[Silver19]

I've taken my 2019 Impala to the dealership twice now. Two alignments later, new tires, and a new RF strut and the problem is not resolved. My car seems to constantly want to drift to the right. Obviously on a noticeably crowned road it's going to drift to the right somewhat, but I feel like it's excessive with this car. Even on a seemingly flat road the car wants to go right. While it has gotten better after the work was done and the new tires, I have never had a car that has had this tendency and required so many steering adjustments to keep it going straight.

The dealership loaned me a 2021 Blazer while my car was in the shop, and it handled perfectly. It drove very straight and required minimal effort to keep going straight. They told me that the Impala's "fat" tires might be causing the car the tramline more than I'm used to but I'm not sure if I buy it. After the second alignment and new strut, my steering wheel is off-center a couple degree's to the right now too.

Anyone else have a similar experience with their Impala?

 

[Darell pourier]

I've taken my 2019 Impala to the dealership twice now. Two alignments later, new tires, and a new RF strut and the problem is not resolved. My car seems to constantly want to drift to the right. Obviously on a noticeably crowned road it's going to drift to the right somewhat, but I feel like it's excessive with this car. Even on a seemingly flat road the car wants to go right. While it has gotten better after the work was done and the new tires, I have never had a car that has had this tendency and required so many steering adjustments to keep it going straight.

The dealership loaned me a 2021 Blazer while my car was in the shop, and it handled perfectly. It drove very straight and required minimal effort to keep going straight. They told me that the Impala's "fat" tires might be causing the car the tramline more than I'm used to but I'm not sure if I buy it. After the second alignment and new strut, my steering wheel is off-center a couple degree's to the right now too.

Anyone else have a similar experience with their Impala?

who's impala doesn't drive
straight

 

[Silver19]

who's impala doesn't drive
straight

I suppose I should have spelled out the question better.

Is your Impala more prone to tramlining due to road crowning (specifically to the right or down the crown) than other vehicles you've driven?

 

[VladThe]

Mine only drives straight when I'm sober. Sorry, that was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the original question. I have never tried letting go of the wheel to test, but I do not get an abnormal amount of pull when driving such that I would notice. Lot of other questionable things about the quality of the wheel bearings and suspension in general, but no pull.

 

[1954 Chevy]

Mine doesn't pull any, but used to wander a little bit both ways. Had an alignment done 2 weeks ago, and both fronts were out as well as 1 rear. It is doing much better now. I think the electric power steering making the steering feel so light contributes to this also, but I still love the way my '15 LTZ drives.

 

[Silver19]

Mine doesn't pull any, but used to wander a little bit both ways. Had an alignment done 2 weeks ago, and both fronts were out as well as 1 rear. It is doing much better now. I think the electric power steering making the steering feel so light contributes to this also, but I still love the way my '15 LTZ drives.

Any chance you got a print out of your alignment specs? I'd really like to compare them to mine.

 

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

Mine doesn't pull any, but used to wander a little bit both ways. Had an alignment done 2 weeks ago, and both fronts were out as well as 1 rear. It is doing much better now. I think the electric power steering making the steering feel so light contributes to this also, but I still love the way my '15 LTZ drives.

I have a 2014 Impala 2LTZ - purchased new and never wrecked or damaged.

The vehicle drives straight and doesn’t pull, other on severely crowned roads. I have always felt the electric power steering system has way too much assist, and there is no road-feel. The steering reminds me of the GM power steering systems in the 1960’s and 1970’s - when you could turn the steering wheel with one finger, while stopped.

I also have a 2015 Ford Expedition Limited 4x4 with the electric power steering. I know it is a much different vehicle, but it has perfectly weighted power steering and has a good road-feel.

 

[ahgu77]

Sometimes this is caused by worn tires, but since you have new tires on it should be caused by the improper alignment. Off-center steering wheel is an evidence that it wasn't professionally aligned, although this is very easy to correct even by yourself (you can Youtube it if you want to do it yourself).

 

[Cleatus1]

no-- mine is good
i had it aligned at a local shop-- not the dealer
maybe make sure they are doing 4-wheel alignment?

 

[See the USA]

Sounds like your dealer sold you some new tires and parked it. Not all dealers service departments are trustworthy. Our 2015 LTZ drives straight as an arrow, with 30K on it. I did put a new set of Coopers on it right after we bought it in October. Try to find an honest shop that will align your car like it was one of their own. They can be adjusted to specs and still drive poorly. The specs are too wide. There could be a combination of errors that need to be addressed. Replaced one strut??? If it was bad they are usually replaced in pairs.

 

[Bill58]

Pull Compensation
A small pull caused by the tires, road crown and loads can be eliminated by the electric power steering system. The motor can help to push against the pull. Some systems will learn how a vehicle is pulling. Eventually, the system will automatically compensate. You can clear this learned compensation with a scan tool.

 

[See the USA]

Thanks for that explanation Bill58. These late model cars have it all over me. I have aligned cars myself after a complete off the frame restoration. But I had access to a GM alignment man with a Bear alignment machine in his shop at home. I was always close but he was about to fine tune things for me to perfect.

 

[Silver19]

Pull Compensation
A small pull caused by the tires, road crown and loads can be eliminated by the electric power steering system. The motor can help to push against the pull. Some systems will learn how a vehicle is pulling. Eventually, the system will automatically compensate. You can clear this learned compensation with a scan tool.

Thank you for all the replies, I'm not sure why I stopped getting notifications for this post, but I'm glad I checked it.

Do you know if disconnecting the battery and touching the positive to a ground would be sufficient to reset the power steering assist? Either way I'm going to find a new shop that's willing to do a better job at aligning the car, and hoping be able to reset the power steering assist.