ASE A4 Suspension and SteeringSteering System Diagnosis and RepairHard
A customer reports that their vehicle's steering wheel is off-center when driving straight, but the vehicle does not pull significantly to one side. A recent front-end alignment was performed, and the technician confirmed that the toe, camber, and caster are within specifications. What is the MOST likely cause of the off-center steering wheel?
- AA worn steering gear box.
- BUnequal adjustment of the tie rods after alignment.
- CA collapsed strut mount.
- DAn incorrectly installed steering wheel.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Unequal adjustment of the tie rods after alignment.
Even if toe, camber, and caster are within specs, an off-center steering wheel with no pull indicates that the tie rods were adjusted unequally during the alignment. The total toe was set correctly, but the steering wheel was not centered before or during the tie rod adjustment, leading to an off-center wheel.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A worn steering gearbox would cause play or looseness, not typically an off-center steering wheel without a pull while alignment specs are good.
- C. A collapsed strut mount would affect camber and caster, which the question states are within specification, and would likely cause noise or a pull.
- D. An incorrectly installed steering wheel is possible, but less likely if the issue occurred after an alignment. The alignment procedure should always involve centering the steering wheel before adjusting toe.
Off-Center Steering Wheel (Alignment)
An off-center steering wheel, despite correct alignment specifications and no vehicle pull, typically results from improper tie rod adjustment during the alignment procedure.
- Occurs when total toe is correct but the steering wheel is not centered.
- One tie rod is too long, the other too short.
- Vehicle drives straight, but wheel is crooked.
- Requires re-centering the steering wheel and adjusting tie rods equally.
Memory trick: Tie Rod Tweak Twists The Wheel.