Car drifting to the left after tyres have been changed

the wopster

the wopster

the wopster

Soldato
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newcastle
I have just had all 4 tyres changed on my 2019 Golf, and now the car drifts to the left and i have to slightly turn the wheel to the right to keep the car in a straight line. Has anyone had something like this happen after a change in tyres? I haven’t hit any pot holes or anything like that to knock my tracking out and I haven’t ever heard of a tyre change knocking out alignment. All the pressures have been checked and are correct and it’s michelin primacy 4+ that have been fitted.
 
Might need the wheels balanced with new tyres on there?

Sometimes it seems to happen but everyone is just like "it is normal for it to drift to the left a bit" and hard to get it sorted - even though you might have been driving it fine for years and know it shouldn't drift like that :(

EDIT: Check the manufacturing date as well - it really shouldn't make a noticeable difference but I've had it before where 3 of the tyres were one year and another was a different year and it would always pull slightly - everyone was acting like I was crazy to suggest it but switching wheels it would change the drift and went away after changing out.
 
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Get the tracking checked, but on a 4 wheel alignment machine.
It’s impossible for wheel balance to make a car drift to one side, and the wheels would have been balanced when the new tyres were fitted.
Were the previous tyres worn at all on the edges?
You may find that the alignment was out previously.
 
JonRGV250 said:
Get the tracking checked, but on a 4 wheel alignment machine.
It’s impossible for wheel balance to make a car drift to one side, and the wheels would have been balanced when the new tyres were fitted.
Were the previous tyres worn at all on the edges?
You may find that the alignment was out previously.
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They looked alright and it didn’t drift previously, I’m going to go and get the alignment checked today
 
Rroff said:
Might need the wheels balanced with new tyres on there?

Sometimes it seems to happen but everyone is just like "it is normal for it to drift to the left a bit" and hard to get it sorted - even though you might have been driving it fine for years and know it shouldn't drift like that :(

EDIT: Check the manufacturing date as well - it really shouldn't make a noticeable difference but I've had it before where 3 of the tyres were one year and another was a different year and it would always pull slightly - everyone was acting like I was crazy to suggest it but switching wheels it would change the drift and went away after changing out.
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Can’t find any manufacturer date on the tyre
 
Rroff said:
I've had it before where they've either not bothered to balance or done a **** job of it when changing tyres.
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Had the same thing before and annoyingly I even tipped them... I didn't check until home and noticed the OEM Wheel Weights so I called up to query it and was told it was "Within tolerance" but anything over 60 gave me vibrations. The company expensed my inconvenience and cost of having them re-balanced.

Learned my lesson and have since only gone to the same guy who I trust and usually I hang around and see him doing it regardless.

Since alignment has been mentioned already which is most probable but just incase have you checked all wheels are on properly and uniform? Wouldn't be the first person who has been given there car back with some bolts missing or not tightened up etc.
 
I've seen this before. It's a phenomenon called radial pull or tyre pull.

To check for it, swap the front left and front right tyres around (assuming they're not directional). If it pulls in the other direction, that's what is happening. Try for a warranty claim on the tyres in this case. If you can't get them replaced, try swapping front to back.
 
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Are they asymmetric tyres? If so, maybe worth making sure that they have all been correctly fitted on the rim ('outside' marking visible).
Not sure if a difference in the tread pattern as a result would be enough to cause the car to veer, but only thing I can think of.
 
Just got back from kwikfit and the passenger side front wheel was massively out, it’s now driving like it should again. It’s really strange because before the tyre change it wasn’t pulling and there wasn’t excessive/uneven wear on the front left tyre.
 
MikeTheNative said:
Struggled to get it off so that wacked it with a hammer? :p
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It’s not an uncommon way to remove a corroded on alloy.
Using a plastic dead blow hammer is the safest way not to put too much shock through the steering and not damage the alloy.
I’ve seen plenty use a lump hammer though :rolleyes:
Glad you got it sorted woppy.
 
woppy101 said:
Just got back from kwikfit and the passenger side front wheel was massively out, it’s now driving like it should again. It’s really strange because before the tyre change it wasn’t pulling and there wasn’t excessive/uneven wear on the front left tyre.
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Found the issue :p

Unless I misread and they didn't do the initial tyre change, in which case I will have to withdraw my slander
 
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