Steering wheel centering - how hard?

[blue_boy]

Can someone tell me how hard is it to centre the steering wheel on the S3?

Mine came out by a couple of cms to the left. Waited until first 10k oil change and booked it in with my local dealer to fix. Had car all day and not done saying take 1.5 hours to align the wheels at a cost of £89

And they ran out of time. Car back with me and a little peeved. On basis they **** up the wheel alignment probably not bother doing it now.

What happened to the days of simply unscrewing the steering wheel centring it and off you go. Ok yes I know airbag in the way but surely can still get wheel off without touching the wheel alignment???

Thanks for your thoughts

[Devonshiredave]

Should be 20 minutes tops for a good tech.

[Tech1e]

The wheel should be centred to the column and rack. If the steering wheel has never been off the correct method of re aligning the wheel is to lock it in the straight ahead position and then adjust the track rods. This ensure the rack remains central and equal turns lock to lock.

[SuperbTWM]

Its just down to people being lazy. Instead of correcting both wheels with the steering central they can get away with moving the steering wheel off centre slightly to get one side within spec and just adjust the other wheel.

Edited 11 August, 2016 by SuperbTWM

[micloi]

Took it to my local tyre place. They did a 4 wheel alignment and straightened the wheel in less than 30 minutes. 

Perfectly straight now and cost £20

[blahde2]

Mine was out by one spline on collection, though I didn't notice until I was sat waiting to board my boat to France!

Nothing wrong with tracking, car has not been kerbed and has run straight and true from first day of ownership.

I had a Golf Mk5 which had a steering wheel out of alignment by about 3 splines. It took the VW garage all of 5 mins to correct as the car ran straight and it had never seen a kerb in its 566 miles! PLS Note: Almost all VWAG steering wheels are built in this fashion, that is not to say yours is the same! The VW mechanic did the following;

1. Started car, drove it until it went in straight line, stopped, noted it's degree off centre and turned steering wheel 90° clockwise and switched off the engine.

2. Disconnected the battery.

3. With flat bladed screwdriver behind steering wheel, he unclipped 1st airbag securing clip, then turned wheel 180° anticlockwise and unclipped that airbag clip.

The airbag just lifted out so he could disconnect it's power/trigger cable.

4. With Socket and ratchet he undid the steering wheels centre securing nut. Wobbled steering wheel off, mover it round the 3 splines, replaced and reversed the sequence above.

He then took car for brief drive around the dealership and returned happy that steering was straight.

Personally, if the steering wasn't straight on collection but the car drove straight with no wobble /feedback from steering wheel, then I would assume that the steering wheel was put on one or two splines out from its centre, and would not let the garage fiddle with your tracking! They will only bugger it up.

On the other hand, If you (or SWMBO) have clouted a kerb then it could be the tracking.

PLS DO NOT ATTEMPT THE ABOVE PROCEDURE YOURSELF. IT WAS CARRIED OUT BY A CHIEF MECHANIC WHO KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. IF YOU WERE TO TRIGGER YOUR AIRBAG ATTEMPTING TO DO THIS AT HOME YOU COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE YOURSELF!

[Nathanio]

If you leave there battery disconnected for at least 30 mins you can drain the electrical system as be safe to work on the wheel. I did this on our Fabia when I replaced the wheel.

[D402]

Tech1e and SuperbTWM are correct; adjustments should only be made at the tie rods.  This is because the angular positions of the universal joints in the steering column, a cardan shaft with non-parallel input and output shafts, affect the relationship between the steering wheel and rack.  The steering column is designed so that this relationship is symmetrical about the straight ahead position; many manufacturers key the steering wheel to the column and the column to the rack to ensure it is correct.  If you move the steering wheel on its spline, you will turn the column away from its straight-ahead angle and end up with steering heavier to one side than the other. 
You should also have the steering angle sensor reset after adjusting the tie rods, although the system will probably adapt to small adjustments.