Steering/Suspension - Vehicle Pull To One Side
44 Vehicle Pulls To One Side (B7)44 09 02 2
016582/2
February 9, 2009
Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 44 number 07-01 dated November 29, 2007 for reasons listed below.
Vehicle Information
Condition
Customer complains the vehicle pulls or drifts to left or right.
Technical Background
The following is a list of common conditions that cause vehicles to pull or drift to one side:
- Road crown or inclination.
- Uneven or bumpy roads.
- Driving on 2 different road surfaces at the same time.
- Grooves in the road.
- Crosswind.
- Tires - pressure, size, type, and condition.
- Wheel alignment settings.
It is also important to note that modern vehicles have more precise steering compared to their predecessors. This is partly due to increased caster and reduction of friction in the steering and suspension components.
Production Solution
Not applicable.
Service
1. Perform a diagnostic test drive.
- Note that no vehicle will continue driving in a straight line if both hands are taken off the steering wheel for some time. Many factors influence a vehicle s ability to drive in a straight line.
- Check whether the vehicle follows the road crown or inclination. The degree of drift or pull is to an extent influenced by the crown of the road. This is more noticeable and more common on narrower roads since wider roads have less noticeable crown or inclination. Vehicle pulling or drifting due to road crown or inclination is not considered a defect, nor is it detrimental to safety. It can occur on all modern vehicles.
Such symptoms do not require further service and are considered normal operation.
If there is a justified complaint, proceed as follows:
2. Rotate the wheels as described in ElsaWeb Repair Manual >> Chassis >> Wheel and Tire Guide >> 44 Wheels, Tires, Wheel alignment >> Fault Finding.
3. Align the vehicle and adjust the toe-in values of the front and rear axle to the lowest limit.
4. Test drive the vehicle to verify if the condition is still present.
If the vehicle remains unsatisfactory, proceed with the following adjustment. This adjustment will make the vehicle tend to resist following the crown of the road to the right. If after the adjustment, the vehicle tends to drift left, reduce the negative camber on the right wheel yet aim to keep the 10 difference to the left wheel.
5. Since limits vary by suspension type, select proper alignment settings by PR codes in ElsaWeb or in the alignment program.
Adjust the camber on the front right near to the negative limit of the allowable adjustment specifications.
6. Using the alignment settings selected in Step 5, adjust the front left wheel to so that it has (approx.) .10 minutes less negative camber than the right side. Both values must stay within the allowable tolerance limits. Make adjustments incrementally as both camber values will change as the subframe is shifted.
TIP:
Use the engine support bridge tool to ensure proper loading during adjustment and the subframe shifting tool during this procedure.
7. Adjust the camber on the rear axle symmetrically to the specified value.
Warranty
All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.