Hi guys,

Shortly after purchasing my '03 TL S, I had a 4-wheel alignment done and purchased new tires (Continental DWS) because the car was pulling to the right. But even after alignment + tires, the car is still pulling slightly to the right. The car has the factory wheels with no visible damage, btw.

Any ideas on what else could cause this problem? The dealership did mention that the right-front ball joint is a bit loose. Could that be it?

Thanks much.

 

they should NOT have attempted an alignment with a loose ball joint
thats a major point in the system and every movement will throw off the settings!

replace that asap and have them redo it--for free
go speak with the manager now- express displeasure that you had to go to azine for this info
why didnt they clearly explain and give you an estimate?
charging for an align they KNOW is going to be off,,,is that close to defrauding the customer?

 

I once had a car that pulled to the right in spite of having been "aligned" at a tire chain store. Took it to a shop that specialized in alignments, frame work etc. & they fixed it correctly- no more pulling. Something to consider if all else fails.

 

Fix loose balljoint.

A few things will cause pulls, low tire pressure, incorrect ride height, I think it's called radial force variation, toe out, bent parts. Note that camber isn't easily adjustable (need alignment bolts for that), your caster could be out... and some other things, would help a bit if you could post a pic of the alignment sheet they should have given you.