Here's a weird one. My '13 base MT with less than 2500 mi. on it feels like the steering is slightly biased toward the left. The car does not noticeably pull to the left either when driving or braking, but the steering wheel feels like there's pull toward the left. Another way to say it is that the steering wheel feels like it wants to "fall" slightly toward 11 o'clock instead of sit straight up at 12 o'clock. I have had no accidents. I have run into no severe bumps or potholes. I have checked and rechecked the tire pressure (but I'm gonna check it again). The tires show no wear or defects.

Possible problem:
1) Alignment.
2) Steering linkage.
3) Frame or suspension damage.

Possible remedy:
1) Back to the dealer?
2) Or take it to an alignment guy that I trust?

I would welcome any feedback you got. Thanks.

 

Take it to the dealer. Insist they align it. If they just drive it and say "It's ok," talk to the service manager. If all else fails take it to the alignment guy you trust.

I don't know if it's a dealer policy, but when I bought mine they said "adjustments" were covered in the first 12K. You shouldn't have to pay for it with 2,500 miles on it.

And yeah, I went through the same issue. They insisted it was "OK" and didn't check it on a rack. I drove that way for 30K miles before I had it aligned. This was at the time of putting new tires on (but the old ones shouldn't have worn that badly in 30K) so it's impossible to say how much better handling was due to new tires.

There is only one adjustment, toe-in, but this would have an effect on tracking.

 

Anybody got the specs for an OEM wheel alignment? Are they in the Owner's Manual (I'm not at home at the moment)?

 

They are very loose. Also, in the FSM.

I can check what toe is when I get home. Camber is 0 ±1

 

I took it to the dealer this morning, and they checked the alignment — both road test and on the alignment rack. I also spoke with the senior tech. He worked on the car. They say it's in spec and they gave me a sheet with the alignment figures for caster, camber, toe, total toe, and thrust angle. If I had the f.-ing shop manual, which neither Honda nor Helm offers, maybe I could tell something about something.

 

Here are the pertinent pages from the 09 shop manual. I don't think there's any difference between this and the '13. Compare with your 13's absolute measurements in its owner's manual.

 

I would check the tires by switching the front tires side to side, or front to back if you have directional tires. If the problem moves with the tires you have a tire problem.

The caster and camber tolerances are wide. Although toe out may provide better turn in it will cause most cars to be unstable in a straight line. The rear of the Fit has a big rear surface that doesn't help stability in side winds. Using a little toe-in will improve straight line stability.

My car had a slight toe-out when delivered. It wasn't very stable in side winds. I set it to 1/32" toe-in. That small change made the car a lot more stable.

Clifton

 

just go get it aligned. pay for lifetime. its a deal.

I always run -1* camber and ZERO toe in front.

Haters gon hate.

 

or the car is just following the crown of the road.


slight 11 oclock is not unusual if your toe is set at zero or slight toe out.

 

I shall. But I wanted a record in case the cause is frame or suspension damage that was there before they sold me the car.

 

I get what you're saying, but it doesn't feel like that.

 

3 comments:

1. Most roads are crowned on the right toward the gutter so water will run off. This means you have to steer slightly left to keep the car going straight when driving on the right side of the road. Try driving on the left side of a one way street or the left lane on a highway and see what happens. Maybe the steering will be straight or slightly to the right. If so, everything is normal.
2.If your tow is currently correct, but the steering wheel is not quite straight, the tech has to tighten one tie rod slightly and loosen the other the same amount. This will change your steering wheel center without changing the toe adjustment. Basically, what is happening is tow-in is increased on one side and tow-out is increased on the other and that will straighten out the steering with no net change in the tow setting.
3. If the steering is centered and tie rods adjusted more or less equally side to side, then the steering wheel needs to be removed and reset, but if the error is small, then the tie rods need adjustment instead.