Pulling to left

[altvic]

When we got our demonstrator Cali from VW Lancashire in Preston it had 60 miles on clock and I drove home down the M6. I felt a pull to the left. I drove in various lanes on straight stretches to see if the camber in road was responsible; it did keep pulling left, but more so on the inside (left) lane. Steering wheel is straight when moving straight; the pull left is when I let the steering wheel go free - i.e. not gripped. A thousand miles on it was checked by technician at VW Llandudno Junction who said that there was a definite left pull and has been booked in for next Friday. I also asked technician to confirm a slight feathering to the two front outside tyre edges, which he did.

I am wondering if the 60 miles not driven by me saw some kerb bashing (there is no visible rim damage)? Or has the steering been wrongly aligned from manufacture? This is a 4Motion with radar cruise control.
VW will be computer checking under warranty but I don't relish a drawn out battle with VW to fully remedy the alignment.

 

[AlanM]

I have this too; bought from new. When driving straight steering wheel spokes are a few degrees out of horizontal.

 

[pjm-84]

Never had this issue but I have had my Cali 4 wheeled aligned in its second year due to uneven tyre wear at the rear. Cost me £45. Rear passenger side was well out of alignment and I suspect that was from new.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thanks. Your post reminds me that I need to get mine checked. Almost imperceptible pull to left and SW a few degrees out of horizontal when straight ahead. Been like that from new. No obvious odd tyre wear at 9000 miles.

 

[altvic]

Llandudno VW had the camper yesterday. They took 4 hours and two check drives regarding the 'pulling issue mentioned above. They told me all wheels were in tolerance for wheel geometry but they did tweak. I looked at the before figs, which showed the back right just in tolerance but all four were out, but less than a degree. All four were put into the medium tolerance. The mechanic (now known as technician!) also swapped the two front wheels around with each other because he said the steel in the tyres could be wrapped differently and push drive out (?). The drive is much better but I will check for feathering although will not be using van much until Spring.
I am pleased that I took the effort to get this little niggle sorted as could have led to bigger issues. Not pleased that VW allow wheel alignment intolerances out of factory.
The technician also put in a free VW DataPlug that will link to a phone app - can't for the life of me work it out so will quiz on another forum.

 

[ArunAlec]

Llandudno VW had the camper yesterday. They took 4 hours and two check drives regarding the 'pulling issue mentioned above. They told me all wheels were in tolerance for wheel geometry but they did tweak. I looked at the before figs, which showed the back right just in tolerance but all four were out, but less than a degree. All four were put into the medium tolerance. The mechanic (now known as technician!) also swapped the two front wheels around with each other because he said the steel in the tyres could be wrapped differently and push drive out (?). The drive is much better but I will check for feathering although will not be using van much until Spring.
I am pleased that I took the effort to get this little niggle sorted as could have led to bigger issues. Not pleased that VW allow wheel alignment intolerances out of factory.
The technician also put in a free VW DataPlug that will link to a phone app - can't for the life of me work it out so will quiz on another forum.

If you do a Search there's a couple of threads on this forum about the data plug. A few of us have them. Should be easy enough to set up if you have a smart phone.