Monkeys

Hi folks,

2003 A4 TDi (UK). Bought this used from a main dealer a couple of weeks ago
and have noticed the steering pulling left. It's moderate, but noticable
and more pronounced than anything I've driven for a while.

Hold the steering firmly straight and it's fine. Release the wheel
momentarily and the steering wheel settles ~5 degrees left. Anything with
the slightest camber makes this more pronounced. Tried it on a variety of
roads including motorways.

Notice on the 'multipoint preparation' document that on inspection the N/S/F
tyre was 5.5mm and O/S/F tyre was 4mm. Perhaps it's been out of alignment
for a while? Wish I'd noticed that when I collected it.

Assume this is not normal. (?) Any advice?

Clanger

I suggest a wheel alignment check


"Monkeys" <monkeys@monkeysonthemoon.net> wrote in message
news:bua0k7$844$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> 2003 A4 TDi (UK). Bought this used from a main dealer a couple of weeks
ago
> and have noticed the steering pulling left. It's moderate, but noticable
> and more pronounced than anything I've driven for a while.
>
> Hold the steering firmly straight and it's fine. Release the wheel
> momentarily and the steering wheel settles ~5 degrees left. Anything with
> the slightest camber makes this more pronounced. Tried it on a variety of
> roads including motorways.
>
> Notice on the 'multipoint preparation' document that on inspection the
N/S/F
> tyre was 5.5mm and O/S/F tyre was 4mm. Perhaps it's been out of alignment
> for a while? Wish I'd noticed that when I collected it.
>
> Assume this is not normal. (?) Any advice?
>
>

Hairy One Kenobi

"Monkeys" <monkeys@monkeysonthemoon.net> wrote in message
news:bua0k7$844$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> 2003 A4 TDi (UK). Bought this used from a main dealer a couple of weeks
ago
> and have noticed the steering pulling left. It's moderate, but noticable
> and more pronounced than anything I've driven for a while.
>
> Hold the steering firmly straight and it's fine. Release the wheel
> momentarily and the steering wheel settles ~5 degrees left. Anything with
> the slightest camber makes this more pronounced. Tried it on a variety of
> roads including motorways.
>
> Notice on the 'multipoint preparation' document that on inspection the
N/S/F
> tyre was 5.5mm and O/S/F tyre was 4mm. Perhaps it's been out of alignment
> for a while? Wish I'd noticed that when I collected it.

Definitely get the alignment checked - the wear pattern left/right is the
wrong way around (think roundabouts) and might be an attempt to disguise a
fault.

OTOH, have you noticed a vibration at a given speed? Could indicate stubaxle
or suspension damage from a close encounter with a kerb - a replacement
alloy & tyre would also account for the discrepancy in tread.

HTH

Hairy One Kenobi

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this opinion do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the highly-opinionated person expressing the opinion
in the first place. So there!

Monkeys

> Definitely get the alignment checked - the wear pattern left/right is the
> wrong way around (think roundabouts) and might be an attempt to disguise a
> fault.

Will do. I'd wouldn't expect (hope) a main dealer to disguise anything
though, especially as it will come out of the woodwork duing the 2 years
warranty remaining anyway. (?)

> OTOH, have you noticed a vibration at a given speed? Could indicate
stubaxle
> or suspension damage from a close encounter with a kerb - a replacement
> alloy & tyre would also account for the discrepancy in tread.

No vibration noticed at any speed. Though I guess modern suspension /
steering dampens those sort of things quite well.

Thanks for the advice. Will help if I'm told it's 'normal' or 'in
tolerance' or whatever.

Unfortunately this will be the third item that I've needed to go back to the
dealer for in the first fortnight of ownership - the first two being a
remote key problem that has already reoccured after reprogramming. Not off
to a cracking start, but hopefully it will settle down.

Hairy One Kenobi

"Monkeys" <monkeys@monkeysonthemoon.net> wrote in message
news:bubbtu$rjp$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
> > Definitely get the alignment checked - the wear pattern left/right is
the
> > wrong way around (think roundabouts) and might be an attempt to disguise
a
> > fault.
>
> Will do. I'd wouldn't expect (hope) a main dealer to disguise anything
> though, especially as it will come out of the woodwork duing the 2 years
> warranty remaining anyway. (?)
>
> > OTOH, have you noticed a vibration at a given speed? Could indicate
> stubaxle
> > or suspension damage from a close encounter with a kerb - a replacement
> > alloy & tyre would also account for the discrepancy in tread.
>
> No vibration noticed at any speed. Though I guess modern suspension /
> steering dampens those sort of things quite well.

Not /that/ well ;o)

Something loose or out-of-alignment will /usually/ show up as a resonant
vibration (e.g. at a specific speed, the wheel starts juddering). It's
usually quite noticeable, even on an unfamiliar car.

I'm still puzzled about that uneven tyre wear, though - did they declare any
damage? (Also remember that it might have been the previous owner that
switched wheels. I would have hoped that any damage should probably have
shown-up in a cursory dealer check, though)

--

Hairy One Kenobi

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this opinion do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the highly-opinionated person expressing the opinion
in the first place. So there!

Monkeys

> Something loose or out-of-alignment will /usually/ show up as a resonant
> vibration (e.g. at a specific speed, the wheel starts juddering). It's
> usually quite noticeable, even on an unfamiliar car.

Definitely haven't noticed anything.

> I'm still puzzled about that uneven tyre wear, though - did they declare
any
> damage? (Also remember that it might have been the previous owner that
> switched wheels. I would have hoped that any damage should probably have
> shown-up in a cursory dealer check, though)

No damage declared.

Car went back to the main dealer, for this issue (important) and a space
remote key problem (which I could wait for). I phoned first to ensure they
were *definitely* looking into the pulling as I would defer it if they were
not.

On collection, and after three hours wandering around the local shopping
centre, the key had been reprogrammed but they hadn't even looked into the
pulling issue. However the zero value warranty invoice for reprogramming
the key also read 'Attention: Suggest car has 4 wheel alignment for pull to
the left'. FFS.

Now I have to wait another 2 weeks for it to go back into service for the
third time in what will be by then a little over a month of ownership.
Other than routine servicing that's more than the last two Ford's I owned
combined over 4 years.

NOT what I bought an Audi for and I'm starting to worry that I've made a big
mistake.

Hairy One Kenobi

"Monkeys" <monkeys@monkeysonthemoon.net> wrote in message
news:butsl4$qk5$1@titan.btinternet.com...

<snip>

> Car went back to the main dealer, for this issue (important) and a space
> remote key problem (which I could wait for). I phoned first to ensure
they
> were *definitely* looking into the pulling as I would defer it if they
were
> not.
>
> On collection, and after three hours wandering around the local shopping
> centre, the key had been reprogrammed but they hadn't even looked into the
> pulling issue. However the zero value warranty invoice for reprogramming
> the key also read 'Attention: Suggest car has 4 wheel alignment for pull
to
> the left'. FFS.
>
> Now I have to wait another 2 weeks for it to go back into service for the
> third time in what will be by then a little over a month of ownership.
> Other than routine servicing that's more than the last two Ford's I owned
> combined over 4 years.
>
> NOT what I bought an Audi for and I'm starting to worry that I've made a
big
> mistake.

Is it an Audi warranty, or one specific to the dealer? There are good and
bad dealers, no matter what the marque..

H1K

Monkeys

> Is it an Audi warranty, or one specific to the dealer? There are good and
> bad dealers, no matter what the marque..

It's an Audi warranty - as it's only a year old. Now I've calmed down, and
have a beer on board, ... other than these problems the car is fantastic and
realy the issues so far are (hopefully) trivial. While my last Ford didn't
require any attention, I wouldn't go back.

Everyone at the dealership has been friendly and apologetic. And they even
washed it after fixing the key problem for the second time (though with my
red mist I didn't see this right away).

It's probably just a case of the guy who answers the phone not speaking to
the guys that do the work. Must remain calmer. Mind you if it's still
pulling after the next visit ...