Car drifts to the left after service

[Ashes]

Had a 48k service done today and on the way home on the freeway the car was drifting to the left quite badly. Worse the higher the speed. I need to apply constant right pressure on the wheel to keep it straight.
The service rotated the tyres which I'd suspect is the cause.
Should I take it back to get this fixed?
Is it reasonable to expect that the car should track straight after a tyre rotation?
I don't really feel like spending $'s now on an allignment when it was perfect before the service.
Any advice?

[MobyDisco]

First, I'd talk to the people who serviced it, and ask them to rectify the problem they created.

[rmp]

Definitely NOT correct and a tyre rotation is extremely unlikely to be the cause if it was fine before.

This will quickly cause excess tyre wear and also throw the DSC out, as well as decrease fuel economy. The dealer should correct immediately. However before you take it back check tyre pressures.

[Ashes]

Checked the pressures this morning and 39 on both left tyres, 41 on both right tyres. Set them all the same but still drifting left. I'll give them a call this morning.

What is done in a major service other than rotating tyres that could affect steering like this?

[rmp]

2psi wouldn't make a difference, I was thinking maybe they'd put the spare on and it had gone down to 20 or something and nobody had noticed.

If it's pulling to one side causes I can think of are alignment, or unwanted braking on the left side caused maybe by a wheel bearing, caliper or soemething. Another cause is severe overloading on one side but that wouldn't be it. Either way the dealer needs to resolve the matter. I expect the dealer will want to know:

- at what speeds
- under braking, acceleration, cruise or all of the above
- was the terrain flat
- tyre pressures

One way to check is to jack the front of the car up and manually rotate each wheel, see if there is one that's more difficult to turn. If that's the case it's not an alignment problem. If they all spin easily perhaps not alignment.

[BigJon]

Definitely NOT correct and a tyre rotation is extremely unlikely to be the cause if it was fine before.

.

I disagree.

It is almost certain that the pull to left has been caused by the tyre rotation.

In that case, about the only thing that can be done to rectify it is either putting the tyres back where they were or getting an alignment done to try to couteract the pull. If the tyres are worn badly enough (not always visible wear either) an alignment might not be enough.

[MobyDisco]

Checked the pressures this morning and 39 on both left tyres, 41 on both right tyres.
That seems high...?

The plaque on my Disco says 32 for the front and 36 for the back.

(Or are you talking imperial measures?)

[BigJon]

That seems high...?

The plaque on my Disco says 32 for the front and 36 for the back.

(Or are you talking imperial measures?)

32 and 36 are imperial measures... PSI is pounds per square inch. Pounds are imperial, Inches are imperial...:p

[Graeme]

I'd expect that one of the wheels was moved from the rear to the front and that it is out of balance but was not causing a problem because there's no steering on the rear. I'd also expect it to be the one that's on the right.

[Tombie]

That seems high...?

The plaque on my Disco says 32 for the front and 36 for the back.

(Or are you talking imperial measures?)

A good rule of thumb for a 4wd is 10-15% greater pressure than those listed by the vehicle placard...

So 36-38 front and 40-42 rear would provide better handling and less wear.

[Tombie]

When was the vehicle last aligned?

The rotation has induced the pull, but you need to get a wheel alignment regularly too...

;)

[Ashes]

Rang the dealer and will get the tyres re-rotated again to see if that corrects it.

Not sure when the last allignment was done as I've only had it for 12000k. I'll be putting new tyres on it within 3-6 months so it will get an allignment then. Just don't want to be doing an allingnment now when it was running fine and straight and I'll be doing the tyres soon.

Will see early next week if it is fixed.

[discojools]

Sounds like you need a wheel alignment especially if your tyres are nearing the end of their life. I have had the same thing after rotation. My dealer did for free as the car was still under warranty. I have had to pay $80 on another occasion for an alignment after getting new tyres. Are you sure they did not do an alignment on the service. Usually when they get the alignment wrong (I have experienced this more than once) you end up with the steering wheel off centre and the car wants to pull left.
Very suspicious of overinflated tyres after a nasty incident after picking my old Rangie up from service. Had to do an emergency stop, skidded for 20 or 30 metres in the dry nearly into busy crossroads and my speed was only 30k! Couldn't believe how little grip I had and sure enough when I got home I found that the garage had pumped tyres up to 45 psi when I normally have them at 30/32psi. I have a friend with a hilux who has experienced exactly the same thing when his car has been serviced at a Toyota dealer. He questioned them on it and they said "Oh yes we always do that, it's gives better fuel consumption". I have run factory tyre pressures on my D3 since I first got it in 05 and never had grip problems. I would never trade grip for better fuel consumption and tyre wear.

[Ashes]

Running straight now. Wheel allignment was required.