Does anyone have a feel for what to expect as far as alignment goes when taking delivery of a new Acura? In the past I have had a shop check but have not with the last few cars (Audi and Honda and Nissan products). Out of balance is easy enough to detect and have corrected, but alignment maybe not. I will ask the question at the dealership and hope that I am not insulting them :-) but if anyone has thoughts, please post.

Thank you.

 

I've had no issues with alignment with my 2004 TL and haven't thought to ask the dealer about an alignment. Will probably happen after the winter, when I've had my fill of Cleveland's ubiquitous potholes.

 

Ask your dealer. It's not a stupid question ...

My TL had the "steering wheel is slightly off to right" problem, where the car tracks straight, the the steering wheel is slightly off! Easily fixed, but a hassle regardless.

 

I notrcied mine pulls to the left.. I have to compensate by keeping the wheel to the right.
I will ask the dealer to investigate

 

Yes, my TL also has the same problem... the car tracks straight, but the wheel is just ever-so-slightly off to the right. For anyone who had it fixed... who fixed it and how did they do it. Was it warranteed... I am assuming it was.

thanks

 

Don't forget that the torque applied to the front wheels of the TL may cause the car to appear to pull to one side. I know Honda experienced this type of issue before with FWD but it doesn't mean the car is out of alignment. That said, I've noticed my steering wheel is ever so slightly off to the right. I'll have that fixed when it's in for a it's first service. Wouldn't hurt to have the alignment checked since they perform it for free during the first 12,000 miles.

 

MikeRadio - That's the exact problem I had. My service dept fixed it by adjusting the steering wheel a "half tooth" to the left. No alignment changes were needed ....

Took 15 minutes.

 

Thanks.. I am going in to get the side molding put on in a few minutes, but they said they dont have time for this...

It seems like a small amount it is off... In fact, sometimes it hadly seems like there is an issue at all depenecing on the road.

I may go in at another time to do it or I may wait for first service.

BTW when IS first service??

With no service book, we rely on the service thing.. anyone have service yet.

 

It seems like many people have this 'steering wheel off slightly to the right' issue. I have it...I had it on my MDX. Why, why does this happen??

 

I have a big feeling that the factory does not "QC" (quality control) check the cars obviously. If they QC the car then they would notice rattles- missing stuff- gears popping out- no starts on first try- steering wheels off the the right- balancing- alignment-dirt under paint and/or clear coat-windows and sunroof rattles- back deck with subwoffer rattle- front multiple dash ass' rattle- come on partof approving a car for deliver is the factorys responsibility, and if they miss any of this stuff the least the dealers could do is QC it themselvesand back charge the factory. It is not fair for a customer to pick up a car and then notice stuff in the first day and then have to be hassled to make a service visit. I hope my 6MT, when it comes in has no problems- as a matter a fact I am going to tell my dealer to QC the car pointing out the problems most reported-I refuse to lethem rush a car delivery on me just to find out that i have to bring it back.

 

Mine also is off to the right when going straight, Acura HQ (quality person) actually called me today and asked about its location, and if I tilted the wheel up. Which I did, 1/2 between full up and mid position.

Posibly it has something to do with the geometry of the wheel that is causing it to be off. Anyone else tilt the wheel up from the factory position with this problem?

 

I suppose I tilted the wheel and telescoped it to be comfortable...

However, that really shouldn't have to do with how it is aligned or seems to be aligned.

I do not like my pulling to the left, so I am taking it in tomorrow morning.

RavenJwk thank you for the advice. I will show your post to my service person and maybe I can get out in 15 mins also. with no alignment changes.

Mike

 

Nicki:

I agree with all your points except for one. The manual mentions that the car won't start on the first try at times. The reason for this is the tougher emission standards this car meets. I've had the car for 3 weeks and this has only happened once to me. BTW, this also means there's less chance of someone asphyxiating themself.

A shout out to our California brethren: Is it common for you not to be able to start your engine on the first try? I know you folks have had a tougher emission standard for years.

 

my experience with the dealer aligning my car was dismal. received the car back with the steering wheel way off and a sharp pull the other way. took the car to a mechanic i deal with regularly and he aligned it better than new. i thought the acura dealer would have the latest specs for the car and align it to factory. they didn't even put a wrench on the rear bolts.

 

I took mine in this morning. Still not corrected.

 

Here are some tips for taking your car to the dealer:

Take the service manager around your car and ensure he inspects all areas of the car. Specifically the seats, doors, fenders and hood. These are the likely spots they will handle most. Check the body molding where the jack points are as well.

Have him agree that there are no dents, dings, scratches, indentations in the leather, etc. and note any that are there already. Get it in writing if necessary.

Once you pick up your car. Before going out to get it, ask the service manager to follow you to your car and repeat the first step noting any changes to when you brought the car in.

There are a couple of things that I have noticed after bringing my car to the dealer, however, could not prove it. Follow the above and you will be more confident that they will handle any issues that arise from their negligence. Remember, they should give you your car back in the condition it went in. I don't even let them wash it anymore.

Bottom line, don't take your car to the dealer unless it's warranty work and you follow the above.

 

So, where do you take it then if not to the dealer???
Honest mechanic is like honest lawyer - hard to find if not impossible...

 

Ask around. Find a small independent operator who will let you stand by while he works on your car. I am talking about the routine periodic service. There are honest ones and dishonest ones, of course. Once I took a new hi-flow exhaust system in to have installed...and when I went to pick up the car they said that they inspected the stock unit on the car and found it in good shape and so didn't install my new system!! For wty work you are "stuck" with the dealer, which can be a good experience or not, depending. I have had good luck over the years with Audi, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda dealers. If you can find a small enough place that you can get to know the service mgr and mechanics it adds a personal connection.

 

Talk to your friends and family and try to get a referral to a good mechanic. One who doesn't mind you standing there watching him work. Plus, their rates are much better.

When you go to the dealer, the worst type of work goes to the apprentice. None of the other mechanics want it because they don't get paid well. The goal of the dealer mechanic is to make as many hours as possible in a week.

If you still want to go to the dealer, here's a question for the service manager. What is the lowest percentage return mechanic? That is, what percentage of customers return to the dealer because the work wasn't acceptable. That person should be the one working on your car because they take care to do the work right the first time. Get to know him because he probably will go off on his own.

 

TWICE I brought my car in to the dealer and they could NOT fix this problem.

This time they said they adjusted the tire rods.. it STILL pulls badly to the left!

Mike

 

If you have had this fixed and your car is aligned properly PLEASE let me know the name of the dealership, your service advisor, and your name for reference..

I will have my dealer call there and find out exactly what they did to fix the issue.

This is VERY much appreciated... I do not want to go back a third time and have them try and guess what is wrong and not get it fixed.

Thanks!

Mike

 

Ravenhawk,

You said your dealer fixed this.. Is your wheel perfect now... can you tell me the name of your dealer and servicce advisor and phone # so my dealer can call yours and they can fix mine right..2 times and still not right.

Really would appreciate it a lot.. and thanks to everyone else helping with this.

Mike

 

Mike,

I would say that my dealer vastly improved the problem, but it's not totally fixed. I still have to hold the steering wheel just a nudge to the right at highway speeds. However, I am sufficiently satisfied with the "fix' that I won't take it back to the dealer till my first oil change ...

My visit to the service dept for this visit went like so:
-- My service manager and I took for a test drive in a quiet business park behind the dealership going approx 20 mph,
and he saw how the car drove / tracked straight, but the steering wheel was off to the right in that scenario. When the steering wheel was straight, the car went left.

-- Back to the dealer. He took the car and disappeared for 15 minutes. When he came back, he told me that they had adjusted the steering wheel itself approximately 1/2 "tooth" to the left whatever that means.

-- We drove the car again, and both agreed that it was much better. Being a "minimalist" in terms of changing things, I agreed to drive the car for a bit more and then we'd discuss the problem again.

On Monday, I'll give my service guy a call and see if he minds me posting the dealer info / his name in a public forum. If not, I'll ask him to write me an email with his technical description of the fix that can be passed onto other folks.

 

Raven... You can send it in private in a private message..l Click the Private message icon ont he bottom of this post.

My dealer mentioned something about "moving the steering wheel 1 or 2 splines" whatever a spline is.... but instead they did something to the tie rods which did nothing to fix the problem.

Anyone know what a spline is and if that will fix this?

Much appreciated! I am bringing my car back for a THIRD time Wednesday.. I really need it fixed right before the Thanksgiving weekend.

Thanks alot again.

Mike

 

Here's the definition from Websters:

spline ( P ) Pronunciation Key (spln)
n.

Any of a series of projections on a shaft that fit into slots on a corresponding shaft, enabling both to rotate together.
The groove or slot for such a projection.
A flexible piece of wood, hard rubber, or metal used in drawing curves.
A wooden or metal strip; a slat.

I think that Steering Wheel "tooth" is probably the same thing as Steering Wheel "spline".

 

A spline (long I) is like teeth on a gear except on a shaft....say you have a 12 inch shaft and the last inch or so has teeth cut into it....those would be splines. A shaft so splined would fit into a hole with similar teeth or grooves. Now imagine a steering wheel fitting on a shaft...

You could adjust the wheel one spline and still not be dead on straight..and would need to do something in the suspension components/steering rack to make the wheels go straight while the steering wheel is centered.

Not difficult and if not "true" would drive anyone crazy, you would think, but I see lots of cars with the steering wheel askew even though the alignment is possibly perfect.

That is, the car can be "aligned" without regard to where the steering wheel is pointing. It is just nice if when going straight the steering wheel is centered.

 

RavenHwk,

Now that they adjusted your steering wheen one "tooth", is it dead center.. or close to it?

Mike

 

Thanks for the explanation.. it sounds like this is what they are going to have to do...

I would EXPECT the steering wheel to be centered straight (pr close to it) when the car is going straight... in other cars I have had, any time that is not the case, there was a front end issue.... not that I am saying there is here, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal to have the steering wheel straight when the car is going straight... Not having that is annoying.

 

Mike - Yes. My steering wheel is very close to dead center when they adjusted it 1/2 tooth (spline). I'm going to ask them to align the car at my first oil change to cover the rest ...