Steering wheel stiff after Tesla SC completed wheel alignment

[Nima1985]

My Tesla service centre failed to align my wheel and centre my steering wheel 3 times in 2 months.

The first 2 times the steering wheel came back way off centre, and the 3rd time (last week) I got my car back with a centred steering wheel, however the steering wheel is probably 50% stiffer than it was before. Something is definitely not right.

What could they be getting wrong?

 

[Perscitus]

First check the obvious things:

1. steering mode setting in the main screen menu. Make sure to adjust to what you're used to or cycle through from Comfort to Sport and then leave whe you prefer.

2. recalibrate the steering colum via the service menu

3. check/reset the steering angle offset via the service menu

With above complete, if nothing changes...it's possible they replaced the steering rack and/or some sub assembies (from the outer tie-rod ends to the steering column, etc).
Or installed some steering rack/motor shims, re-torqued a number of things and hence tightened things up again.

Model 3/Ys have an oddly and notoriously difficult to align suspension, one that is extremely easy to throw out of tracking-true.

That plus vintage 3/Ys have an undisclosed front suspension, steering design flaw, which led to a 2nd gen steering rack, power steering setup being put into production sometime in 2020.

Its ironic that a car with a suspension setup that has so few adjustments, and a very vanilla steering setup... its so difficult to get the alignment dialed in correctly (dead on steering wheel and perfect tracking... not just within spec geometry and 0 deg thrust angle).

 

[MasterC17]

First check the obvious things:

1. steering mode setting in the main screen menu. Make sure to adjust to what you're used to or cycle through from Comfort to Sport and then leave whe you prefer.

2. recalibrate the steering colum via the service menu

3. check/reset the steering angle offset via the service menu

With above complete, if nothing changes...it's possible they replaced the steering rack and/or some sub assembies (from the outer tie-rod ends to the steering column, etc).
Or installed some steering rack/motor shims, re-torqued a number of things and hence tightened things up again.

Model 3/Ys have an oddly and notoriously difficult to align suspension, one that is extremely easy to throw out of tracking-true.

That plus vintage 3/Ys have an undisclosed front suspension, steering design flaw, which led to a 2nd gen steering rack, power steering setup being put into production sometime in 2020.

Its ironic that a car with a suspension setup that has so few adjustments, and a very vanilla steering setup... its so difficult to get the alignment dialed in correctly (dead on steering wheel and perfect tracking... not just within spec geometry and 0 deg thrust angle).

Completely disagree. The 3/Y is incredibly easy to align. I've done dozens.

The problem is that most people performing an alignment don't know what they're doing.

Also, unaware of this "steering design flaw" you speak of.

 

[dsgerbc]

That plus vintage 3/Ys have an undisclosed front suspension, steering design flaw, which led to a 2nd gen steering rack, power steering setup being put into production sometime in 2020.

Its ironic that a car with a suspension setup that has so few adjustments, and a very vanilla steering setup... its so difficult to get the alignment dialed in correctly (dead on steering wheel and perfect tracking... not just within spec geometry and 0 deg thrust angle).

What is that design flaw you speak of? I had a 2019, which I realigned countless times to different desired specs, with no issues whatsoever, except the outer tie rods getting increasingly tough to rotate due to rust.

 

[Perscitus]

Check the service manual and see what it says about the gen 1 vs gen 2 power steering motor front frame mounts, installing a gen 2 on a vintage model 3... or the posts on/off here about power steering l/r strength bias, inner tie-rod replacements.

Re aligning a 3, car wash mode makes things much easier with or without aftermarket control/trailing/traction arms. And yes, its very easy to do but also extremely easy to mess up when adjusting the outter tie rods to recenter the steering wheel once the trust angle is zero'ed out and front and rear toe dial'ed in.

 

[MasterC17]

Check the service manual and see what it says about the gen 1 vs gen 2 power steering motor front frame mounts, installing a gen 2 on a vintage model 3... or the posts on/off here about power steering l/r strength bias, inner tie-rod replacements.

Re aligning a 3, car wash mode makes things much easier with or without aftermarket control/trailing/traction arms. And yes, its very easy to do but also extremely easy to mess up when adjusting the outter tie rods to recenter the steering wheel once the trust angle is zero'ed out and front and rear toe dial'ed in.

Yes, there was a change made to use slightly larger bolts on the front points. Have also never seen the originals fail, fwiw. To use this "gen 2" rack in an older Model 3 you literally just replace those two bolts with different ones.

Not sure what you're referencing on the inner tie rods, but they can be removed like any other rack.

I still don't understand what you mean "extremely easy to mess up"? It's no different than any other alignment. It's a very simple, generic design.

 

[Perscitus]

Not sure what it is exactly, but there is somethig about the 3/Y front that even EVGarage at both their original NH location and the newer one near Amesbury MA, struggled to dial things in leaving the steering wheel slightly off center (either to the left or right) and then over-compensating in attempts to fix with too coarse side to side outter tie-rod adjustments.

Mind you this is all with true wheels, new or evenly worn tires, road force balanced wheel/tire combos, and undamaged, properly installed OEM or aftermarket suspension components, be it end links, misc arms or bushings.

At close to 6 years in, I have given up on dialing her in and expecting it to stick for even half a season (vs previous cars, which had everything from simpler to more complex suspension and steering setups and were 'easy' to align).

EV boutique shops and my personal 3/Ys aside, most Service Centers default to a horrible job, often skipping equalizing tire pressure and/or adding weights in the passenger seat/footwell before starting and usually barely touching front toe (and toe'ing it in or out too much) and calling it a day.

Last, lets not forget about the Hertz fleet of ill-maintaned and configured 3/Ys that sees everything from crooked to left, right, too loose at dead-center, unequal power steering assit bias, and damaged suspensions etc on brand new cars with less than 500 miles and beaten cars with more than 50K on their clocks. Sad.

Just look at all the 'similar' threads that popped up below this one...

 

[SQ97]

Not sure what it is exactly, but there is somethig about the 3/Y front that even EVGarage at both their original NH location and the newer one near Amesbury MA, struggled to dial things in leaving the steering wheel slightly off center (either to the left or right) and then over-compensating in attempts to fix with too coarse side to side outter tie-rod adjustments.

Mind you this is all with true wheels, new or evenly worn tires, road force balanced wheel/tire combos, and undamaged, properly installed OEM or aftermarket suspension components, be it end links, misc arms or bushings.

At close to 6 years in, I have given up on dialing her in and expecting it to stick for even half a season (vs previous cars, which had everything from simpler to more complex suspension and steering setups and were 'easy' to align).

EV boutique shops and my personal 3/Ys aside, most Service Centers default to a horrible job, often skipping equalizing tire pressure and/or adding weights in the passenger seat/footwell before starting and usually barely touching front toe (and toe'ing it in or out too much) and calling it a day.

Last, lets not forget about the Hertz fleet of ill-maintaned and configured 3/Ys that sees everything from crooked to left, right, too loose at dead-center, unequal power steering assit bias, and damaged suspensions etc on brand new cars with less than 500 miles and beaten cars with more than 50K on their clocks. Sad.

Just look at all the 'related' threads that popped up below this one...

Not to hijack the thread, but this has me concerned about having my new 3 re-aligned. It’s only a touch off from factory, but the last thing I want is a shop to totally mess it up and not be able to get it right.

 

[MasterC17]

Not sure what it is exactly, but there is somethig about the 3/Y front that even EVGarage at both their original NH location and the newer one near Amesbury MA, struggled to dial things in leaving the steering wheel slightly off center (either to the left or right) and then over-compensating in attempts to fix with too coarse side to side outter tie-rod adjustments.

Mind you this is all with true wheels, new or evenly worn tires, road force balanced wheel/tire combos, and undamaged, properly installed OEM or aftermarket suspension components, be it end links, misc arms or bushings.

At close to 6 years in, I have given up on dialing her in and expecting it to stick for even half a season (vs previous cars, which had everything from simpler to more complex suspension and steering setups and were 'easy' to align).

EV boutique shops and my personal 3/Ys aside, most Service Centers default to a horrible job, often skipping equalizing tire pressure and/or adding weights in the passenger seat/footwell before starting and usually barely touching front toe (and toe'ing it in or out too much) and calling it a day.

Last, lets not forget about the Hertz fleet of ill-maintaned and configured 3/Ys that sees everything from crooked to left, right, too loose at dead-center, unequal power steering assit bias, and damaged suspensions etc on brand new cars with less than 500 miles and beaten cars with more than 50K on their clocks. Sad.

Just look at all the 'related' threads that popped up below this one...

If I were to wager a guess - the alignment offset is not being reset. There is no inherit "issue" with the 3/Y suspension or steering.

As if all other Hertz vehicles have a perfect alignment lol?

Tesla has sold millions of 3's and Y's and a list of five threads on a forum signifies some "issue" affecting all cars on the road? That's a reach. I've got three Tesla's currently, and have owned six 3's and Y's and have had no trouble with alignments. Nor have my customers. I'm not disagreeing that alignments can be performed incorrectly, like any other repair on a car, but implying there's some underlying "issue" with the car is a leap.

Finally, most laser machines aren't very good. Manual alignments with toe plates get you the most reliable result.

 

[Perscitus]

Thanks. I've been resetting it since pre Service Menu access days (thx good ol'Toolbox v2) and yes, I guess I have to start doing sth like this: Steering wheel alignment alert

Re 5 threads... try more like 20+ here alone and many more across other fora, reddit, etc. (often will ill-formed subject lines, but conversation quickly shifting to alignments, pulling or drifing to left or right, steering wheel off center, rear toe adjustments, front camber adjustments (via strut mounts or aftermarket parts) stronger power steering in one direction or the other).

Either many of these cars leave the factory with bad calibration, or most of the wheel alignment industry professionals botch repeat alignments on these things, or...

 

[SQ97]

Thanks. I've been resetting it since pre Service Menu access days (thx good ol'Toolbox v2) and yes, I guess I have to start doing sth like this: Steering wheel alignment alert

Re 5 threads... try more like 20+ here alone and many more across other fora, reddit, etc. (often will ill-formed subject lines, but conversation quickly shifting to alignments, pulling or drifing to left or right, steering wheel off center, rear toe adjustments, front camber adjustments (via strut mounts or aftermarket parts) stronger power steering in one direction or the other).

Either many of these cars leave the factory with bad calibration, or most of the wheel alignment industry professionals botch repeat alignments on these things, or...

I just reset mine. Seems like it doesn’t pull to the right as much now.

 

[dsgerbc]

Either many of these cars leave the factory with bad calibration

My '23 M3P had moderately undertorqued steering rack bolts and a couple of subframe bolts.

 

[MasterC17]

Thanks. I've been resetting it since pre Service Menu access days (thx good ol'Toolbox v2) and yes, I guess I have to start doing sth like this: Steering wheel alignment alert

Re 5 threads... try more like 20+ here alone and many more across other fora, reddit, etc. (often will ill-formed subject lines, but conversation quickly shifting to alignments, pulling or drifing to left or right, steering wheel off center, rear toe adjustments, front camber adjustments (via strut mounts or aftermarket parts) stronger power steering in one direction or the other).

Either many of these cars leave the factory with bad calibration, or most of the wheel alignment industry professionals botch repeat alignments on these things, or...

Or alignments are a normal maintenance item that should generally be done every year, depending on road conditions, driving habits, etc, and extrapolating a few hundred (or thousand) people who need an alignment out of millions of cars and saying that equates to an inherit defect with the steering in every car built just doesn't make a lot of sense?

Yes, some cars need an alignment. Yes, some cars come from the factory needing an alignment. And, yes, there may be some small subset with a genuine underlying problem. That doesn't equate to a "steering flaw" with every car.

 

[Perscitus]

At one point in time, maybe 10-20 years ago, I subscribed to and had the time/care for annual, semi-annual or even track day alignments.

Fast forward to today and the enthusiasm or care just isn't there anymore.

Maybe there is nothing inherently wrong with the steering or suspensions on these cars, maybe its just the build quality, QC, and the industry standard over-complicated and over-engineered electro-mechanical interface and widespread use of nanny systems.

Afterall, all user input is error.