Alignment???

[braggorkney]

Hi all,

New to the site and new to having a Prius. Got mine a couple weeks ago - love it so far.

In looking to the future and making sure the car stays in great working order, I wondered about alignment. My wife's Matrix blew through the first set of tires in around 15k miles. We got them replaced at a regular tire shop and the tech there said all new cars should have alignment check (and corrected) right away. Anyway, it true, I don't want to make the same mistake with the Prius. IT seems to drive fine (no pull) and the mileage seems fine (low 50s mpg on a 6 mi/15min commute plus some regular errand driving on flat to moderate hilly terrain).

Is it worth bringing it in and having the alignment done? Anything strange/special about what a dealer/garage needs to work on a Prius' alignment?

Thanks!!!

[dogfriend]

My car needed one. Some others also were out of alignment as delivered. Most dealers (none?) do not check alignment as part of Pre-Delivery Service.

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=3...mp;hl=alignment

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(braggorkney @ Aug 27 2007, 08:45 PM) [snapback]502947[/snapback]</div>

Hi all,

New to the site and new to having a Prius. Got mine a couple weeks ago - love it so far.

In looking to the future and making sure the car stays in great working order, I wondered about alignment. My wife's Matrix blew through the first set of tires in around 15k miles. We got them replaced at a regular tire shop and the tech there said all new cars should have alignment check (and corrected) right away. Anyway, it true, I don't want to make the same mistake with the Prius. IT seems to drive fine (no pull) and the mileage seems fine (low 50s mpg on a 6 mi/15min commute plus some regular errand driving on flat to moderate hilly terrain).

Is it worth bringing it in and having the alignment done? Anything strange/special about what a dealer/garage needs to work on a Prius' alignment?

Thanks!!!
[/b]

If it isn't pulling and you don't have any other symptons the dealer isn't going to just put it on the rack. I suspect you don't have anything to worry about. Not every car is delivered out of alignment.

[bwilson4web]

Checking the alignment:

1. independent testing - using Firestone or equivalent, buy a lifetime service. Pay a one-time fee, $125, and have the alignment checked at will until the car is sold. Be careful for these alignment service folks will 'find' stuff on a new car, even under warranty, that 'needs to be replaced.' Practice saying, "Thanks but I need to wait until <excuse>." If concerned, take proposed work to Toyota dealer to see if it is a warranty item and get a second opinion.
2. when tires are rotated - often included as part of the fee, you can also get the tread-depth checked, a secondary alignment test. If done within 5,000 miles, the risk is small for a good return. However, getting perfect alignment is not trivial.
3. when tires are replaced - the worst option since bad alignment and poor inflation may have caused the wear that forced a premature tire replacement.

Bob Wilson

[AOV]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(braggorkney @ Aug 27 2007, 08:45 PM) [snapback]502947[/snapback]</div>

Hi all,

New to the site and new to having a Prius. Got mine a couple weeks ago - love it so far.

In looking to the future and making sure the car stays in great working order, I wondered about alignment. My wife's Matrix blew through the first set of tires in around 15k miles. We got them replaced at a regular tire shop and the tech there said all new cars should have alignment check (and corrected) right away. Anyway, it true, I don't want to make the same mistake with the Prius. IT seems to drive fine (no pull) and the mileage seems fine (low 50s mpg on a 6 mi/15min commute plus some regular errand driving on flat to moderate hilly terrain).

Is it worth bringing it in and having the alignment done? Anything strange/special about what a dealer/garage needs to work on a Prius' alignment?

Thanks!!!
[/b]

The dealer is suppose to check the alignment as a pre-delivery service, if they do or not, whose to say. If you don't feel any pulling to one side, it should be alright.
I just had 4 new tires put on after 5K on the stock tires. I was told that an alignment is not necessary at that point by three different places (I was shopping around for the best price), unless of course, if I felt that there was pulling, which I didn't.
Enjoy your new car!

[patsparks]

Your dealer should have done this, it is one of the things that should be included in the pre-delivery fee. You do pay the dealer a pre-delivery fee there don't you.
It may pay to have it checked anyway.

[patsparks]

dah.

[dogfriend]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AOV @ Aug 28 2007, 04:26 AM) [snapback]503154[/snapback]</div>

The dealer is suppose to check the alignment as a pre-delivery service, if they do or not, whose to say. If you don't feel any pulling to one side, it should be alright.

[/b]

No, they are supposed to check if the steering wheel is straight, but they don't actually put the car on an alignment rack as part of the Pre-Delivery Service.


[attachmentid=10968]

If you don't notice any weird handling characteristics, and your tires are wearing evenly, then its probably in alignment. The problem is that if it isn't, you may get increased tire wear especially if the toe-in is out of spec, which was the case with my car.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bwilson4web @ Aug 28 2007, 03:46 AM) [snapback]503145[/snapback]</div>

...independent testing - using Firestone or equivalent, buy a lifetime service. Pay a one-time fee, $125, and have the alignment checked at will until the car is sold.[/b]

Courtesy of galaxee.

To properly align a Prius requires a scan tool to to reset the zero point calibration. The traction control uses this calibration to determine how far the steering wheel is turned. If the zero point calibration is off, the car can be going straight forward but the traction control may think that it is turning. If that were the case you would not be able to accelerate. It is important that the zero point calibration be correct.

Somehow I doubt that Firestone or equivalents technicians will know how to do the job right.

[dogfriend]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 28 2007, 02:49 PM) [snapback]503445[/snapback]</div>

[url=http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=19223&view=findpost&p=266936]

Somehow I doubt that Firestone or equivalents technicians will know how to do the job right.
[/b]

Based on my experience, I doubt that some dealers will know how to do it right either. Mine didn't. They actually made the front camber worse. Hopefully some dealers are better than mine was w/r/t alignment.

I wondered about the zero point alignment being messed up on my car, but have no symptoms or problem with the traction control. My car was harder to steer to the right than to the left, but that problem has gone away after fixing the rear toe and front camber issues.