[leasehackr]

I picked up X5 last week, and halfway driving from the dealer (300 miles), I noticed the steering wheel was off-center.

Do all the BMW centers do 3DS camera-powered 4-wheel alignment?


I'm still hesitating tech to mess up with a brand-new car, but it's important. Is it unusual to have a brand new BMW alignment issue?

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by leasehackr

I picked up X5 last week, and halfway driving from the dealer (300 miles), I noticed the steering wheel was off-center.

Do all the BMW centers do 3DS camera-powered 4-wheel alignment?


I'm still hesitating tech to mess up with a brand-new car, but it's important. Is it unusual to have a brand new BMW alignment issue?

Sorry, but can you clarify exactly what off center is to you and is this your first bmw?

Very likely can be an issue but just sharing some other comments over my time here and personal experience….

Bmw has a larger than most dead area around center and they also have a lighter return/pull back to center than most.

The two of these combined can almost get the wheel stuck in a slightly off center position. Plenty of times on the highway I found my cars leaning left or right much more than any road pitch would warrant. When this happens, I do a quick and aggressive jerk of the wheel left / right to try to correct. It’s annoying…

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Sorry, but can you clarify exactly what off center is to you and is this your first bmw?

Very likely can be an issue but just sharing some other comments over my time here and personal experience….

Bmw has a larger than most dead area around center and they also have a lighter return/pull back to center than most.

The two of these combined can almost get the wheel stuck in a slightly off center position. Plenty of times on the highway I found my cars leaning left or right much more than any road pitch would warrant. When this happens, I do a quick and aggressive jerk of the wheel left / right to try to correct. It’s annoying…

12+ years with BMW...not the first BMW

steering wheel off center, when steering wheel is at 12 o clock the vehicle is going in either direction and you have to continuously correct the steering wheel to keep car in dead straight position.

I turned in my 2021 X5, and I could drive old car semi-autonomous hands-free when on a straight road/freeway.

if you are jerking your steering wheel to continuously fix this issue, then you are making it worse for the uneven wear on tires and other alignment issues.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by leasehackr

12+ years with BMW...not the first BMW

steering wheel off center, when steering wheel is at 12 o clock the vehicle is going in either direction and you have to continuously correct the steering wheel to keep car in dead straight position.

I turned in my 2021 X5, and I could drive old car semi-autonomous hands-free when on a straight road/freeway.

if you are jerking your steering wheel to continuously fix this issue, then you are making it worse for the uneven wear on tires and other alignment issues.

I figured it wasn’t your first but didn’t want to assume either way! Unfortunately I can’t be of much value to what your explaining now. Sorry you are having this issue!

My correction - Not a frequent thing for me to do where I feel I’m causing any dmg. Also It’s just a quick motion on the hwy. you can’t really do anything drastic when going 70mph and staying in the lane.

[shawn91]

I noticed the same thing on my M60i after I switched over to winter tires. I noticed the steering wheel turned slightly to the left when trying to keep the vehicle going straight.

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by shawn91

I noticed the same thing on my M60i after I switched over to winter tires. I noticed the steering wheel turned slightly to the left when trying to keep the vehicle going straight.

Did you take the car to BMW Center? What did they say?

Since mine is 300 miles. I'm going tomorrow. Alignment warranty is first 2K miles.

[vtrain77]

just took delivery of my first x5 last month. thought my steering wheel looked "off center" as well. by that I mean the top center looked like like it was pointing just left of 12 o'clock in order to drive the car straight (car tracks straight and doesn't seem to pull). but then I realized it was a bit of an optical illusion because the way the digital dash curves and isn't always perpendicular to the plane of the steering wheel. when I concentrated / looked at the just the top of the paddle shifters and didn't focus on the dash, they looked to be horizontal when I was driving straight. still not 100% convinced, but I think that's what's been messing with my head. not sure if that describes what you are seeing / feeling, but just a thought.

[Francolargo]

Originally Posted by vtrain77

but then I realized it was a bit of an optical illusion

I've noticed the same thing. The dash curvature is deceiving.

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by vtrain77

just took delivery of my first x5 last month. thought my steering wheel looked "off center" as well. by that I mean the top center looked like like it was pointing just left of 12 o'clock in order to drive the car straight (car tracks straight and doesn't seem to pull). but then I realized it was a bit of an optical illusion because the way the digital dash curves and isn't always perpendicular to the plane of the steering wheel. when I concentrated / looked at the just the top of the paddle shifters and didn't focus on the dash, they looked to be horizontal when I was driving straight. still not 100% convinced, but I think that's what's been messing with my head. not sure if that describes what you are seeing / feeling, but just a thought.

ha...this the first thing I thought. Maybe it's due to an optical thing due to the curve dashboard.
It feels like I have the same exact thing on the steering wheel left at 12 clock. 1-2 deg left.

do one thing: on the empty big parking lot or straight road, start at 30-40 mph, leave both hands, and see if the car is tracking straight.

I'm going to BMW centers anyway. Have them put it on 3DS alignment machine and print out me the factory specs. Everything should line up green per the specs. If its per the specs. then its optical thing.

I can't leave this thing unless I rule out everything; otherwise, I will tire and have other issues down the road.
Since it's new, alignment is covered to 2K miles.

[Richgl]

I had the same issue on new 50e, couple of degrees away from straight. 4 Wheel alignment at the dealership resolved the issue.

[crackerjack15]

Yep, mine is slightly turned to the left. Tires are wearing perfect and car tracks straight so I haven't bothered with it.

[leasehackr]

Originally Posted by Richgl

I had the same issue on new 50e, couple of degrees away from straight. 4 Wheel alignment at the dealership resolved the issue.

Thanks for confirming.

Were your car drifting to one side when leaves both hands at 30-40mph?

Originally Posted by crackerjack15

Yep, mine is slightly turned to the left. Tires are wearing perfect and car tracks straight so I haven't bothered with it.

Is your car drifting to one side when leaves both hands at 30-40mph?

[eelnoraa]

[QUOTE=Mattl0806;30865237]

Bmw has a larger than most dead area around center and they also have a lighter return/pull back to center than most.


Wait. I am not sure the first part applies to bmw as blacket statement. My e series bmw does not have any dead space in center. Even my 45e doesn’t have. 45e or any bmw electric rack is just numb. Lack of feedback from steering. This is even true to G80 M3. If you ever driven a e36 or e82, you will know how great of bmw steering once was.

The 2nd part, the return to center is entirely directed by suspension geometry, the caster angle. It is not related thr assist part is the steering. Rwd platform allows more aggressive caster. Car with fwd platform can not match the caster, this the return to center force. BMW cannot be worst than cars like Acura or Lexus. ..

[Mattl0806]

[QUOTE=eelnoraa;30873256]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Bmw has a larger than most dead area around center and they also have a lighter return/pull back to center than most.


Wait. I am not sure the first part applies to bmw as blacket statement. My e series bmw does not have any dead space in center. Even my 45e doesn’t have. 45e or any bmw electric rack is just numb. Lack of feedback from steering. This is even true to G80 M3. If you ever driven a e36 or e82, you will know how great of bmw steering once was.

The 2nd part, the return to center is entirely directed by suspension geometry, the caster angle. It is not related thr assist part is the steering. Rwd platform allows more aggressive caster. Car with fwd platform can not match the caster, this the return to center force. BMW cannot be worst than cars like Acura or Lexus. ..

Thanks for correcting. I didn’t mean it as a blanket statement. Youre right in that it may behave differently btw models and this also has a subjective element to it.

I should have said that IMO from the cars I’ve driven I’ve noticed this dead area. I could also be conflating lack of feel and dead area as similar things and you certainly feel less when around center so the two are probably correlated?

[aussieintexas]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Sorry, but can you clarify exactly what off center is to you and is this your first bmw?

Very likely can be an issue but just sharing some other comments over my time here and personal experience….

Bmw has a larger than most dead area around center and they also have a lighter return/pull back to center than most.

The two of these combined can almost get the wheel stuck in a slightly off center position. Plenty of times on the highway I found my cars leaning left or right much more than any road pitch would warrant. When this happens, I do a quick and aggressive jerk of the wheel left / right to try to correct. It’s annoying…

I’ve never noticed the wheel being off Center when driving in a straight line in any of emu BMW’s 🤷‍♂️

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Thanks for correcting. I didn’t mean it as a blanket statement. Youre right in that it may behave differently btw models and this also has a subjective element to it.

I should have said that IMO from the cars I’ve driven I’ve noticed this dead area. I could also be conflating lack of feel and dead area as similar things and you certainly feel less when around center so the two are probably correlated?

Maybe someone can correct me, I think bmw electric rack is variable ratio in a sense that ratio at center is slower, ratio increases as steering input increase. So it feels as if front tires are not sensitive to steering input. I think tire choice play a role as well. But there shouldn’t be a dead spot in middle unless there is an issue somewhere.

[leasehackr]

Update: Front and Rear TOE was out of specs. Did the drive with foreman and within 5 sec he said the car is drifting to the right even on 40 mph.

They did the alignment and adjusted the Toe front and back. Will report after driving next week or so.