Hello all,

A few months ago I purchased a certified used 2004 S4 Avant in Chicago. When I test drove the car, it had a set of aftermarket wheels on it, and it pulled to the left. As part of the sale, I had the dealer put stock S4 wheels on the car, and it still pulled to the left. The dealer said it just needed an alignment, so I had one done at my local dealer (Milwaukee) a week later.

My dealer said the alignment was in spec and didn’t need an alignment. So I requested to have a service tech drive the car with me…he agreed that the car was pulling to the left from any lane - but it was amusing watching the service desk guy and the tech argue over whether I needed an alignment (the desk guy said it was just the crown of the road).

It turns out, I had a rear main seal leak as well, and that service procedure dictates an alignment anyway. So my dealer performed an alignment a few weeks later (after the rear main seal parts came in). The car still pulled the left from any lane; the dealership told me it was probably the tires and gave me a copy of the alignment results (showing the car was in spec).

So I took the issue to the service mgr, who set up another alignment. This time my dealer said the following (quote from the service report): “Roadtested/Inspected to find alignment settings different since previous alignment. Also noted some impact signs on the lower splashshield. Reset alignment back to specs, see attached printouts. Note the tires still will effect handling and pulling of vehicle regardless of correct settings. Can not cross rotate tires to cover possible kinetic effect of tires due to the tires being directional.”

After all of that, the car still pulls to the left. At 65mph (my entire commute each day), the car pulls off the road in about 2 seconds (from the left lane). It takes about 5-6 seconds from the right lane for the car to pull into the left lane. It’s the same on any other road at any speed…but gets worse the faster I go.

I never received the attached alignment print outs from the second alignment (they promised to send me copies when I picked up the car - yesterday was 2 months that I’ve been waiting). The service mgr stopped returning my messages, so I’ve escalated this to Audi Customer service. Audi Customer Service and I have been exchanging calls for a few days, and I got a call today telling me that the same service manager who hasn’t been returning my messages will be calling me in the next two days, so I’m sure that will be a pleasant call.

Since the car pulled the same way with 2 different sets of wheels/tires, I have trouble believing in the “it’s the tires” theory. Not to mention that I know my Audi dealership has a few sets of S4 wheels/tires laying around and could easily test this. Additionally, as a certified used car, I don’t understand why Audi wouldn’t take responsibility, even if the tires were the issue?

Additionally, the service comment: “noted some impact signs on the lower splashshield” also causes me some concern. I’m not sure if they are implying that my car has been wrecked between the 2 times they aligned it? The truth is it was barely driven, as I have a much older RWD daily driver for the non snow days. The dealer who sold me the car certainly pointed to a clean car fax and assured me the car had a clean past.
Anyway, has anyone had any similar alignment issues and can offer any advice? I’m not sure where this will go with Audi, but I’m very concerned about eating through very expensive tires due to mis-alignment and very tired of fighting my steering wheel all the way to work and all the way home each day. Any suggestions for fixing the car or handling the dealer would be appreciated. Thanks! Battman

 

That is very strange, which dealership do you go to? International Autos?

I'm not sure what could be up, it can't be the wheels or tires if you noticed the problem with the previous wheels on before when you were purchasing the car. So it has to be something maybe Audi overlooked. Talk to the sales guy and get back to us on what he says.

 

i have had bad luck with an alignment at a audi dealership. i needed a 4 wheel alignment on my car, but when they were attempting to follow this process, they had problems making some corrections due to my inner tie rods being seized up. they had to replace these, which wasn't very cheap. but the day i drove off the lot, i heard something kind of like bouncing around coming from underneath the passenger floor. i thought it was just the new tie rods settling in... but tonight i noticed that the noise got incredibly louder. so i plan on taking the car back to the dealership tomorrow.

i too live in the milwaukee area. what dealership did you take yours too? i took mine to audi north shore on brown deer road.

 

wheel bearing? that's the only thing I can think of that would cause a "bouncing around" sound

and damn.. you had to get your tie rods replaced? why havent u called me?

 

Sounds like the shop is blowing some smoke you know where.

If it was the tires, if you moved then around on the car, it would change the way it pulls.

I would take it to a quality alignment shop, and have them check it out. My guess is the rear is out, and might have a little more toe on one side, causing it to go left.
The dealer is only checking the front end.

OR take it to another dealer, something is wrong some where & this is NOT normal.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. The first guess was correct, I've been working with International Autos. They haven't actually moved the tires around to test this theory. They told me they couldn't since the tires are unidirectional (like there's not another set of Audi wheels laying around). However, since the car pulled the same with 2 different sets of wheels/tires when I drove it, I don't really think this is the issue.

I would love to try another dealership, but I'm pretty sure both dealerships in Milwaukee are owned by the same place - and in fact, I think the service mgr (the guy who won't return my messages) is the same for both. I'd consider another shop, but it seems a waste since this is a cert. used car and in theory they have to pay to have it fixed.

I'm still waiting to hear from Audi customer service on this issue. Anyone know any goodAudi dealershipsin Madison or Chicago?

 

adam you are correct. it is the wheel bearing on the rear passenger wheel. i jacked it up today and it was insanely loose. i was on my way to the dealership to pick up the part... but when i drove it, it seemed twice as bad. whenever i made a turn it would sound like something was scraping the rotor. so i turned back home and called up the parentals and asked to borrow their car. so tomorrow night, i'll be spending some time in the garage to replace this wheel bearing! yay.....

and to battman... if you do decide to go to a private owned shop, there's one on brown deer and 107th. go south at 107th when you get there and it'll be on your right side. it's called autobahn services. it's just over the railroad tracks. the guy's name who owns it is todd. he'll help you out a lot and he really knows his ****. he's a audi registered master technician. and i mean if you want, and you do go there, tell him andrew with the nogaro s4 sent you there.... i mean, just as a side note.