Can you help? Drifting GTI!

[DJ Lennon]

Hi all

after coming out of a right turn around a roundabout a few weeks ago my steering felt loose.  Since then, to drive straight, I have to hold the steering wheel at a slight angle to the right.  Holding it dead straight means I gradually shift to the left.  I have taken the car back to VW and they all swear they have been in the car and it "drives straighter than any car they have been in".  I then felt embarassed and stated I would review to see if I was going mad.  I'm not, its still drifting despite numerous steering wheel and seat adjustments.  Its not me, its the tracking/camber I think.  I even took it to a National Autocentre to have a look at (happy to pay extra if they sort it) but they wouldn't even touch the car.  Anyone else had this problem and, if so, what was the solution  (just tracking?).  I'm thinking about taking the car back and insisting they come out with me and I show them the problem.  Least they could have done was actually done the tracking but oh no!

Thanks guys

[R32UK]

most roads camber off to the left to help with drainage.. could it be down to this?

[countrytrucker]

I had the same problem when I got my car and I might be talking rubbish here but I will say it anyway.

There may be a program in the car that automatically centres the steering wheel (This happens in our Mercedes trucks). The way I got my cured was by getting the steering wheel centred then after that, that tracking was adjusted very slightly.

This was from when I received my car though, it didn't appear after driving 

[am1w]

Hi all

......."drives straighter than any car they have been in". So all their other cars are completly crap? They really are beyond the pale!  I then felt embarassed and stated I would review to see if I was going mad.  I'm not, its still drifting despite numerous steering wheel and seat adjustments. You are not going mad. I had this problem on a Ford and it took me ages to get it sorted. It was the tracking which was out together with the steering wheel orientation.  Its not me, its the tracking/camber I think.  I even took it to a National Autocentre to have a look at (happy to pay extra if they sort it) but they wouldn't even touch the car.  Anyone else had this problem and, if so, what was the solution  (just tracking?).  I'm thinking about taking the car back and insisting they come out with me and I show them the problem.  Least they could have done was actually done the tracking but oh no! Drive the car on a straight motorway at between 50 and 70 mph in the middle lane and see if it drifts and if the steering wheel is central.
Thanks guys

Reactions in red.
Very few of these tyre centres can do the tracking correctly. Go to a specialist place. Hope your steering rack is not faulty.

[DJ Lennon]

Cheers chaps, have found a place near me that could be the solution.  Sacking off VW totally on this one and going private!

[endy]

yeh you want to make sure they have the "hunter"(i think) setup which is basically hexagon panel things on each wheel

[ErikGTI]

I had it with an Audi A4 quite a few years ago...I kept complaining and bringing it back to the dealer until finally they were able to solve it...for that car it was a combination of "out-lining" the wheels and adjusting the steering wheel.

During this process I made them also aware of the fact that if I have to stop the car in an emergency-situation the car would not break in a straight line anymore so any accident on eg. the righthand-side they can suddenly become involved in that problem during a lawsuit.. .