HELLO,

I PURCHASED A 530I WITH SPORT AND PREM PACK ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT, IT SLIGHTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN I'M DRIVING. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE ALREADY AND ACCORDING TO THE MORONS AT IRVINE BMW, THE CAR HAS BEEN ALIGHNED AND THE AFS SENSOR HAS BEEN SET - WHAT EVER THAT MEANS. I'M TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THE THIRD TIME TOMORROW. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT FEELS THE SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR RIDE AS WELL? SORRY, I WISH I HAD A HAPPIER FIRST POST FOR YOU GUYS, BUT I'M PRETTY BUMBED ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION. ANY HELP FROM YOU GUYS WOULD BE GREAT!!

THANKS,

 

I haven't heard of any widespread issue with alignment. The AFS sensor most likely refers to the "Active Front Steering" and would probably deal with centering the steering wheel.

Welcome to the forum -- you might do us all a favor and stop shouting... (don't use all caps).

Enjoy your car!

 

Welcome ultrasound!

 

YOU DON'T NEED TO SHOUT!!! (Try the Caps Lock key)

Seriously - try another car and see if it does the same... The stiff suspension and tyres cause quite a bit of tramlining and it could be normal.

 

If wheel allignments do not help, it might be in the tire it self. Try switching your tires from left to right and try it then. I have had a problem with a 3 series in the past and it turned out it was a defect in the tire reather thena wheel allignment. And TRUST ME you don't want to mess with wheel allignments because the car will always feel different and not the way it should after the allignment. BMw dealers do not do allignments properly on their cars.
Try rotating tires first.

Good Luck

 

What do you mean bmw dealers don't do alignments properly? Why not? And who would do them right? I think sometimes it can't be avoided. Please elaborate. Thanks.

Sam

 

Do you have Dunlop Run-Flat tires? If you do, my bet is you are getting a pulling from those tires.. Why? I don't know, but I have the same thing. I am always feelign like I am fighting the road, and many times, the car jsut wanders to the right..

 

You might try getting the car to a real alignment shop. I've found that the factory alignment isn't alway what it should be and the dealer doesn't really have the tools to figure that out.

 

Thanks for the feed back. Sorry for the "ALL CAPS" (for those of you who took offense). and yes I am running the Dunlop run-flats, and to be honest I really think that is what's causing the problem. I ordered some custom made Asanti 132's in a staggered 20" (9 front, 10 rear) , I get them in next week. Hopefully the drifting will stop. I am wrapping them in Nitto NT555's.

Has anybody installed H&R lowering springs on a sport pack car? I have them here and I'm still hesitating to put them on until I get some feedback.

Gracias!

 

I don't have the same steering tendencies that you report with my Dunlops. Have you checked tire pressures? Dealers aren't too good at getting the correct tire pressures front and rear. Use what is on your driver side door post. Tramlining is not necessarily pulling to the right. Tramlining usually will seem like wandering. Crowned roads often pull to the right. Get on the center lane of a three laner and see if it any better. Hope some of this works.

PS: Also check to see if the dealer has about a 200 lb. (maybe 180) weight in the driver side when aligning. I understand that is the approved procedure for Bimmer specs.