offense, but this kind of reminds me of a woman who came into a dealership complaining that her new IROC camaro's engine made weird noises when she went fast. So the mechanic checks it and doesn't hear anything. So she goes out with him and they start the car and rev it up. She says, what'd you do? It isn't making the sound anymore? He said nothing (while standing next to the driver's door). So she rolls down the window and says pardon, I didn't hear you, just as she revved up the engine again and then she says "there, there's the noise I was talking about".....Performance exhaust, need I say more????

Anyhow, do the test, drive on the wrong side of the road, if the problem isn't there then, it isn't a problem.

 

[S.C. Joe]

Maybe the brakes aren't releasing all the way on one side-the side that pulls. Need to lift the car up and spin both wheels and check for any extra drag on the side it pulls to.

 

[tboy]

Maybe the brakes aren't releasing all the way on one side-the side that pulls. Need to lift the car up and spin both wheels and check for any extra drag on the side it pulls to.

Like I said: it seems to have been happening for a while now and if so, the brakes would be worn on that side to the point where they wouldn't be dragging anymore (and wouldn't have any lining left on the pads lol).

Here's another quick fix: put 24 psi air in the left side, 34 psi in the right hehehe
(not seriously telling you to do this but...lol)

 

[S.C. Joe]

It just take a lite drag, not much and it might just do it sometimes.

A shop should be able to tell why its doing it. Now some roads have a crown in the middle, on those roads a car may pull to the right. A shop could adjust it so the car would go straight.

Maybe these European cars are that great after all, my old mans 2006 Buick was the cheapest Buick they made. Got it brand new and it has 37,000 miles and no pull. Its due for a brake job on all 4 wheels-which I am doing soon-and just has newer tires. We are picky on tires, get the best ones every 30,000 miles or so.

I did put a long breaker bar on the struts adjustment for the alignment bolts the first day it we got it, changed the oil too-they never seem tight enough-this way the pot holes don't knock the alignment off

 

[S.C. Joe]

You think it has problems now , wait until its 10 years old!