Steering wheel is off to the left when going straight

ralbmw12 · 12-10-2018, 12:28 PM

Only 900 miles on m5 and the steering wheel is off to the left when car is going straight. BMW dealer said it needs an alignment which they will do at no cost to me. It seems like it has been like this from when I got it. The car goes straight and does not pull to either side when I take my hands off the wheel. Does it make sense that it needs an alignment or is the steering wheel just on crooked? Anyone else experience this?

VCP · 12-10-2018, 12:55 PM

Mine also. About 10mm to left since day 1. Mass production M cars

Time to recalibrate that alignment machine BMW M...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralbmw12

Only 900 miles on m5 and the steering wheel is off to the left when car is going straight. BMW dealer said it needs an alignment which they will do at no cost to me. It seems like it has been like this from when I got it. The car goes straight and does not pull to either side when I take my hands off the wheel. Does it make sense that it needs an alignment or is the steering wheel just on crooked? Anyone else experience this?

tcw495 · 12-10-2018, 01:14 PM

Has this happened on previous generations?

gblansten · 12-10-2018, 01:31 PM

This happened on my X5M when I got it. An alignment fixed the issue. It was pretty bad though. I was like..."wtf"?

Cavu_M5 · 12-10-2018, 06:32 PM

Doesn’t this seem more like the wheel is just on crooked since it steers straight and doesn’t pull to one side?

ralbmw12 · 12-10-2018, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavu_M5

Doesn’t this seem more like the wheel is just on crooked since it steers straight and doesn’t pull to one side?

This is what I thought but they had a mechanic take it on a test drive and he said it needs an alignment. I’m wondering if they can just take the steering wheel off and just center it better. I’ll talk to my local independent mechanic to see what he thinks.

GUNGASLOW · 12-10-2018, 06:40 PM

Maybe the steering wheel is straight but the frame is bent

Demon Barber · 12-11-2018, 10:53 AM

All this requires is slight compensatory adjustment of the tie rod ends to center the wheel. Not truly out of alignment if the car goes straight down the road without pulling, just isn't perfectly centered with respect to the steering wheel position.

ralbmw12 · 12-11-2018, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demon Barber

All this requires is slight compensatory adjustment of the tie rod ends to center the wheel. Not truly out of alignment if the car goes straight down the road without pulling, just isn't perfectly centered with respect to the steering wheel position.

Thanks for the feedback

12-10-2018, 12:28 PM	#1
ralbmw12 Enlisted Member 10 Rep 33 Posts Drives: macan s Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Steering wheel is off to the left when going straight Only 900 miles on m5 and the steering wheel is off to the left when car is going straight. BMW dealer said it needs an alignment which they will do at no cost to me. It seems like it has been like this from when I got it. The car goes straight and does not pull to either side when I take my hands off the wheel. Does it make sense that it needs an alignment or is the steering wheel just on crooked? Anyone else experience this?
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12-10-2018, 01:14 PM	#3
tcw495 Captain 271 Rep 668 Posts Drives: F90 M5 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Potomac, MD iTrader: (0)	Has this happened on previous generations? __________________ 2021 X7 2018 F90 M5 2013 F12 M6 2005 645ci 2005 325ci
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12-10-2018, 01:31 PM	#4
gblansten Brigadier General 1971 Rep 4,217 Posts Drives: 23 Tesla S Plaid Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Thick ascending limb iTrader: (0)	This happened on my X5M when I got it. An alignment fixed the issue. It was pretty bad though. I was like..."wtf"?
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12-10-2018, 06:32 PM	#5
Cavu_M5 Enlisted Member 30 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2019 M5 Donington Gray Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Nor Cal iTrader: (0)	Doesn’t this seem more like the wheel is just on crooked since it steers straight and doesn’t pull to one side?
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12-10-2018, 06:40 PM	#7
GUNGASLOW Banned 192 Rep 390 Posts Drives: 2019 M5 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Salem MA iTrader: (0)	Maybe the steering wheel is straight but the frame is bent
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12-11-2018, 10:53 AM	#8
Demon Barber Captain 292 Rep 605 Posts Drives: 2018 M5, 2022 911 Turbo S Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	All this requires is slight compensatory adjustment of the tie rod ends to center the wheel. Not truly out of alignment if the car goes straight down the road without pulling, just isn't perfectly centered with respect to the steering wheel position.
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