Couple weeks ago, I replaced my rear with two new tires (PS2), I had the dealer done the 4 wheel alignment on my car. However, recently I realize that my steering wheel is off centered by 1-2 degree (slightly turned from the 12 o'clock position).

i.e., in order to make my car go straight, I need to turn my steering wheel to the right about 1-2 degree. If I make the steering wheel straight, the car will go to left.


is this caused by the wheel alignment?

Does any one know if I can adjust it myself,
or
do I need to go back to the dealer and ask them to fix it (are they responsible, if it is caused by the alignment)?
or
I should leave it, and may be next time when i replaced the two front tires, it will center back?


by the way, is the "alignment" including centering the steering wheel?


thx

The steering wheel may not have been straight when the alignment was performed. Take it back and have them fix it for you. Oh and make sure that the tire pressures are correct before they do the alignment.

__________________
My Garage:
01 Audi S4
08 Cobalt CS w all the goodies

A good alignment should include centering the wheel, I would say take it back and make them finish the job.

Now, for what they will do to cure it....

The rack and pinion steering rack has a small screw in plug on its main body. When the plug is removed you can peak at the internals of the rack itself. You move the steering wheel until a "marker" (usually a + or | or something) shows through this small opening, this will denote the "center" of the rack. Once the rack center is found, then the steering wheel is removed and set back on the steering column shaft perfectly straight. Then you know the wheel is straight in relation to the center of the steering rack. Depending on how they did the alignment they may only have to do the above, but may have to adjust some of the other factors of the alignment to bring everything together perfectly.

I've taken my car back to the dealer twice because I swear that my steering wheel is off-center when the wheels are facing straight. Both times the service dept said that it is within spec and everything is cool. I guess I shouldn't have given up on it so easily.

Of course this is the same dealership that told me I would have to go to a body shop to get touch-up paint for my car!

Hello tian6869,

In my opinion, if your steering wheel was on center before you went in for the four wheel alignment, all you'll need to do is return to the alignment center and ask them to return it to center.

If the alignment is correct at this moment but you simply have an off-center steering wheel position, all they'll need to do is to add toe-in to the left wheel and tow-out to the right wheel in equal measures until the steering wheel goes to center. They obviously had the steering wheel a few degrees to the right of center when they installed the steering wheel to brake pedal locking device as they began their last alignment procedure.

Atlas_Croc's recommendation should only be used if there was reason to believe it was originally off from the manufacturer. By the way, if anyone is going to remove their steering wheel for any reason, be sure that you've disconnected the battery before the steering wheel is removed and don't reconnect the battery until the steering wheel is replaced. Otherwise you will get a [i]Check Air-Bag[i] warning light and need to make a visit to your dealer to have it cleared!

I hope this was helpful to you.

Regards,
Joe

TPMS shows both front tire pressures are 34 psi and the rear tire pressures are 36 psi.

i am n00b, please forgive me to ask this stupid question.

If my alignment is off is because of my 2 front tires are wearing out (9k miles), so in order to set the alignment, dealer have to slightly turned 2 front tires, which cause my steering wheel off centered.

In this case, if I replace a new set of front tires and redo the alignment, should my steering wheel be centered again?

since my car was alignment and had centered steering wheel from the factory, I am trying to keep the factory settings as possible. Because I saw someone posed that his steering wheel is off centered after the alignment. he had dealer centered for him. However, a year later, he put on a new set of tires and did an alignment, the steering wheel is off centered again, but in the opposite direction than before.

If a new set of front tires and another alignment will fix it, I guess I will deal with it now, and wait until when I put on my winter tire in Nov.
(off-centered steering wheel will not damage the car or tire in any way, am I right? )

thanks