Steering wheel/tracking

[YarisHybrid2016]

Ugh... where to begin...

For a long time now (I can't remember if since new) the steering wheel has been off-center when driving in a straight line. If it is set centrally, the car positively turns to the left, meaning the steering must visually be turned to the right of center to drive in a straight line. It must be turned far enough that the left stalk is almost out of view.

So... at the last service, I asked for it to be centered. I thought they would adjust the wheel itself...seems what they did instead was massively change the tracking so the car drove in a straight line with the steering centered? 

I discovered this when I had the tracking done elsewhere afterwards as the inside of the front NS had worn considerably according to the service sheet (4.1/3.8/3.0). The front OS tyre had worn pretty symmetrically (4.0/3.9/4.0). The rears had worn exactly the same (7.0/7.0/7.0).

After the tracking had been adjusted (it was wildly out according to the tyre place), the steering was back to being off-center.

I've yet to go back to the place where I had the service done.

Is my hunch correct in that they messed with the tracking to fix the steering? It would explain why the tracking was soooo far out when the car was taken to the tyre house (it was crazy), and why it was immediately off-center after it was changed.

Has anyone else encountered this offset steering problem with the Yaris? The loan car I had didn't exhibit this problem, and felt different on the steering (though it was a 1.3 CVT and a year younger - 66 plate).

I'm starting to get paranoid and thinking there is something more serious wrong with the car. Aside from this, it seems to drive fine, fuel economy is good, and the tyres don't wear badly generally.

[m456an]

Mine goes a little right at centre, but have a slow puncture on nearside rear.

Yesterday I used tyre weld only £5.00 on that tyre, so I have to wait and see. But tyres are good according to toyota dealer free health check. So not really bothered about alignment.

[Gerg]

A local Toyota dealer to me (Herts.) hasn't had an on-site wheel alignment facility since it broke a couple of years ago.  They take cars to the local tyre and exhaust centre when an alignment is needing to be checked or performed, apparently. This sounds like an amazingly impractical work-around, all the more so when tracking is supposed to be checked on every car having a major service, isn't it?

I don't think wheels/tyres get moved front-to-back etc. on a Toyota service any more, (not sure why, they are fastidious about it in the US, what changed?). The effect on the steering of a conically worn front tyre has surprised me in the past.  When I swap over the fronts, an incorrect steering wheel bias and the centering is always improved, often markedly. This has happened on a variety of cars.

[alan333]

Has your problem been there since having new tyres fitted perchance?

I had a strange problem with an Avensis a while ago.  I bought it with 2 new cheap front tyres just fitted, and the steering wheel slightly off centre.  I adjused the tracking and all was well, except the cheap tyres were noisy, so I later fitted good tyres.  This made the steering wheel off centre the opposite way by the same amount I had adjusted out  ie if I'd left the tracking alone it would now be fine.

[YarisHybrid2016]

Sorry for disappearing!

The only way I could check that theory is to swap the wheels front/back and try it, though not as I recall (the problem existed prior).

The front left tyre is worn slightly unevenly but at the last check it was wearing a bit more evenly again. I'd be surprised if that was the cause.

Over 34000 miles the tyres are broadly wearing evenly left vs. right side, so I'm unsure at this point what the cause could be.

I just contacted another Toyota garage, and they want £110/hr just to look at it. 😮