Have a Tesla with an OFF-CENTER Steering Wheel? Here's how to fix it

Is your steering wheel not pointing straight, but the car drives fine? Teslas are notorious for having poor factory alignments, try this if your car otherwise drives straight but needs the wheel adjusted. Work slow and carefully, and the vehicle's toe alignment should remain unchanged, with the added benefit of a centered steering wheel.

[@rbs427]

Thank you. As I suspected by steering is off by 0.8 degrees to go straight. Righty after an alignment too. So it’s going to Tesla for other warranty items so I’ll have them align it again. I think my regular shop didn’t know how to do it as the car also lost on center feel.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Awesome advice!

[@sbflyer20]

I had the exact issue with my 22 MYP. Your info helped and it’s pretty close to perfect now. Thank you!

[@fiehlsport]

Awesome! It’s tedious to make sure you get it perfect, but great when it works out.

[@okjetpilot]

Great video, thank you! Just left the Tesla Service Center in Bartlett, TN 2 weeks after MYP delivery with the same issue, they wouldn’t address it, in spec. Frustrating! To confirm, this was just under 1/4 counter clockwise turn on the right, and just under 1/4 clockwise turn on the left? My steering wheel is about 2 degrees off center to the right. Was the car suspended, on ramps? Apologies if this has been answered already!

[@DarrenHiebert]

I don't quite understand how you got the view you presented of the tie rods. Did you remove any shroud under the car or wheel well? Did you have the front end of the car raised to gain access? What must be done to gain the access to the tie rods your presented?

[@JFO335]

Thanks for the video. I had Tesla mobile service rotate my tires at 6,000miles and when I hopped back in the car the wheel is slightly off which is driving me crazy. They want $89 now to come out and check it. I'm unable to access that screen in my Service Module.. what am I missing??

[@wwunknown]

does Tesla not give any warranty on alignment?

[@whotrickedyou]

I have a 2018 model s and the steering is off somehow it works but in a jagged way I saw a Tiktok and I think its in the neck of the wheel itself..

[@ba177ba18]

Is this under warranty?!

[@neomatrixmimi]

What’s with it’s within factory setting BS. I keep hearing it and they won’t do anything

[@danloomis]

THANK YOU for recording this video. My 2023 LR that I just took delivery of had the exact same steering offset as yours. A quarter turn fixed it right up. 😊

[@fiehlsport]

Very cool! $300 in your pocket. :-)

[@DuyTran-to9lk]

How can you get access to right front wheel? My 1 month old tesla M3 just has an off center steering wheel. Its 3.9 degree off to the right. Kinda annoyed me. :(

[@user-lq6kt3ec4i]

Did you get it fixed? I have same...the annoying thing is taking delivery, it was fine, and it developed on its own later!​@@DuyTran-to9lk

[@jimmycmartinez]

Can you do mine? I thought i was crazy about my crooked when until i saw this video. 😭😭😭😭

[@ajar1234]

So just to be clear as possible if you do a 1/4 turn counter -clockwise on one side should it be a 1/4 turn clockwise on the other side?

[@DesmondHughes]

I have the same question

[@gregwatson8246]

It’s not just the front alignment that’s off, it’s the rear too. Just because the steering wheel is now straight doesn’t mean all four wheels are in proper alignment, or even that the car is tracking straight. Go to an independent shop and get it done right. If the shop is scared of your Tesla or makes excuses about “camera calibration” find someone else. They are idiots and don’t let them touch your car. There is nothing special about 4 wheel alignment on a Tesla . Usually it’s one front toe adjustment and both rear toe.

[@pepepantuflas1]

I'm like youtube mechanic with like 5+ yrs of fixing my own cars. I had an alignment shop try to tell my tesla needed a special alignment that cost $250 when I regular 4 wheel alignment is $80

[@rudytg1]

I recently received my Tesla model y on 2/6/2023 the day of my birthday. After a week, my rear right window had an issue that was corrected with mobile service. 2 weeks afterwards I get an alert for steering wheel misalignment requiring in service appointment. Since I got the vehicle I did notice a steering wheel deviation but it wasn't has bad as I noticed but as I continue to drive the vehicle the alert came on so I scheduled an appointment with Tesla nearby. Normally a wheel alignment happens every 6000 miles but I only had about 800 miles of my vehicle without any major potholes or aggressive driving. As I arrived to the Tesla located in Cherry Hill, and using the mobile app, it appears at the charge for a wheel alignment was $293 which I found very odd because I just received a vehicle and now I'm required to pay this much. I'm reaching out to you because I wanted to know if this can be waived. I really enjoyed the vehicle but needing service on the vehicle after 2 weeks and having to pay a fee especially for the amount of money that was put down for the vehicle doesn't plant a good taste in my mouth on how things are operated with service.

[@fiehlsport]

Hi Rudy - Tesla doesn't cover wheel alignments unless you bring it back within 24 hours or 100 miles I believe. It really stinks. The fact that it's giving you an error code is interesting though - does the car drive straight if you put the wheel straight? They wanted $306 here in Upstate NY for an alignment, it's pretty high. I ended up getting a real alignment a few days ago to the tune of $260 from a well-known shop in the area and they did a great job, and didn't let the car go until it was perfect. In any case, I'm not surprised your Tesla needs an alignment - they all do from the factory, the alignments are very poor. This is my second Tesla, and my first one needed an alignment when new as well. Consider it part of the cost of the car - thinking about it will just make you mad. :-)

[@rayng61]

In your video, you turned the tie rod counterclockwise for the right front wheel. So for the left front wheel, do you turn the tie rod clockwise?

[@rayng61]

I just saw your reply to someone asking the same question, so I'm guessing the left front wheel should be turned clockwise.

[@kevinli8552]

​@rayng61 does it mean we need to shorten 1/4 hex on the left wheel and lengthen the same hex amount on the right wheel to fix steering wheel abit off to the right?

[@terran5569]

Are you turning one side out and the other side in? Otherwise, if you are turning both sides in or out you are affecting toe in or toe out.

[@fiehlsport]

Correct - I didn’t explain that enough in depth. One in, one out, so toe remains equal. After another day of driving I’m really glad it worked so well!

[@littleborat1969]

I just noticed my steering wheel was a bit off to the right when going straight and they only reference point was using the straight gear selector/turn signal stalks. I went into service mode and saw the offset is 1.5…this should be 0 right? Its hardly noticeable but I still want Tesla to look at it

[@DuyTran-to9lk]

I just left the tesla shop as they asked for $275 to get it aligned. Picked my tesla last month

[@littleborat1969]

I paid $275 for them to align the wheels even though I insisted its the steering wheel…Tesla mechanics are lazy and don’t do shit. This fix needs to be done at home

[@YoYo-fx9by]

My tesla dealer did alignment twice and still align is off. To me tesla tech doesn’t know how to fix basic car problem

[@Ryan-gc6jc]

Same here, brought it elsewhere after, problem was solved for only half the price.

[@vammyhouse5206]

@@Ryan-gc6jcwhere did you bring it to? A regular alignment shop? They told me some stupid shit about how satellite have to align it lol

[@ChiefLunar]

Mine has a 2.3 offset to the right.

[@gotchyeaaa]

Mine had that too. My steering wheel still seems off tho

[@ChiefLunar]

@@gotchyeaaa I took mine into Big O tires twice and they made it worse. I just got over it, you get used to it quickly. just make sure to get a wheel balance as thats more imporant than the steering wheel alignment be perfectly +/- 1 degree

[@tonymai1844]

what a grip off not warranty the alignment after 100 miles. The suspension is not break in at that time. at least 1000 miles for the rubber to set in. uck tesla warranty. you did it right. If the front tire got feather then just rotated the tire more often at 3k miles or 5k miles. I would rotate tire evry 3k miles. I can do at home.

[@dylam9509]

To do this fix, do I need to jack up the car first? Can I do it with the wheel on and car on a ramp?

[@fiehlsport]

I used rhino ramps.

[@jamesignacio6765]

Do I need to adjust both left and right tie rods?

[@fiehlsport]

Yes. The L&R tie rods must be adjusted an *identical* amount, or your alignment will suffer.

[@H1kari_1]

Just out of curiosity because I have M3 myself: how's the steering? In my case the steering is incredibly stiff even in comfort mode, so much that the car can't be turned with just one arm. Tesla says it's normal, I severly doubt it. This is why I am asking some Tesla youtubers.

[@fiehlsport]

Teslas have always had overly stiff steering, even in Comfort. It's absurd. Though I have heard of a few cases on the TMC forums where users compared their cars' steering to a new one on the lot, and got a new steering rack because theirs was much stiffer than a new car's. Worth a shot if you're near a service center.

[@H1kari_1]

@@fiehlsport Thank you for your response. The thing is, up until 3 months after getting my model 3 last year the sreeing was incredible. "Comfort" was smooth, "Sport" felty sporty. Then of a sudden from one ride to aother the steering suddenly felt off. Very off. Comfort was as if it's on "Sport" now and "Sport" was barely steerable. Tesla found nothing wrong and even gaslighted me ("You consider THIS stiff...?"). Up to this day the steering feels different everyday. What baffles me was the sudden change, I can't help but think of a defect.

[@Techridr]

Or.... Tesla will fix it to spec, free, as you sip on their waiting room coffee. I had to do exactly what you just did to my old Prius because the Toyota techs got it wrong and it was WAY off and years past warranty. The problem with this method for a DIYer, is if you screw up, you can have tow-in or tow-out and there goes your efficiency and tires. Just let Tesla do it. They have the means to verify alignment is perfect when done. Crucially important.

[@fiehlsport]

All good points - that is why I marked my tie rods with a paint pen to ensure I knew what the factory baseline was. It's definitely a "crude" fix, but well within tolerance for proper tire wear if you match it on both sides. Plus, Tesla only covers alignment for 100 miles or 24 hours after delivery, unless they decide to goodwill it for you. It really sucks, since their factory alignments are so commonly bad.

[@clefever]

I have a 2005 Model D, do I have to worry about this or was it not an issue back then? I’m partially blind so I don’t always know which way the wheel is facing. Sent Using Speech to Text.

[@davidt1016]

I have the same problem with new Model 3 .Tesla want £316.80 to fix .I have done just over 100 miles since picking up the car . I will not be paying Tesla.

[@keijuhl]

I took delivery of a Model 3 yesterday and the steering wheel is not straight and is angled slightly to the right when the car is going straight down the road. I alerted a service appointment right away and have one scheduled for the 24th. Tesla already informed me there will be no charge.

[@kevinli8552]

​@@keijuhlhas it been fixed by Tesla? I have the same issue and Tesla did a 4 wheel alignment but the steering wheel is still off center 😞

[@keijuhl]

@@kevinli8552 yes, I took it in to the service center last month and the alignment was done. I was there for less than an hour. The steering wheel is now perfectly straight. Sorry to hear you still have the issue, may want to alert Tesla again that something is not right.

[@fredrik3685]

You should not complain, it didn't fall off.

[@fredrik3685]

It's a cheap car with a high price.

[@fiehlsport]

With the best motors and battery in the industry strapped underneath. :-) That's where the $$$ comes from. The rest of the car leaves a lot to be desired.

[@Wormeloan]

Your paying for the software/battery and super stations convince

[@ba177ba18]

you can’t afford it

[@flashtwosix7841]

why are you wearing gloves to touch your screen? scared of covid of something?

[@fiehlsport]

Yeah, I didn’t want to get Covid from my own car. Good eye!