Edition 35 - pulling left/right at high RPM?

[d80s0q]

Hi folks, I'm hoping the collective mind here can help me :)

I picked up an Edition 35, 5 door, DSG 3 weeks ago. It replaced by beautiful Edition 30. It's a lovely car aside from one thing which is really bugging me and making the experience less good than it should when you have a new car:

When I accelerate hard the car pulls left/right as if it's got torque steer or something. I have checked the tyre pressure and all is set properly. The front tyres are worn but road legal.

As I experience this it gets my mind going and I think (but am not sur if real) I feel some pulling at normal speeds/RPM too.

Any thoughts on what this could be? I don't think it's meant to happen - my edition 30 never exhibited this. I was thinking wheel allignment (although that would pull me one way or the other, right?), suspension damage or a remap (though bought from a VW dealer so doubt this). Anything else?

I was going to ring the dealer as still in my 30 days so hoping they will check it out rather than pushing me to the warranty guys and then not doing anything. Needless to say this is not making me happy :(

[Dan_FR]

Take it straight back and tell them the car is not driving straight. They should check the wheel alignment for you I would think.

After some suspension work mine recently the toe/tracking was out by around 0.25 (tolerance at most places is something like 0.06). The car was horrid to drive and incredibly unstable at high speeds. Can't say I noticed anything on acceleration as I didn't drive it fast until the alignment was sorted.

Definitely worth taking back if unhappy though as it doesn't sound right at all

[Stupots]

Mine did something similar and it turned out to be badly worn front wishbone bushes.

Hope you get it sorted.

[d80s0q]

Thanks chaps, very helpful info. I have now got it booked in with VW tomorrow. Starting with a test to hopefully allow the technician to experience it, then onto the checks such as (I hope) wheel alignment checks and so on). I will let you know how it goes - hopefully they'll see the issue and know how to fix it, do that and my drive home will be as it should. I hope...

[d80s0q]

OK, car is with VW. Tech guy rode with me and issue wouldn't properly present itself - typical. We didn't really have the road to accelerate though so unsurprising. He did feel vibrations from the underpanels though, so he agrees *something* is wrong. Hopefully he fixes that and it's the same cause as my issue with it.

I'm so frustrated tho. I tested it twice and no issues, now from picking it up 3 weeks ago it's not right and making me feel bad. I do hope they just resolve today, and accept it's on them, rather than my fault in 3 weeks (of sensible normal driving!!!)

[th3_f15t]

Any updates on this?

[d80s0q]

Hey, yeah. Been a tough couple of days. I got the first call yesterday afternoon. Nothing wrong with it. I explained a few things and apparently the service woman didn't even know the tech guy had noticed a vibration. Anyway, wait a couple more hours. Wheels misaligned, will align them. OK, cool. Then again I get a call, telling me they got their tyre expert in and he noticed uneven wear. They thought this might have impacted the vibration.

Got the car back today. It seems to me, given how it had driven for 3 weeks since I got it, that they sold me a car which was never in a condition to sell it. The wheels got misaligned and damaged the tyres. It passed an MOT but had worn patches. This is what caused the loss of traction day one (I lost my right wheel entirely) and was causing at least part of my issue - it was not driving straight but sometimes that was because the front wheels would feel like they'd gone/slipped and then the steering wheel vibrated left/right. They didn't hesitate to do any of this for free without needing teh warranty info.

Driving it home the issue I had seen was better. There is some pull, but more like a torque steer issue. A lot of what I was getting and thinking was wrong, had gone. At least in those 26 miles. They told me to monitor it and come back if still issues.

That drive home today was the best yet....for half of it. Then the vibrations kicked in, which the tech had noticed, and by the end of my drive my legs were humming. None of these issues had presented in test drives as my original issue was clearly only happening at times when the acceleration and worn patches combined, and the vibrations come and go.

So, will try for a few days then book it back in. They did visual check on suspension and no issues they said, but it must be something like that causing vibrations, no???

I am Much happier than I was as I was figuring my issue was tyres/wheel alignment and they sorted that. Not happy with current issue but they admit that exists so figure will be easy to get them to keep going with it? We shall see. Have major problem with the state they sold me the car though. Their 143 checks / used approved system doesn't work so great if they can sell me a car which at times is a safety risk!!!

Anyone else had issues with their cars like this, or indeed VW themselves?

[th3_f15t]

That's pretty bad man, hope it gets sorted soon. If I were you, get it jacked up and on axle stands, then get under there yourself with a torch and some gloves and have a good look yourself and a poke around. You don't need to be a trained mechanic to spot a loose bolt or worn/perished bush.

Failing all this, try a local independent place to have a second opinion.

[rich83]

What tyres are on it?

[Dave J]

Sorry to hear of your woes. Sounds as though it could be bad bushes or something if it gets worse after the alignments you keep having?

For me - Approved VW means jack. My previous 1.8t bought as an Approved used VW at 20k, turned out to have had accident damage, and poor repairs, which meant rusting on the OSF rear wheel arch, many years later. The supplying dealer (Ridgeway Reading) didn't want to know. It was due to a stonechip apparently. Still, my fault for thinking a dealer might be interested in a future sale to a customer after the current one...

Since which, I have steered clear of VW, and have entrusted my car to VW independents, whereby you can look under your own car, and be shown the bad parts taken off. VW dealers are a joke. Crap like being charged for screenwash when the tank's full. Get lost...

At least you can keep throwing the keys back to them at the moment! Hope you get it sorted...!

[d80s0q]

Hi folks. Sorry I've not responded earlier. Since all the above I've only had a chance to drive the car a couple of short distances as I've been away with work. Today I should get a decent drive to London and then hopefully a nice drive around some of my 'test roads' in the evening all being well. A proper chance to see if the tyres/alignment has fixed the original issue and see if the vibrating keeps coming back.

They put some continentals on the front, and it had recently had some new rears (a decent brand again, Goodyear Eagle I think).

I might well get an independent to check it if the problem isn't resolved by VW, but of course get VW then to fix it!

Dave J - that hadn't occurred to me; by chucking the keys back you mean as they recognise this issue they will keep looking to fix it (plus I have a 1 year warranty)? Or did do you mean that if on a PCP you can do that early versus the agreement?