How does an independent shop reset steering angle after alignment?

[JaeTheDev]

Hi Ybbor, I just got my Model Y alignment done yesterday. Instead of veering to the right now it is to tilted to the left. The tech said the same thing except I need to drive 100 miles. Just wondering, did your problem fix it self after driven over 100 miles? Like it auto calibrate itself?

I tried to find more info on this adaptive steering rack but I couldn't find anything. I have driven about 50 miles and the Steering wheel is still tilted to the left.... Just never heard of driving to be calibrated for alignment before...

how did your alignment finally work out? My model 3 is aligned wheel wise perfectly put my steering is off. The tech told me to do the 30+ min of highway driving and then to let it sleep. Does this really work?

 

[Perscitus]

Its supposed to, but it most certainly does not. And why this is not part of the Service menu boggles the mind.

 

[electricar]

I totally agree. This is pure bull that some how the car's mechatronics will fight a bad alignment to make the car track straight and center the steering wheel. All the steering angle sensor does is learn the position of the steering column. it has absolutely nothing to do with whether the steering wheel is centered or how the car tracks. Basically it is TechTalk for " I was too lazy ( or even worse - I really have no idea how alignment or the effect of the tires on alignment works because the alignment machine does it all for me and then I get paid for performing the RO ) to center the wheel or make the car track straight but you will go away if I say to drive it and the problem will fix itself.

 

[fastp3d]

I track 3-4 times a month and tune my alignment monthly. I'll even make minor adjustments myself with toe plates. Just wanted to boost your confidence in knowing that just about any alignment shop can perform service on your car. Sure, there is a slight risk. I would say you're more than likely going to hit a pothole and void your warranty vs an alignment shop voiding it. It's highly unlikely an alignment shop would damage an ultrasonic sensor or camera as they're not in close proxmitedty to suspension components. The closest sensor is the wheel speed sensor but still not of concern. Just like someone mentioned before, The model 3 suspension works just like the majority of cars on the road. Nothing special about it. As for steering wheel calibration, I make sure my wheel is straight from the start when performing an alignment. If you have driven your car over 50 miles after an alignment and the wheel is not straight, it's most likely a miss-aligned toe or caster problem that can be readjusted via alignment shop. Although, the caster is in a fixed position unless you have an aftermarket FUCA with adjustable caster.

 

[JaeTheDev]

I track 3-4 times a month and tune my alignment monthly. I'll even make minor adjustments myself with toe plates. Just wanted to boost your confidence in knowing that just about any alignment shop can perform service on your car. Sure, there is a slight risk. I would say you're more than likely going to hit a pothole and void your warranty vs an alignment shop voiding it. It's highly unlikely an alignment shop would damage an ultrasonic sensor or camera as they're not in close proxmitedty to suspension components. The closest sensor is the wheel speed sensor but still not of concern. Just like someone mentioned before, The model 3 suspension works just like the majority of cars on the road. Nothing special about it. As for steering wheel calibration, I make sure my wheel is straight from the start when performing an alignment. If you have driven your car over 50 miles after an alignment and the wheel is not straight, it's most likely a miss-aligned toe or caster problem that can be readjusted via alignment shop. Although, the caster is in a fixed position unless you have an aftermarket FUCA with adjustable caster.

I went to an independent shop for an alignment as I got new rims. They didnt align the steering wheel correctly. Got refunded and am seeing Tesla on Thursday for it. Not that all 3rd party shops arent good, but mine wasnt I guess.

 

[fastp3d]

I went to an independent shop for an alignment as I got new rims. They didnt align the steering wheel correctly. Got refunded and am seeing Tesla on Thursday for it. Not that all 3rd party shops arent good, but mine wasnt I guess.

Funny that is one of the most important things an alignment shop should do. That and make sure everything is tightened up afterward.

 

[gearchruncher]

I went to an independent shop for an alignment as I got new rims. They didnt align the steering wheel correctly. Got refunded and am seeing Tesla on Thursday for it. Not that all 3rd party shops arent good, but mine wasnt I guess.

It took Tesla three tries to get my wheel straight after they replaced a half shaft under warranty. It was so bad even the little AP wheel on the screen showed it crooked as you drove straight. It took me all of 500 feet of driving to notice this.
No place is perfect, and Tesla isn't somehow much better than other shops. It's a completely normal car in terms of doing an alignment.
I do my own track alignments on my Model 3. I've never had any sensor issues or anything else. If the wheel isn't straight, it's not mechanically correct, it has nothing to do with sensors or calibrations.

 

[JaeTheDev]

Funny that is one of the most important things an alignment shop should do. That and make sure everything is tightened up afterward.

Make things even better… they left me a quote from this exact thread. Yep. You read it right. They KNEW they effed up, Googled, and found this thread. They then printed the “go 30 miles on the highway” post and leave it for me to read. Scant make this ish up, right?

 

[Welbach1]

the wheel can be centered, the alignment can be good, but the car pulls to one side by software.
I made a perfekt alignment (Model S), wheel centered, car didn´t pull.
for testing and science, i removed the steering wheel, put it on a little bit to the left, the angle sensor is now offset, the car should now drive straight but with the steering wheel to the left, but now pulls per software to the right, same the other way round.


Martin

 

[gearchruncher]

for testing and science, i removed the steering wheel, put it on a little bit to the left, the angle sensor is now offset, the car should now drive straight but with the steering wheel to the left, but now pulls per software to the right, same the other way round.

This is very interesting and thank you for trying it.
However, no alignment takes off the steering wheel. So the angle sensor does not get uncalibrated by an alignment. The wheel will read 0 when it is centered, and the wheels will be pointed straight ahead. All works out.

 

[Welbach1]

yes but if the Wheel was off for some time, and the car drove staight, then, after alignment it will need to adapt, the car will pull to a side for some time, if you release the steering wheel

 

[gearchruncher]

Good point. I guess it maters why you were having an alignment done and for how long it was wrong.

 

[electricar]

the wheel can be centered, the alignment can be good, but the car pulls to one side by software.
I made a perfekt alignment (Model S), wheel centered, car didn´t pull.
for testing and science, i removed the steering wheel, put it on a little bit to the left, the angle sensor is now offset, the car should now drive straight but with the steering wheel to the left, but now pulls per software to the right, same the other way round.


Martin

How did you reset the SRS fault after the airbag R&R?

 

[Welbach1]

there was no fault, i turned the car off bevor i disconnected the airbag

 

[electricar]

the wheel can be centered, the alignment can be good, but the car pulls to one side by software.
I made a perfekt alignment (Model S), wheel centered, car didn´t pull.
for testing and science, i removed the steering wheel, put it on a little bit to the left, the angle sensor is now offset, the car should now drive straight but with the steering wheel to the left, but now pulls per software to the right, same the other way round.


Martin

So the steering angle sensor is in the steering wheel and not the steering column?

 

[Welbach1]

So the steering angle sensor is in the steering wheel and not the steering column?

The sensor is under the steering wheel, the wheel fits only in one position to the sensor, if you want to mount it in a different position, you have to turn the sensor to that position, the sensor can be moved independent form the shaft, one side is connected to the wheel and the other side to the plastic part (dont know what its called, where the turn switch, AP etc. is mounted) unter den wheel.

 

[Olavxxx]

I got an alignment done at a third party shop who specialize in EV/Tesla and also had a car pulling hard right afterwards. At 80km/h it would pull maybe 1 metre right after a couple of seconds.

It other than that was fine, when autopilot was engaged it was fine. They did triple check the alignment etc.
After I drove some and changed tires in the cars menu, it was fine by it self.. So most likely the alignment was off from factory I guess and I felt it remembed how it had corrected before.

But having driven 20.000 Km since alignment, I can say that I dont have any uneven wear on any tires.
I did make a post about this on this forum a long time ago: Does the autopilot "learn" a new alignment?

 

[electricar]

The sensor is under the steering wheel, the wheel fits only in one position to the sensor, if you want to mount it in a different position, you have to turn the sensor to that position, the sensor can be moved independent form the shaft, one side is connected to the wheel and the other side to the plastic part (dont know what its called, where the turn switch, AP etc. is mounted) unter den wheel.

Thanks for posting this. Your posts are very interesting and informative. Another question - my car drifts to the right if the road tilts down to right and left if the road tilts down to left . I then have to correct using the steering wheel to keep going straight. Do you know if I drove long enough on a road tilting in either direction would the software compensate and allow the car to drive straight with no steering input?

 

[Welbach1]

I think so, but I wouldn´t wonder if it compensates the compensation for road tilt.
for example, even the frunk open/closed microswitch is checked by software for plausibility.

 

[Killhaug]

I just tried to change the wheel alignment because it pulled to the right, so remover the wheel to adjust it. I unplugged the power/cable to the wheel and after I mounted it back and its aligned. BUT autopilot, regenerative breaking, traction control, etc doesn't work I just drove 200 km and did a hard reset and its still not working. Any ideas? Just let it deep sleep till tomorrow and try again?