Steering pulling to the left after major work to replace the rear main oil seal and the Van centre unable to deal with the issue!

[Christine Kirk]

We have an issue with our California Ocean supplied and serviced by JCT 600 Sheffield.
On the 23rd of May we dropped off our California at the Sheffield van centre for a service. It was driving fine and didn’t pull to the left; the front tyres showed no signs of scrubbing off / feathering on the shoulders. The safety check done on the 23rd of May confirms this.
The agent found that the rear oil seal on the crank was leaking and would need replacement. Due to the lengthy nature of the job the workshop couldn’t undertake the work until the 21st June but would try and fit it into their schedule if space became available. The work was done and the California returned to us in late June.
On driving it we found a pronounced pull to the left and the tyres gradually feathered on the shoulders. We drove the vehicle for short local journeys for a few weeks and only on the 5th of August did we use it for a run to London. On joining the first main road it was immediately apparent that something was wrong with a loud flapping / banging noise coming from the front wheel area. We stopped and investigated thinking it could be the awning working loose. It wasn’t the awning ,the noise disappeared after a couple of motorway miles!
On our return we took up the matter with JCT600 and arranged to take the California into the Hull van centre for inspection. The technician at Hull confirmed that the steering was pulling to the left, it was then agreed that the Sheffield van centre would sort out the problem.
We left the California with Sheffield Van Centre who were going to get to the bottom of these two issues.
The wheel arch liners on both side have been replaced ( they hadn’t been re installed fully and the noise on the motorway was the tyres wearing the bottom edges away!!
They have done a 4 Wheel alignment and for some reason re aligned the steering wheel.
On collecting it on Saturday 20th August the steering is still pulling to the left and is still hard work to drive! The Steering wheel is now at an angle and the tyre wear is making the shoulders wear!! new tyres will be needed but only when the steering issues are resolved. We are now unsure about the van centre being able to deal with these issue!
Meanwhile our T4 Carravelle plods on at 270K and serviced by our local workshop.
The California is due to return to the Sheffield Van Centre on Tuesday for them to again try and identify the steering fault, which is linked to the work they have done inJune disassembling the engine / gearbox to replace a seal.. 3 months of messing about and still a faulty steering and a loss of confidence in the process!
Anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?

 

[Christine Kirk]

For the record our California is a 199 4 motion DSG 2018 its done 38K and bought new in January2019, always serviced by the Sheffield van centre, and on the original spec Bridgestone tyres which have always been changed in axle sets.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

I once hit a kerb, side on, after a slide in the snow. The work got done professionally replacing bits of steering rack and the line but the steering wheel was out of alignment from then on.

 

[sidepod]

Anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?

First off, stop driving it around in its present state.

Find a local wheel alignment tyre shop and take it there, they’ll fix it in no time.
Avoid the VW dealer you’re using, they’re clearly incompetent.

 

[flying banana]

I would take it to a local tyre garage. Get the wheel alignment and tracking checked there. I would also be looking at all the connecting rods ,swing arms, ball joints etc to make sure everything is as should be,. Is there any knocking noise for example on rough ground? If VW cant fit wheel arch liners properly I would assume something else is loose. VW master techs strike again

 

[Christine Kirk]

Just an update; the 4 Wheel alinement was done by our local tyre shop in June as our first stage of correcting the steering , they found it OK!

The California is still with JCT 600 Sheffield who are due to check the wheel alinement on Tuesday , again.

We have now been without the use of our Cali for 3 months whilst the Sheffield Van Centre try and sort out the issue they created in May / June whilst replacing the rear mains oil seal.

Not a satisfactory customer experience. Any comments about VW agents responses in dealing with major issue found whilst under warranty?

 

[sidepod]

Clearly someone is missing something fundamental here, whoever that may be.
It’s really not a complicated setup.

Get a long piece of string and wrap it around the van, running parallel to the floor and passing through the centre of each wheel,tyre. Tie it off so it’s tight.
The string should touch the front and rear of each tyre. If it doesn’t this is a good indication of which wheel is out.

Not perfect but a good place to start.

Do this and post some pics.

 

[Christine Kirk]

Clearly someone is missing something fundamental here, whoever that may be.
It’s really not a complicated setup.

Get a long piece of string and wrap it around the van, running parallel to the floor and passing through the centre of each wheel,tyre. Tie it off so it’s tight.
The string should touch the front and rear of each tyre. If it doesn’t this is a good indication of which wheel is out.

Not perfect but a good place to start.

Do this and post some pics.

The California is in the JCT 600 Workshop where its been since May 23rd! Apart from a few weeks when we had it back and found it still had a steering fault; the fault appeared when the workshop took it to bits to split the gearbox off the engine to replace the rear crank oil seal. the California is still under the warranty so it is being dealt with by the VW agent.

 

[Perfectos]

@Christine Kirk

what is / was the issue with the steering (presuming you got it sorted? )

 

[Christine Kirk]

Yes finally got it back and running really well.
Got to congratulate Sheffield JCT600 van centre’s tenacity in sorting it out.
We believe it was taken apart 3-4 times to achieve this outcome for us. Thanks go their chief technician and their newish workshop manager who finally dealt with it.
Hopefully lessons were learnt and will be put into practice to avoid others having this issue.
Although the vehicle was always within tolerances on the 4 wheel alignment checks there was obviously a fundamental problem with excessive pulling - the sub frame mounting position probably. Presumably it’s a BIG job and expensive on labour time for the garage to sort.
Our advice would be don’t give up if you feel your vehicle is pulling excessively to the near side. Ours is barely noticeable now and a lovely drive again.

 

[sidepod]

I had to read that twice! What the F ???

 

[flying banana]

I had to read that twice! What the F ???

Yes. Me too. They mounted the sub frame wrong? Wouldn't have thought that was possible

 

[Christine Kirk]

I had to read that twice! What the F ???

We were told the mount holes in the subframe are larger than the set screws allowing for adjustments.

 

[sidepod]

We were told the mount holes in the subframe are larger than the set screws allowing for adjustments.

Sounds like BS to me. Was the van new when you bought it? Sure it’s not been in a crash?

 

[flying banana]

Apparently it is a thing

 

[Christine Kirk]

So we’ve had from new and no issues BEFORE the oil leak. Categorically we hadn’t hit anything etc etc. Issue caused whilst everything was dismantled to sort the SECOND engine oil leak.
Anyways the point was we persevered to get the garage to rectify something that others say happens ie vehicle pulling to near side. Ours didn’t and doesn’t anymore.