I purchased my brand new 2007 A4 at a local dealership here in Sacramento at the beginning of August. The first day I drove the car home I noticed the steering wheel was not centered and that the car drifted lightly to the right (more than I felt acceptable even considering the crown of the road).

I took the car back a few days later to have the steering wheel checked and a few other small issues addressed. They adjusted the steering wheel (now with 300 miles on it) and sent me on my way. I noticed the steering wheel was now straight-er but the car still drifted noticeably to the right when I wasn't applying constant left-side pressure to the steering wheel. I called my service guy and brought the car back in (now 550 miles). This time they said they would check the alignment and straighten it out. I got the car back two days later, they said it was slightly out of alignment and now everything was fine, the service manager had driven it and I should be good to go. As you can guess now, the car was no better than before.

I called them again a couple of days later figuring I would get some miles in on the freeway to see if it wasn't just me going crazy. After a few days (now 800 miles) I called them back and said I needed them to look at it again. I took the car in, left it for three days and then went to go pick it up. They said they had swapped out my tires and wheels for completely new ones and that the swap had solved the drifting problem. I got in the car and immediately noticed there was still the same issue, it wasn't any better and almost worse than before.

I called the dealer and they told me to drive on it for a while to let the tires wear in a bit so I did. Two weeks later (now 1,500 miles) I decided that I was still not pleased and that it was still not correct. I told them they needed to look at the alignment again, balance the tires (the new ones were not balanced at 60 and 80mph) as well as replace the rear passenger window they scratched taking off the window sticker. I took the car in and left it for a week. During this time I had an identical loaner A4 that had PERFECT alignment, that on the same exact highways did not start to drift until a mile down the road. This was good because now I knew it was possible to have it spot on.

The dealer told me that they had road force balanced the tires and rotated them to see if they drifting was still a problem. They said they had three technicians drive the car including the service manager again and they all thought it was just fine. I told them thank you, got in the car and not a hundred yards down the road noticed the same problem persists. This was a Saturday, they had just closed so I left a message for my service rep and headed for the highway. The problem is still there, no better, possibly a bit worse. To top all of this off, my tire balance at 60mph is still there and now the door rattles where they replaced the window.

I'm waiting for a call back from the dealer but so far the car has been in the shop over two weeks of the two months I've owned it, it has been in for this alignment issue now 4 times with no resolution and all I've seen out of it are a set of new wheels and tires but the tires are downgrades from what was on there.

I'm obviously getting frustrated. Now that my story is out, what would you do next?

1. Keep trying with the dealer, who is being very nice about it but obviously getting annoyed?
2. Call Audi USA and explain the problem to them?
3. Look at Lemon attorneys in the area?

I have records of each visit, each phone call and proof that the same model car (Quattro too) can have a perfect alignment.

 

I would take the service manager for a drive in your car. let him drive, and point out how the car drifts, and shakes, and window rattles.
If he tells you its normal, then insist you drive another car to compare, like you already did.
If they wont fix it, demand they take the car back and replace it with another, or return your $$ in full and you'll go somewhere else.

From this point on, I would deal only with the service manager directly, and nicely, as long as they are willing to fix it, its all good.
I would think they would fix it rather than lose a customer. I'd also insist on receiving the exact same tires that came on the car when you bought it.

 

Yeah, I agree. I would prefer to get the problem fixed rather than deal with the hassle of a new car or getting my money back. I just want it to be right. I've been very friendly and understanding because they are trying, but I'm getting frustrated with them telling me it is OK when it clearly is not.

Thanks for the input. I'm still waiting for them to call me back.

 

Did they give you a printout on your current caster, camber, toe spec? and compare to audi spec?
Camber is not adjustable for B7, unless you buy off market support. It could be camber is off-center.

Ask for a printout next time you pick up your car.. make sure the settings are within audi specification.

 

I really don't mean to sound rude, but at the second time you had to take it back you should have driven the car with a service manager, both before and after. You should have made sure he understood your complaints completely. And by the third time the car was taken back I personally would have had a new car. It sounded to me that the first time you took it back you only told them the steering wheel was not centered and they didn't know the car drifted too, so they probably just moved the steering wheel, like you said.

It's time you grow up now though. Don't take delivery of a car (or any item for that matter) that is not exactly as you expect it to be. I suspect one of two possible things here, either they aren't really working on you car or you got a lemon. If they can't get the alignment right after three tries then it will never be right- ever. If you are still in doubt take it to an independent service center and tell them your story, they would be happy to prove the dealership is wrong.

 

I appreciate the input. I did tell them from the get-go that the car drifted AND that the steering wheel was off-center. I don't know if "growing up" is necessary for me, I do resent that remark. I bought the car, it had a small issue and I assumed as any reasonable person would that it could be resolved without much hassle. I would prefer to give the dealership a chance to correct the problem because it is the car they sold and the brand they represent. If they can not fix it then I would be happy to give a third party a try. As my thread starting post said, I am just now getting to the point of frustration.

Unless you've been through a lemon lawsuit before you'd have no idea how difficult it can be (and expensive if you fail). I will assume you haven't so I'll take your comment of trading the car for a new one after two tries with a grain of salt. California's lemon law, while not the strictest of them all, doesn't make it terribly easy for you to win your case unless the defect is extremely hazardous to your health and well-being.

If the camber is off, I would expect them to purchase the adjustment plates necessary to correct the issue and if they can't do that then they must give me a new car. I didn't hear anything from my service guy today and if I don't tomorrow I will call the service manager. I like my service guy and I feel he is very capable. I like to give people the opportunity to correct their mistakes until it starts to affect my lifestyle. I just want the issue resolved, I don't want to create more problems but that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed and ready to take action.