Just got first alignment and… it’s worse..

[ts2340]

So I just took my 2022 M3LR that has 8900 miles on it for an alignment. I’ve only had it a few weeks and the previous owner suggested I do it so guessing it never had one.

It didn’t really pull in either direction but I want to get best range possible so did.

My nephew is really into cars so I asked him if he knew anybody that he trusts to work on it. His buddy works at a local Subaru dealership and they said they can do it so I took it there. I just drove it home, let go of the steering wheel on a straightaway and it pulls so bad to the right that within 100 or 200 yards I would be in somebody’s yard.

I’m taking it back in Tuesday. I thought a large dealership would be able to do a routine task like this. Are Teslas that much different or did I just get a bad tech?

 

[skygraff]

I wouldn't have left there until everything was green. Looks like the tech really only put any effort into the front toe.

Of course, that had an impact on the steer ahead so, even though the other measurements all stayed about the same, the fact that it's pulling so much is either due to something else (crown on the road, underinflated tire, etc.) or may be relative to your previous experience. I'm just a layman with minimal alignment experience so looking forward to better answers.

 

[mtmra70]

Do the Teslas auto center after an alignment, or do you have to trigger it?

Mine new pulled hard when I drove it home. But then after 100+ miles or so it stopped pulling.

 

[Benito1283]

In general, if the car isn’t pulling to one side and there isn’t uneven tire wear, it probably doesn’t need an alignment. I’ve found about half the time it ends up creating a problem that wasn’t there before.

 

[skygraff]

After I had my front lateral and upper control arms replaced by Tesla, they recommended alignment so it seems that, at least as far as my service center is concerned, Teslas are like any other vehicle in that alignment is prudent following suspension work.

Fortunately, I had used the New Years coupon to get lifetime Firestone alignment just this past January so felt like it was a good investment when the creaking took hold 6 months later. Their reports look just like these but they get everything back in the green before they send me on my way. Mind you, mine is RWD and the preferred is ballasted but I had about 30k at the first alignment and, yet, didn't have anything in the "X" range; again RWD though.

 

[blackT3$!@]

I thought a large dealership would be able to do a routine task like this. Are Teslas that much different or did I just get a bad tech?

My local tire shop that always changes my tires couldn't do the alignment so I had to take it to the nearest Tesla service center and paid $300+ for them to adjust the left front toe. I did this at 30k miles because the oem tires were wearing on the inside edge. The alignment is perfect and my new tires have over 50% life left at (30k on the tires) 60k miles on the car.

 

[ts2340]

My local tire shop that always changes my tires couldn't do the alignment so I had to take it to the nearest Tesla service center and paid $300+ for them to adjust the left front toe. I did this at 30k miles because the oem tires were wearing on the inside edge. The alignment is perfect and my new tires have over 50% life left at (30k on the tires) 60k miles on the car.

thanks for the reply. Are they that much different that they need to go to a Tesla sc?? The closest one to me is one hour and now it’s really jacked. Driving to work today and it’s like I have to keep pressure on the wheel as it wants to pull right. So frustrating.

 

[ts2340]

Oh.. And another thing I didn't mention.. I bought the car used, 3 weeks ago. The tire pressure was never even on all four tires.. The front right had like 51psi while another had 48, 46, 45 (or something like that).. I just remember the front right was way higher than the others..

I asked them to make them all the same and rotate the tires along with the alignment.. They call me and tell me it's done yesterday so I get on the Tesla app and look at the tire pressure.. It's all the same, AND the front right is still the highest.. WTF? Did they not rotate the tires and just say they did? Does the Tesla app not update in real time??

So I call them before I go and let them know.. I said I looked in the app and everything looked the same.. Can they just confirm the work was done and maybe the app is just not real time.. The guy says he'll check with the tech and call me back..

So he calls me back and says they definitely rotated the tires but they didn't know what pressure I wanted in the tires so they didn't set them.. So I tell them 42.. He says ok they will do it.. I check in the app like 15 minutes later and all the tires are now 42 psi, so the app is real time..

So I go pick up my car, drive it home and notice the pull.. I text the guy I bought it off (he's a huge tire nut) and asked him what tire pressure he would keep them at.. Told him I had an alignment and tire rotation.. He tells me "You can't rotate the tires!! The rears are bigger than the fronts!!" So then I start freaking out thinking they did. I look and the rears are 295's and the fronts 255's so that was good..

So my guess is, either they didn't rotate them at all because they saw the sizing was different, ORRRR, they rotated them and then realized the rears couldn't go on the front.. Either way, they didn't tell me any of this and lied one way or another..

Yes, it was my fault to ask them to rotate them when I should have known they couldn't be.. But I'm also not the professional which is why I'm taking it to a garage..

 

[kpex76]

Your rear toe is still off. I bet it was a lazy tech that didn't want to remove the rear skid plate to adjust the rear toe. Take it back to the same place and request that they adjust the rear toe by removing the skid plate.

 

[rpiotro]

To answer you question, lazy or incompetent tech.

 

[MountainPass]

The alignment tech didn't touch your rear toe at all, since it remains identical in the before/after readings. You have a rear thrust angle, so yes, your car is driving in a gigantic right-hand circle.

 

[ts2340]

What makes it even more annoying is that according to TesliFi they drove it 2.6 miles after the work was done.. So you drive it, you have to see/feel/test if it's pulling, and then you let me take it that way? WTF

 

[Scallawag]

I wouldn't have left there until everything was green. Looks like the tech really only put any effort into the front toe.

Of course, that had an impact on the steer ahead so, even though the other measurements all stayed about the same, the fact that it's pulling so much is either due to something else (crown on the road, underinflated tire, etc.) or may be relative to your previous experience. I'm just a layman with minimal alignment experience so looking forward to better answers.

I love it you're a tough guy you wouldn't have left

 

[Crayonz]

They will adjust it if needed. I had a similar issue with a Model 3 and took it in several times and was never charged.

Also keep in mind that most roads are graded so the car will drift to the right if you hold the steering straight. This is because the roads are designed to slope down from the center for drainage. Probably not what you’re experiencing but the best way is to test it in a large parking lot and verify the car pulls the same way when you drive back and forth in both directions on the same piece of pavement.

 

[rpiotro]

They will adjust it if needed. I had a similar issue with a Model 3 and took it in several times and was never charged.

Also keep in mind that most roads are graded so the car will drift to the right if you hold the steering straight. This is because the roads are designed to slope down from the center for drainage. Probably not what you’re experiencing but the best way is to test it in a large parking lot and verify the car pulls the same way when you drive back and forth in both directions on the same piece of pavement.

Not always. At least around here. Many four lanes with medians, freeways and boulevards are canted to the center. This then allows for a single drainage system. The road camber toward the edges are mostly a remnant of old two lane roads with ditches on the sides. That is why the alignment specs on older cars may have a slightly different caster spec between the front wheels.

I prefer the alignment to be set neutral. It all averages out then. I see very little tram lining or road crown pull on my Tesla. My wife used to own a '98 Mercedes SLK 230 Kompressor with fairly warn Khumo tires. That thing would tram line so bad on rutted roads you would need to hold on with two hands.