VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 16 Jun 2018 23:35
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - imran shahid

Hi everyone, hope somebody can help.

I purchased a VW Passat CC 2009, 2 weeks ago from a independent car dealer. It has 54k mileage and also has all the spec I needed. The only issue I have had with it was it was pulling to the left as soon as I got on the motorway. Due to work I could not take the car back to them until a week later and by then it was pulling much stronger than before. To cut a long story short they did the tracking for me, but a few days later it was pulling again so I opted to take it to a garage of my choice. They concluded there wasn't any suspension or Axel issues with the car and the previous alignment was just not done correctly on rear wheels. After having the adjustments done, I drove on the motorway and even though the car was much better, it is still pulling to the left.

After eliminating tracking and suspension issues out the only thing I suspect is the tyres and I am hoping somebody can help.

The tyres are as follows

Front offside Contisport 235/40r18 - decent amount of tread left

Front nearside Continental 235/40r18 - decent tread left

Rear offside Bridgestone 245/18 - decent to low tread

Rear nearside Random budget name 245/18 decent to low tread

The thing I don't understand is should the tyre sizes be different? and could this be causing the pulling?

Also with 4 completely different tyre brands and tread patterns, could this be causing the pulling?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice it will be appreciated.

I just don't want to risk spending £300-£400 on brand new tyres on the car if they are not the issue.

Thanks again.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 00:12
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - Energyman
Four different tyres I would think would guarantee handling issues, shouldn't mix like that.
Each onw will have different characteristics of grip on different surfaces and in different temperatures and weather conditions.
Could try swapping tyres on LHS to RHS to see what happens, as long as they are not directional, in which case just swap front for back.
Also a possibility a tyre could be directional and fitted incorrectly, ie on wrong side for direction of travel.
You really shouldn't have this mix of tyres on a vehicle.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 00:37
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - gordonbennet

Wheel alignment is a complicated business, there is much more involved than just tracking the front wheels, which i suspect is what has been done by the initial selling dealer, i wonder if it's been adjusted equally both sides...you can check this roughly by counting how many threads are showing on each track rod end...if not done equally the steering will pull.

It could be an issue with castor or camber one side, or even the wheelbase being different either side when it should be identical, which sometimes happens after a kerb or pot hole or similar strike or previous accident damage.

As Energyman i would have suggested swapping the tyres over to see if the pull changes sides, but only if the tyres are not directional, i have no idea if the car is supposed to have different sizes front/rear (any mention in the handbook or on the tyre pressure sticker?), but i'd be wondering why the car has such a mix and match of odd tyres, not even one pair among the lot.

You've done the obvious, checked tyre pressures?

Edited by gordonbennet on 17/06/2018 at 00:42

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 01:06
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - imran shahid

Thank you for your reply. From what i heard today at protyre, the dealers only did 2 wheel tracking and now the 4 wheel tracking has been done including checking camber toe castor etc. As for the mix of tyres, when I initially returned the car on them, they came back with 2 front tyres changed to the part worn contsport and continental, as well as a tracking receipt.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 01:01
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - imran shahid

Thanks for the advice, I think I will try and have them switched over tomorrow if the shop is open. So am I correct in thinking that if it now pulls to the right, then the tyres need changing? and if it pulls to the left still, then its not a tyre issue?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 09:43
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - gordonbennet

Thanks for the advice, I think I will try and have them switched over tomorrow if the shop is open. So am I correct in thinking that if it now pulls to the right, then the tyres need changing? and if it pulls to the left still, then its not a tyre issue?

That's more or less it, if the car feel differently then it does point to different tyres causing the problem.

Have you ascertained yet if the car should have different sizes front to rear, that's usually the preserve of high spec RWD models.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 17 Jun 2018 11:08
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - Peter.N.

Contrary to popular belief incorrect tracking does not normally cause the car to pull to one side, it does wear the tyres out though.

By far the most likely cause is defective or mismatched front tyres.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 18 Jun 2018 07:52
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - edlithgow

Wanna bet?

Could be, I suoppose, but (as described and assuming it hasn't already been eliminated) assymetrically binding brakes seems a lot more likely

IMO, of course.

Unless you;re pushing the envelope, or have some fancy AWD setup, tyres are just tyres.

OP, try checking if the side its pulling to gets hotter than the other side. You could use an IR thermometer, but cautious use of the back of your hand might be good enough.

Edited by edlithgow on 18/06/2018 at 08:14

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 18 Jun 2018 09:38
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - gordonbennet
OP, try checking if the side its pulling to gets hotter than the other side. You could use an IR thermometer, but cautious use of the back of your hand might be good enough.

Good point, though i'd have thought a brake would have to be stinking hot to cause a constant pull to one side.

A good way to check for binding brakes is to choose an uphill layby situated on a quiet dual carriageway, or a convenient motorway service area (the latter i use Leigh Delamere westbound whenever passing to check for any slightly binding brakes or warm running hub bearings on my lorry which is fully loaded at that point), the idea is that you don't use the brakes at all but slow to a stop on gears alone, hence why a long uphill layby is ideal...then simply walk around and touch all wheels, any sort of developing issue will be obvious to the touch.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 18 Jun 2018 23:05
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - industryman

Tyres have a side pull due to certain aspects of their construction. This pull will not always be noticeable and varies in magnitude and direction from tyre to tyre. It also varies with the direction of rotation of the tyre. If the tyres are not directional changing them from side to side on the car will often cure a steering pull.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 19 Jun 2018 17:40
VW Passat CC 2009 2.0TDI DSG 140 - Passat CC pulls to the left even after tracking - edlithgow

Tyres have a side pull due to certain aspects of their construction. This pull will not always be noticeable and varies in magnitude and direction from tyre to tyre. It also varies with the direction of rotation of the tyre. If the tyres are not directional changing them from side to side on the car will often cure a steering pull.

I'm having a bit of trouble getting my head around this.

IIF its true generally that non-directional tyres have a significant side pull (which is how I read it) then, since the tyres are bi-laterally symetrical as far as the fitter is concerned, with a matched set of tyres, theres a 1 in 2 chance of both tyres on an axle pulling in the same direction, and (I think) a 1 in 4 chance of a side pull on both axles, which could be in the same or different directions, the latter probably worse.

I'd expect this to cause widespread handling problems, which Id expect to have heard of.

I havn't.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....