Steering wheel off center

[lownslws550]

I have a 15 s550 and my steering wheel is off centered by quite a bit. It tilts to the right but if I let go if the wheel while driving the car pulls to the left, I’ve gotten the car aligned 3 times now so I’m starting to think it’s something else, any help would be much appreciated thanks.

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[Geosh]

Might find a new alignment shop.
Also maybe check that there is no play in the front end and that all the ball joints and tie rods don’t have play.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

I would unbolt the steering wheel. Line it back up & reinstall the steering wheel. That’ll make it better.

 

[Bluelightning]

I have a 15 s550 and my steering wheel is off centered by quite a bit. It tilts to the right but if I let go if the wheel while driving the car pulls to the left, I’ve gotten the car aligned 3 times now so I’m starting to think it’s something else, any help would be much appreciated thanks.

You may also have a tire pull that you are correcting for since it is to the right, and when you take your hands off the wheel it goes left. If you don't have directional tires, swap the front ones side to side and see if that makes a difference which way it pulls.

 

[blind*guardian]

I had an off-center steering wheel after replacing various suspension components, but it was all fixed with a good alignment. My issue specifically was different rear camber on the left and right sides. May be worth it to check with a different alignment shop. Do you have the alignment print-out from your last alignment?

 

[boB]

If you are mechanically inclined you could adjust the tie rod ends to center the wheel. As long as you adjust them the same on both sides it does not change the alignment. The jamb nuts take 76 lb*ft.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Check the suspension balljoints for play. I had one control arm go bad which caused a pull to one side they couldn’t explain on the rack until the shop owner noticed the play in the defective balljoint.

Try swapping your front tires left/right. Sometimes a odd tire will pull to one side. No joke.

Then find a better alignment shop.

 

[lownslws550]

You may also have a tire pull that you are correcting for since it is to the right, and when you take your hands off the wheel it goes left. If you don't have directional tires, swap the front ones side to side and see if that makes a difference which way it pulls.

I work at a discount tire so I took both fronts off to balance them and the left front is bent pretty bad so I swapped it to the passenger side, but it’s still pulling to the left

 

[Southview]

That is an indication f the rear suspension being out of alignment specs.

 

[NightmareMoon]

I work at a discount tire so I took both fronts off to balance them and the left front is bent pretty bad so I swapped it to the passenger side, but it’s still pulling to the left

That's one thing I was going to say -try swapping wheels to the other side... but you've done that.

Next up is check the suspension for play. Last two time my car was pulling to one side something was loose in the front suspension (one time a strut to spindle nut fell off (slotted strut hole so it would pull left on accel and pull right on decel), and the other time a control arm bearing developed some play). The latter we couldn't figure it out until the alignment shop owner thought to check around the control arms.

 

[melwff]

I work at a discount tire so I took both fronts off to balance them and the left front is bent pretty bad so I swapped it to the passenger side, but it’s still pulling to the left

If you have a bent wheel there maybe other damage.

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