New 1LE steering wheel off center
 

Just picked up a 2021 1LE and much to my frustration the steering wheel is off center to the right. I didn’t test drive the car before I drove it off the lot, it only had 4 miles on it from the PDI so I assumed all would be in order like has been the case with previous cars I have purchased. I called the dealer back and the service tech told me this was completely normal and I had to wait for the suspension to settle. He said that Chevrolet will not allow them to do an alignment or any adjustments until 500 miles and he told me that 9 times out of 10 the problem would go away. This doesn’t sound right to me. I wouldn’t imagine that an unsettled suspension would cause this issue, and besides does a magnetic suspension need to settle in the same way as a traditional setup? I would think that the only way it could go away on its own is if the problem were tire related and wearing them in might correct the issue. Anyone else have a problem like this when the car was new, and is there any validity to the tech’s claim that this problem will sort itself out with miles on the car? I’m very sensitive to an off center wheel and this is completely spoiling the car for me.

Mine was the same way until the dealership adjusted the tie rods to re-center the steering wheel (they let me sit in the car and make sure the wheel is exactly where I want it to be). It's perfect now and been this way for a while, the setting hasn't "walked".

Not sure about this initial suspension settle "mileage policy", but I'd just drive those 500 miles and take it back in for an adjustment. You'll probably want to have the initial oil change at that point anyway, they might as well do that, too.

And, of course :welcome: to the forums and congratulations on the awesome 1LE you've just scored ;)

Alignments have been known to be off directly from the factory. Drive the car for the 500 miles and bring it in.

Are the spring spacers removed from the front springs?

My SS (non-1LE) was perfect. The settling theory sounds like BS to me. I’d probably bring it back and show the sales/service manager what the problem is and that you want it fixed.

The probably have other SS / SS 1LE cars there that they could drive for comparison.

I’d drive it the 500 miles an see if their theory is correct, most C7 vetted come with a whacked out alignment as well so drive the 5 and get it looked at an the oil changed.

I don’t now about the validity of the suspension settling claim, sounds more like a policy to get people to wait. I’d say 9/10 most people forget about it and/or decide it’s not a big deal.

I’d just wait the 500 and then take it in to have it straightened.

Sounds like bs. Mine was straight from the factory. Alignment was off a little in the front and way off in the back.

As long as the shipping spacers were removed, that car is as settled as it's going to get. Look for orange spacers in the front springs. Assuming that's taken care of, this problem is as simple as getting toe set properly. Either demand that the dealership fixes it now, or file a complaint with Chevy and find another dealer. The issue with the steering wheel being off center is very minor. The bigger concern would be if the car has significant toe in or toe out, which will wear the front tires. Don't drive 500mi before addressing this.

Thanks for all the responses. Spacers have been removed. I found two of them in the trunk. The car does not pull at all, the steering wheel is just slightly off center. Maybe a couple degrees, but very noticeable to me. Pretty sure it’s just a simple adjustment of the tie rods that’s needed here. I believe the dealer was full of it when he told me to wait, I’m thinking either he was lazy or trying to get a paid alignment job out of me down the line. The only thing that I could think of that may make it go away would be the tires wearing in. Perhaps it’s a slight anomaly in one of the tires that is causing this? The dealer told me the wheel was set at the factory and an alignment is not even part of the PDI. Does anyone know if this is true?

yea they dont align the cars when you get them i would take to alignment shop and have them do the track alignment while you there where you located in cali btw?

Yep, it's just the tie rods that need to be adjusted to get the wheel straight, and the total toe should also be checked. No, it is definitely not the tires causing this. And you are correct: toe being out of adjustment cannot cause a pull. It can only cause the steering to be off center and/or the tires to wear poorly.

Yeah, in California. Got one of the last 2021 SS before the ban.

where in cali are you? socal norcal etc?