[Sen_auto_sation]

Seeking advice for my Škoda Superb L&K (MY2022)— my car’s handling and stability on the road has gone for a toss, ever since it was returned after wheel balancing and wheel alignment at the Škoda Auto ASC (Delhi-NCR).

Please help me with useful tips and/or what to watch for / ask the service technician to focus on for fixing this issue at the ASC?

1. Driving over 85+ kmph speed leads to the car pulling strongly to the left and the steering feel gets really stiff. (even with steering set at ‘normal’ drive mode)
2. In addition to the above, at speeds above 100 kmph (legally) on expressways is further leading to vibrations on the steering wheel which I never experienced in my lifetime with this car for 25,000+ kms, as its first owner. (vibrations are so strong it is leading to fatigue and pain in the arms and shoulders)

Any members/owners having expertise and/or experience on this, I welcome their views on any other suspension/steering components to be examined in addition to re-balancing/realignment of the car’s wheels?

To clarify, this was a routine wheel balancing, tyre rotation + wheel alignment at the ASC without any pre-existing issues prior to the said service.

Any tyre experts in S. Delhi/ Noida/ Indirapuram areas of NCR whom you would recommend to undo/rectify this issue is welcome!

Thanks much for guiding me.

[na_agrawal]

First things first, take it to a nearby MRF tyre dealer as they are generally equipped with a Hunter wheel balancing and alignment setup and get your car sorted. Not at all safe to drive a car which cannot be controlled at 85+. And pray that it's just an alignment issue and no serious damage is done to the suspension till now.

Now, if you've the time and energy, go to Skoda guys and ask for the alignment report that was printed for your Superb. And then show the findings of the report you should get from the MRF center. Compare and ask for clarification and compensation as to why they did such a shoddy job.

Next, if all is well, start refusing for alignment and balancing at the Skoda center from next time.

[self_driven]

If the car has not been externally damaged during service/test run, both the issues can be fixed with proper alignment and balancing.

Most of the alignment and balancing process is automated, so messing that up is quite rare. I suspect the folks at Skoda workshop hit the wheels or underbody during the routine road test after performing wheel alignment and balancing. Only a thorough visual inspection of the underbody on a lift can confirm this.

First let the Skoda workshop know about your dissatisfaction and ask for alignment report. You can then visit a tyre dealer nearby and check all the wheels and underbody for damage. If you find any signs of damage, record it and report to Skoda, keeping the dealer in loop. Chances are that some replacement/repair work will be needed if the damage is severe enough.

If there's no damage, you can proceed with the alignment and balancing process as usual. Take photos of the alignment values to compare with the report provided by Skoda dealer. If there is a major variation, take this up with Skoda and push for reimbursement.

I'd recommend Project Wheels in Noida Sector 63. Discuss this with Ayush, he is a very knowledgeable chap who runs the store. I've seen them working on a lot of German cars during my visits.

[dhanushs]

Looks like your steering is not caliberated after the alignment. Surprised this is done at the Skoda A.S.S. Also looks like your wheels are out of balance.

Please get a proper wheel alignment and balancing done from a reputed shop in your area. The forums should guide you in the right direction

[ajmat]

Also check if none of your brake calipers are not binding.

[zeng]

The balanced front tyres had been 'unbalanced' with $$.

The 'good' alignment had been undone, negatively.

Alignment screenshot would provide some clues to the change.


Edit: Here is a case of often promoted regular periodic so-called 'preventive maintenance' turning sour...

[MT_Hyderabad]

I will first check if the tyres were replaced with someone else's. So many problems cannot appear suddenly out of nowhere, even if the alignment or balancing was not performed.

[AKSarkar1]

VW/Skoda guys mess up even the most basic things during the service.

Just go to some well-reputed tyre retailer in your neighbourhood and he should be able to sort this out for you. You can use google to find the best reputed retailer/dealer in your area and should be able to sort this whole affair for a couple of hundred bucks.

Do this, take the bill from the tyre retailer and blast a strongly worded email to the top management at VW/Skoda India. This sort of incompetence is not appreciated by anyone.

[GForceEnjoyer]

You should check the alignment and balancing report given to you after service. This issue (albeit much more benign without the severe problems you're facing) occurred with us too and the culprit was the service centre itself, something given away by that report. They'd simply made random changes to the alignment, not ONE of which fell within the range specified on Skoda's own sheet! Furthermore, weights of the wrong specification were added too.

I think this is exactly what's happened to you but at a much more extreme level. As said above, the best solution is to go to a reputed shop that can set the alignment right and re balance the wheels. I hope no mechanical damage was done to your car.

A little piece of advice for the future; some specialist jobs like alignment and balancing and detailing of the interior and exterior are best left to... well, specialists. For example, we always refuse these jobs at our Superb's service and get it done elsewhere. It's worth the extra day or two to get a good job done. You'll be far more satisfied overall.

[Bhupi_BHP]

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

Seeking advice for my Škoda Superb L&K (MY2022)— my car’s handling and stability on the road has gone for a toss, ever since it was returned after wheel balancing and wheel alignment at the Škoda Auto ASC (Delhi-NCR).

Please help me with useful tips and/or what to watch for / ask the service technician to focus on for fixing this issue at the ASC?

1. Driving over 85+ kmph speed leads to the car pulling strongly to the left and the steering feel gets really stiff. (even with steering set at ‘normal’ drive mode)
2. In addition to the above, at speeds above 100 kmph (legally) on expressways is further leading to vibrations on the steering wheel which I never experienced in my lifetime with this car for 25,000+ kms, as its first owner. (vibrations are so strong it is leading to fatigue and pain in the arms and shoulders)

Any members/owners having expertise and/or experience on this, I welcome their views on any other suspension/steering components to be examined in addition to re-balancing/realignment of the car’s wheels?

To clarify, this was a routine wheel balancing, tyre rotation + wheel alignment at the ASC without any pre-existing issues prior to the said service.

Any tyre experts in S. Delhi/ Noida/ Indirapuram areas of NCR whom you would recommend to undo/rectify this issue is welcome!

Thanks much for guiding me.

Skoda ASC never disappoints to disappoint
My go to place for any tyres and wheel related services has been Ashok motors sector -16 Noida. The owner's son is himself an enthusiast and very knowledgeable. He himself looks after the work performed. They have hunter machine and an experienced staff. You would find a lot of luxury cars as well. I have been visiting them for all my three cars and the work done has always been great.

[voldemort]

A good tyre shop should be able to fix all your problems.

As for the vibrations, there could be minute bulges on the contract surface of the tyre. If you remove the tyre (and wheel) and place it on that axle-like thing which tyre shops tend to have, and then rotate it by hand you might be able to see the vibrations depending on the severity of the bulge.

Bulges can occur even on newer tyres. If there are bulges replace the tyre with new ones.

We had the vibration problems in our Benz albeit at a much lower speed of around 50 km/h.

While you're at it also have the the shop people inspect for slight bents in the alloys (I'm hoping it's alloys on the Superb). The bent if it exists would almost be imperceptible — else your tyre wouldn't hold air.

[AJ56]

While it is unfortunate that they messed up your car, rule of thumb for small services like oil and filters (and alignment), never leave your car alone. Be it your mechanic or a dealership.

I have seen Honda techs leave brake fluid tanks open (for hours), scratch paint, overfill engine oil, mess up my interior with greasy hands, you name it. Dealer service centres are franchise outlets where human incompetence is on full display (across brands.)

Yesterday I was at a Toyota service centre for my fuel filter change. The SA tried to write on my bonnet with a pen and a thin single sheet of paper between his pen and my paint. Then couldn’t understand why writing on paint is a bad thing. Later on caught them filling my tyres to 42psi (cold inflation pressure is 33psi for Camry as per Toyota).

I wish I was making this up. Lesson learnt: if it’s your main car, never leave it alone with these people.

[lateralus112358]

Currently having an issue with my 4 month old Audi A4 where some minor vibrations are being felt at the steering at speeds greater than 90kmph. When I asked the service center if I should get the wheel balanced at a local shop, they said it's not allowed and will lead to my warranty being void. Absurd how companies have an issue with the wheel being balanced from 3rd party as well!!

I don't know if skoda also follows the same rules.

[Clansman86]

Hi Sen_auto_sation, sorry for your experience, must be frustrating to have such a high standards car ruined by shoddy work done on it. In my experience the symptoms you are describing can happen for the following reasons.

1. Right front tyre bulged. This means you right tyre has more circumference compared to the left and hence is covering more distance for every rotation. This causes your car to pull left. The steering tighening up is actually you fighting the steering to keep the car straight.

2. Toe in our Toe out ( alignment characteristics on the front tyres) set up excessively wrong.

In your case it's unlikely to the first usecase cos that happens slowly over a period of time. You didn't have a problem before service. Just go to a good alignment shop along with a tyre dealer like others have suggested and have the job redone.