Michigan Lemon Law Advice? - 9 wheel alignments

[Streetsweeper]

Can I lemon law poor wheel alignment? I've had 9 done, steering wheel is constantly off center so I am constantly drifting to the right (when wheel is straight). To me, I could argue this is safety risk (drifting into traffic, off the road, etc.), though primarily it is an extreme nuisance.

The dealer's latest trick was to hammer the subframe and "weld" material onto one of the caster washer/nuts.

I've read the rule here for submitting written notice to the manufacturer & giving them 5 days to repair the issue:

https://www.michigan.gov//documents/ag/2019_Michigans_Lemon_Law_648395_7.pdf

Has anyone else LW'd a Ram (or any vehicle) in Michigan that can provide advice here?

 

[Sinister.Ram]

PM me I have a Point of contact for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jack Whitefield]

Can I lemon law poor wheel alignment? I've had 9 done, steering wheel is constantly off center so I am constantly drifting to the right (when wheel is straight). To me, I could argue this is safety risk (drifting into traffic, off the road, etc.), though primarily it is an extreme nuisance.

The dealer's latest trick was to hammer the subframe and "weld" material onto one of the caster washer/nuts.

I've read the rule here for submitting written notice to the manufacturer & giving them 5 days to repair the issue:

https://www.michigan.gov//documents/ag/2019_Michigans_Lemon_Law_648395_7.pdf

Has anyone else LW'd a Ram (or any vehicle) in Michigan that can provide advice here?

Is this a new vehicle or used? Are you still in under warranty?

 

[Bram2019]

Can I lemon law poor wheel alignment? I've had 9 done, steering wheel is constantly off center so I am constantly drifting to the right (when wheel is straight). To me, I could argue this is safety risk (drifting into traffic, off the road, etc.), though primarily it is an extreme nuisance.

The dealer's latest trick was to hammer the subframe and "weld" material onto one of the caster washer/nuts.

I've read the rule here for submitting written notice to the manufacturer & giving them 5 days to repair the issue:

https://www.michigan.gov//documents/ag/2019_Michigans_Lemon_Law_648395_7.pdf

Has anyone else LW'd a Ram (or any vehicle) in Michigan that can provide advice here?

Need more info. Vehicle new. In an accident. Do you have printout from alignment?

 

[RJS]

Can I lemon law poor wheel alignment? I've had 9 done, steering wheel is constantly off center so I am constantly drifting to the right (when wheel is straight). To me, I could argue this is safety risk (drifting into traffic, off the road, etc.), though primarily it is an extreme nuisance.

The dealer's latest trick was to hammer the subframe and "weld" material onto one of the caster washer/nuts.

I've read the rule here for submitting written notice to the manufacturer & giving them 5 days to repair the issue:

https://www.michigan.gov//documents/ag/2019_Michigans_Lemon_Law_648395_7.pdf

Has anyone else LW'd a Ram (or any vehicle) in Michigan that can provide advice here?

I hope you get this resolved quickly but IIWM, as soon as the dealer started talking about modifications, I'd have a good independent shop look it over if you haven't done that already.

I agree it's a not normal and you never know what else might happen so if the lemon law approach is all that will work, go for it.

 

[Streetsweeper]

Is this a new vehicle or used? Are you still in under warranty?

Brand new 2020 big Horn 5.7

 

[Streetsweeper]

Need more info. Vehicle new. In an accident. Do you have printout from alignment?

Brand New 2020 big Horn no accidents. I only checked the print outs for green. Never cared to keep track of them as I didn't know things would get out of control like this.

 

[Dusty1948]

Brand New 2020 big Horn no accidents. I only checked the print outs for green. Never cared to keep track of them as I didn't know things would get out of control like this.

This is a 1500, correct?

regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 029945 miles.

 

[Bram2019]

This is a 1500, correct?

regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 029945 miles.

If you get a copy of the latest wheel alignment read out for front and rear alignment, send it to me PM. Maybe I can help. I need numbers from the alignment. The graphics don't really help as those are based on the specs in the machine used. Sometimes the listed specs in the machine are not correct. The service manual from FCA is whats accurate.

 

[rlc2020]

Contact a lemon law attorney, have all your invoices for shop visits on hand and they will either take the case or not. if they do, then you will probably be in good shape. they only get paid if they win so they work real hard at it. I know you can fight the big companies on your own, but I wouldn't bother. they take it much more seriously if you have an attorney, trust me on that one

 

[Streetsweeper]

This is a 1500, correct?

regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 029945 miles.

yes

 

[Streetsweeper]

If you get a copy of the latest wheel alignment read out for front and rear alignment, send it to me PM. Maybe I can help. I need numbers from the alignment. The graphics don't really help as those are based on the specs in the machine used. Sometimes the listed specs in the machine are not correct. The service manual from FCA is whats accurate.

I will send once I get my 10th alignment. Where can I find the FCA specs for alignment? Are they in my manual?

 

[Bram2019]

I will send once I get my 10th alignment. Where can I find the FCA specs for alignment? Are they in my manual?

They are in the FCA service manual which is available to FCA techs. It is online these days so it is constantly updated. That includes wheel alignment specs. Once you have the alignment, post a copy of the printout. I only need to see the raw numbers, not the graphic pictures. Post what you have. I am assuming your vehicle is totally stock. Any alterations change everything. Maybe I can help, maybe not.

 

[jmmurderedram]

Maybe I am mis-remembering my mechanic days or misreading the post (or too drunk), but technically speaking your steering wheel position is irrelevant to your alignment. Yes, you can do some adjustments, (to the toe if I recall correctly) to give some minor movement in steering wheel position, but your steering wheel could be upside down and your vehicle could be in perfect alignment.

If there is a position where your steering wheel can be where your vehicle drives straight with no left or right pull, the vehicle (outside the steering wheel position) is physically aligned at the wheels, and you have roughly an equal number of turns lock to lock (i.e full right or full left) from tires straight, then in my honest opinion your steering wheel is clocked wrong on the column, or the column is clocked wrong on the steering gear, or both. No amount of alignment will fix that.

 

[jmmurderedram]

Just want to add, if you do not have similar number of turns lock to lock, the outer tie rods are not evenly threaded down, or the rack and pinion is indexed wrong. Both of which can allow for a vehicle to be physically aligned at the tires, but off at the steering wheel.

 

[Lize]

The dealer's latest trick was to hammer the subframe and "weld" material onto one of the caster washer/nuts.

Theres no way they should have been doing that, they are more likely to introduce problems which cannot be tracked out, it'd have the same affect as being in an accident and being bent.
Without question I'd at least go somewhere else for your 10th alignment and have them give you their views of what the other place have done.

 

[Dusty1948]

I will send once I get my 10th alignment. Where can I find the FCA specs for alignment? Are they in my manual?

I'm not sure what you are dealing with. Road crown can affect the neutral position of the steering wheel. The industry generally compensates for this by providing a 0.6° to 1.0° bias to the left in the front wheel alignment, depending on various vehicle factors. In reality it will often be found that a steering wheel is not in perfectly neutral position when driving because road crown varies all over the place.

I'm not sure if you qualified exactly how much off from neutral you're experiencing.

However, I also believe you said the dealer's service folks were hammering on some suspension or frame components, which casts a much different light on things, in my opinion. Nothing like that should be necessary on a new, off the line vehicle, unless somethings been damaged.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 030019 miles.

 

[Streetsweeper]

Just want to add, if you do not have similar number of turns lock to lock, the outer tie rods are not evenly threaded down, or the rack and pinion is indexed wrong. Both of which can allow for a vehicle to be physically aligned at the tires, but off at the steering wheel.

I definitely need to check this!

 

[Streetsweeper]

Maybe I am mis-remembering my mechanic days or misreading the post (or too drunk), but technically speaking your steering wheel position is irrelevant to your alignment. Yes, you can do some adjustments, (to the toe if I recall correctly) to give some minor movement in steering wheel position, but your steering wheel could be upside down and your vehicle could be in perfect alignment.

If there is a position where your steering wheel can be where your vehicle drives straight with no left or right pull, the vehicle (outside the steering wheel position) is physically aligned at the wheels, and you have roughly an equal number of turns lock to lock (i.e full right or full left) from tires straight, then in my honest opinion your steering wheel is clocked wrong on the column, or the column is clocked wrong on the steering gear, or both. No amount of alignment will fix that.

I'll give this info to the dealership when I get in

 

[Dusty1948]

Just want to add, if you do not have similar number of turns lock to lock, the outer tie rods are not evenly threaded down, or the rack and pinion is indexed wrong. Both of which can allow for a vehicle to be physically aligned at the tires, but off at the steering wheel.

You have described the most common type of poor front end alignment issues and complaints.

When I started turning wrenches we had a clamp that attached to the steering wheel and over the brake pedal to hold the steering wheel in center and prevent it from turning while adjusting toe.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 030590 miles.