coilovers + steering wheel angle + steering wheel angle sensor + ESP light= ?

[VAG-Slag]

I've owned 3 A3's now (including a S3) all of which on coilovers... all of which have had a slightly pointing left steering wheel (while driving straight) after fitting coilovers, anyone else suffer from this?

Also, my first A3 used to always throw up the ESP light after lowering. Never really fussed me as the first thing I did when I got in the car was to turn it off anyway but it did always puzzle me. My current A3 does the same and I have since wondered weather it was the steering wheel angle sensor (would make sense) but say for example I've just fired her up and I'm sitting stationary- if I jiggle the steering wheel ESP will stay on, but if I give the brake a couple of pokes it'll more than likely turn off the ESP. And if not it's likely to do it when I get on the anchors for the speed bump down the road...

What gives!?

 

[Prawn]

Needs wheel alignment dude!

The car never threw the ESP light for me at all in 40k miles, and I ran it VERY low for a while, lower than you have it now. With the alignment done properly the wheel should be perfectly straight ahead, and you definitely shouldn't get the ESP light at all.

 

[audi-a6]

Iv not got an a3, but an A6 but mine does it, had it tracked twice and steering wheels is still slightly out.... strange one

 

[VAG-Slag]

Needs wheel alignment dude!

Frenchman had it done only a few months ago!? . . Got the print out and everything

Iv not got an a3, but an A6 but mine does it, had it tracked twice and steering wheels is still slightly out.... strange one

yea, this is exactly what I Had with my first A3


Anyway, I'm deffo NOT in the market for a 100 quid wheel alignment at this point in time! . . And why would it come on when I hit the bakes?

 

[audi-a6]

like i said, i have had it aligned twice by 2 different garages and still came out the same....... so im not going to bother with it any more..... iv just learnt to live with it

 

[VAG-Slag]

Yea, not as if the ESP has ever been of any use anyway! . . Think I'll just ride it out till I get a quick rack and get it sorted then.

Just something that had always puzzled me...

 

[Prawn]

tracking costs £36 at Pro tyre, and it'll sort it. if you've adjusted anything height wise since getting the car then all bets are off man. Didn't french also change the front coilovers the day you bought it? tracking will be way off, and needs re-doing every time you touch anything on the front end really.

 

[VAG-Slag]

Didn't french also change the front coilovers the day you bought it?

Yea, forgot about that... Do'h!

Ok, maybe I can deal with a basic tracking cost... Aint doing a full alignment though!

Thing is I'll most probably have to raise the front and rear so they can get the tracking machine on, from what your saying once I lower it again this'll deem the tacking obsolete? Also, i've had to put one of the adjusters about 5/6mm further up the strut (measured from where the thread on the strut starts) to get it sitting level, surely that isn't normal?

 

[smurfworth]

as said tracking will be out, had it on my previous a3, steering wheel was at an angle and tracking was way out. tracking only corrected at pro tyre and the wheel was straight again

 

[16Klappe]

I think its the wheels mate.

You should sell them to me.

 

[Prawn]

Thing is I'll most probably have to raise the front and rear so they can get the tracking machine on, from what your saying once I lower it again this'll deem the tacking obsolete?

If you go to a proper outfit like Pro tyre mate, the wheel clamps don't hook over the tyre, they clamp onto the rim edge, so unless you've got so much tuck that the top of the rims are 3'' inside the arch you'll be fine at any height

 

[S3_chris 11]

I have this problem with my a3 as soon as I put coilovers on and wound down to the bottom it would do exactly the same thing Except my steering wheel Iis to the right.. ive had them aligned and tracked made no difference at all. Diagnostics machine said it was the steering angle sensor plus a break in the wire on an abs sensor where my wheels have scrubbed gping over bumps.