Volkswagen Golf Service & Repair Manual: Remedies when vehicle pulls to one side

Volkswagen Golf Service & Repair Manual / Wheels and Tyres Guide - General Information / Handling problems / Vehicle pulls to one side / Remedies when vehicle pulls to one side

Test conditions before and during the road test:

–	Check all suspension components on the front and rear axles for damage.

–	Check tyre pressure and correct if necessary.

–	Check the tyres for external damage. Punctures, cuts, bubbles on the sidewalls, flat spots from braking and/or damage to the tread.

–	Ask the customer if the tyre had been damaged by a nail or similar object and was repaired by a tyre dealer. It may be necessary to renew such tyres.

–	Check tyres for even wear and tread depth.

–	Are all tyres of the same type, manufacture and tread pattern?

–	If the tyres are non-directional, ensure that all DOT classifications on the tyre face outwards. The wheels and/or tyres on the vehicle may have already been changed around at an earlier date.

–	Is the make of tyre approved by the factory as original equipment?

–	Perform the road test on a road which is level, straight and ungrooved and does not drop off to one side.

–	Perform the road test with the customer under the conditions specified above. Ask the customer to demonstrate the problem.

Note

There must be no cross wind during the road test.

If the complaint is justified, we recommend rotating the wheels and tyres as described below.

Before you begin, observe the following notes; otherwise your efforts may not have the desired effect.

Note

Mark the tyres before the first rotation, e.g. FR, FL, RR, RL.

After rotating wheels or reversing the tyre on its rim, you must observe very carefully how the vehicle behaves during the road test. Note how and what was changed.

Assess the intensity of or a possible change in the tendency to pull to one side.

For this purpose, it is important that the road tests are always performed by the same person on the same road. It is best to drive the “test course” in both directions.

Replacing a tyre with a new tyre does not guarantee that pulling to one side will be eliminated. Therefore it is recommended as a first step to carry out the strategic rotation of the wheels as described below.

If there are large differences in the tread depth of the tyres on the front and rear axles, the tyres with the deeper tread should always be mounted on the front axle.

Strategic rotation of wheels for non-directional tyres

↓
Perform a road test to determine if the vehicle pulls to one side and if so, which side.
↓
If the vehicle pulls to one side, interchange the front wheels.
↓
Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle pulls to other side		Vehicle pulls to the same side
↓		↓
Reverse one front tyre on its rim (direction of rotation is reversed).		Interchange front and rear tyres.
↓		↓
Carry out road test		Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END		Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.		Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
↓		↓
Interchange the front and rear wheels.		Vehicle pulls to other side	No change
↓		↓	↓
Carry out road test		Reverse one front tyre on its rim (direction of rotation is reversed)	Check alignment of front and rear wheels and adjust if necessary.
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END			If the alignment is correct, contact Product Support.
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
↓
Interchange front wheels.
↓		↓
Carry out road test		Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END	Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.	Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
	↓	Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
	Mount new tyres on front axle	Mount new tyres on front axle
	↓	↓
	Carry out road test	Carry out road test
	Vehicle travels in a straight line - END	Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
	↓	↓
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line; contact Product Support.

Strategic rotation of wheels having unidirectional tyres

↓
Perform a road test to determine if the vehicle pulls to one side and if so, which side.
↓
If the vehicle pulls to one side, interchange front and back wheels with tyres.
↓
Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
↓
First renew one tyre on the front axle.
↓
Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
↓
Renew other tyre on the front axle.
↓
Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line.
↓
Check front and rear wheel alignment.
↓
Carry out road test
Vehicle travels in a straight line - END
Vehicle does not travel in a straight line; contact Product Support.

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