Hey Everyone,

Brought my TSX in for an alignment after noticing the steering wheel was slightly off to the left. After an expensive alignment (Acura dealers in Edmonton charge an arm and leg for everything) the steering still doesn't track a straight path.

The tech noted on the work order: "Performed 4-wheel alignment. Left rear camber is still out of spec, will require left upper control arm to fix the issue. After alignment was performed steering wheel is straight but vehicle still follows the road crown." The report is attached for the more technical folks. The service rep told me that the LR camber deviation is small enough that there should not be tire wear or handling issues and that the cost to replace the control arm is not worth it.

The alignment didn't fix the steering on the highway as I'd hoped. The vehicle still kinds of wanders around slightly from right to left on the highway, constantly needing small adjustments. However....I will note that ever since day I drove the car off the lot that the "on center" feel was lacking.

Is this just the way this car feels and I have to get used to it? Or should I bring it back to have them look at something else?

 

i can say that my 12 wagon wanders some too. like you said seems olike there is no ON CENTER. I attribute it to the electric power steering.

but who knows.

 

for comparison here's mine.....I added the rear camber kit because I installed Eibach springs.

 

What did you hit? A huge pothole or a curb?

 

I'm not quite sure what I hit actually. Roads in here were really rough after the snow melted last month. Our bumpy roads combined with the vague steering made it difficult to tell that the steering was crooked to begin with until I took a long highway trip last week.

I'll note that I did hit a severe enough pothole to flatten the front right tire but I can't be certain that was when the problem started.

 

...and there is your culprit. Whacking something hard enough to blow a tire is bound to bend something.

Get it fixed properly.

 

Any idea how I should communicate this to the dealer? I'm positive if I identify the problem with a pothole they will refuse to fix it without charge..

 

Well... a bent control arm will not likely be covered under warranty (not Honda's fault if you hit the pothole). So there will be a charge...

 

You can file a claim in the jurisdiction where the pothole is.

It isn't Honda's fault that you hit a pothole big enough to bend something. Cars are designed to withstand "normal" road imperfections but anything that flattens a tire isn't normal.

You can also file a claim with your insurance and pay your comprehensive deductible.

 

Control arm explains your SAI being off (should be the same side to side). If the "actual" value is the final adjusted value then your car should pull right. You have 20 deg of camber difference from left to right.

If he was trying to account for road crown with the camber he did it backward. ( you do drive on the right side of the road in Canada right?)

The steering wheel is "off" left because you are correcting for the pull.

They need to equalize the camber on the front. My advise go back to the shop and get it re done. For free. But if they can't get it in spec you may have to buy the control arms. SAI is not adjustable (normally) and is a sign that a control arm or strut or knuckle is bent.