Steering Wheel Off-Center and Right Side Front Fender Emblem Unglued

SoCal Angler · November 20, 2023

Taking my truck in tomorrow to dealer to have front end aligned/center steering wheel. Alignment feels completely fine, but the steering wheel is slightly off center to left. I believe dealer has to go through the entire alignment process for warranty claim. Anyone else experience and off center wheel? I know of one other that posted about same issue.

Also, noticed the "6.6 GMC" emblem on right side front fender is coming unglued. It's the rectangular center piece that is coming unglued. I called parts dept and they said that part is sold as entire assembly with the chrome backing part as well as the rectangular emblem. It is clipped on from front. I'm not to confident dealer can replace without damaging surrounding paint (dent / scratch). I'm thinking putting a small amount of glue behind emblem and press it in and tape it until it dries.

Thoughts?

Another JR · November 21, 2023

I would suggest a 3M VHB tape product might be better than glue. There are several widths and thicknesses. You’d probably want a very thin one if the lifting emblem lays back down nicely.

SoCal Angler · November 21, 2023

Good point on 3M Tape over glue....If I decide to do it myself, I may try and remove and then replace it with thin 3M VHB tape

Edited November 21, 2023 by SoCal Angler

ember1205 · November 21, 2023

Why not talk to the body shop about the replacement before you do anything? They have access to the detailed repair information and such that we generally don't, they may well have done it before, and it might actually be an easier repair than what it appears.

Not to mention that whatever you do could count as a strike against you for a warranty claim down the road should you need one for something that occurs in that area...

If you DO end up doing it yourself, I would recommend VHB tape only. That's all that's used on vehicles for adhesion...

SoCal Angler · November 27, 2023

Went to my appt at dealer. First time being serviced at this local dealer. First time there (2 months ago) was for info.

My service tech was not all that customer friendly. He told me that alignment of steering wheel was difficult and that steering wheel may not be 100% straight when done and that tech needs to keep trying as the steering is hydraulic/electric which is VERY difficult to get steering wheel completely straight. It would take a full day leaving the truck as they are backed up.

I told him I was never told it would be 8 hours or I would not have made the appt. He checked with appt person and they rescheduled for next Wednesday at 9am when I can wait approx. 4 hours. he said timer is need for tech to get steering wheel straight. He stated he would order the new side fender emblem so It would be ready to also install on Wednesday when alignment is done.

I did not feel the service advisor was very customer friendly and made me feel as though he did not want to really do this alignment of steering wheel. I did not purchase this truck from this dealer as they are Chevy only and my truck is GMC. They are my local dealer in my hometown.

I feel as though perhaps I should leave well enough alone, not take my truck in for service, and just leave my steering wheel slightly off and live with it...as I may get truck back worse...with a pull and steering wheel off even worse!

And as far as emblem...that may damage/scratch my body and/or paint when removing /installing my new fender emblem!!!

What to do????

ember1205 · November 27, 2023

Generally, GM is GM when it comes to warranty. With the exception of possibly certain specific items that may only be available in the GMC that the Chevy dealer is not trained to work on, they can do the work. They aren't going to be paid any differently than if it were a Chevy they were working on. Service Departments and Sales Departments aren't usually inter-mixed on the finance side, and my Chevy dealer claims the two really don't even share customer/vehicle information (which is why they claimed they were "only guessing" at the milage on my truck when they sent me a trade-in offer).

It takes all day to get the steering wheel straight because it's electric power steering? My gut tells me that's a complete load of BS and I'd be pretty suspect of that. Personally, I would consider calling GMC Customer Service and opening a case for the various items that you are taking the truck in for. Get everything recorded with them and then get the case number. Also, broach the topic of taking it to a Chevy dealer for service and ensure that there is no issue on their side for this. Contact the service department at the dealership and let them know you opened a case with GMC to assist the overall process and ask them if they'd like the case number to add to the service order. Chances are, you'll piss them off by "going over their heads", but spin it as you're being helpful and trying to make sure that things go as smoothly for them as possible.

What you're really doing is creating a paper trail that they can't avoid. And if they screw anything up, it will reflect poorly on them if you end up having to go to another dealership to make it right.

Pryme · November 27, 2023

They are giving you a nice helping of BULL. Find a competent dealer.

MTU Alum · November 27, 2023

Setting the toe on these trucks can be difficult. I have had a tech take 15 attempts to get it right. The front axle mass is pushing 5000 lbs on diesels and the steering is compliant on center. If you drive on roads with a lot crown, the steering wheel will never be centered.

#iworkforGM

ember1205 · November 27, 2023

33 minutes ago, MTU Alum said:

Setting the toe on these trucks can be difficult. I have had a tech take 15 attempts to get it right. The front axle mass is pushing 5000 lbs on diesels and the steering is compliant on center. If you drive on roads with a lot crown, the steering wheel will never be centered.

#iworkforGM

Not necessarily. Whether the wheel is centered is more related to how the tech sets it relative to the roadways you drive on. If you're all around town, no highway, the tech can set the wheel to predominantly be centered in most scenarios. Similar if you drive a lot of highway. The techs will know the areas where they work and can set the wheel correctly based on area and driving habits. I've had a number of vehicles that i've "brought back" because they never centered the wheel correctly and they were able to adjust it properly based on the comments I gave them of my driving habits.

kylant · November 27, 2023

toe to get the steering wheel straight.

crown really affects how the truck drives down the road.

our roads are so bad here, one section will be fine, one will have the truck moving into oncoming traffic, then the truck will dart to the bike lane...

i have had my truck aligned a few times, last time I had them add a touch more caster to the driver side. truck drives better now than it has. steering wheel is straight most of the time, but sometimes it has to be corrected in either direction. i think it is as good as it going to get for now

SoCal Angler · November 27, 2023

My truck is gas so lighter at front end.

The steering is straight and truck does not pull while driving unless road is severely crowned. I believe the alignment is correct.

It's the steering wheel that is off-center slightly to the left (between 11-12 o clock) when driving on a flat road. There are a few left in my town!!

BTW....when is steering wheel considered straight if setting it is partially based on crowned roads?

I will call another Chevy dealer about 45min away (coincidently, same owner) and see what they say about steering wheel issue. There's also a GMC dealer about 45min away that I may also call, not that it should make a difference, but two other opinions may be good.

ember1205 · November 27, 2023

Electric Power Steering systems commonly rely on the wheel being properly centered as A) moving it in either direction causes changes in sensed voltages based on the position sensor and will then employ the assist motor in helping with the movement as needed and B) some systems will ALSO assist the entire setup by helping to return the wheel back to a centered position. What's considered 'centered' may be open to some level of interpretation if the system can be 'zeroed out' once the alignment is done to indicate that the steering COLUMN is centered even if the wheel isn't.

Because roads differ, my experience with various power assist systems is that the tech doing the alignment should be setting things to a position and adjustments to accommodate the majority of the driving conditions for the vehicle / driver.

newdude · November 27, 2023

5 hours ago, MTU Alum said:

Setting the toe on these trucks can be difficult. I have had a tech take 15 attempts to get it right. The front axle mass is pushing 5000 lbs on diesels and the steering is compliant on center. If you drive on roads with a lot crown, the steering wheel will never be centered.

#iworkforGM

4 hours ago, ember1205 said:

Not necessarily. Whether the wheel is centered is more related to how the tech sets it relative to the roadways you drive on. If you're all around town, no highway, the tech can set the wheel to predominantly be centered in most scenarios. Similar if you drive a lot of highway. The techs will know the areas where they work and can set the wheel correctly based on area and driving habits. I've had a number of vehicles that i've "brought back" because they never centered the wheel correctly and they were able to adjust it properly based on the comments I gave them of my driving habits.

Hop in one of these new 2500/3500 trucks vs. a 1500 and you'd see what MTU is talking about. The recirculating ball/linkage steering has a different degree of what appears as "play" or "wheel not centered" going down the road over the rack and pinion setup in the 1500s.

You can get the wheel as dead on nuts as possible and it might still be off going straight down the road. We've had plenty of them where the tech had to come back 4-5 times after a road test to get it as good as possible.

You can even hop in a brand new one off the lot and see this as well.

Daniel Bare · November 27, 2023

I have an appointment this Thursday for the exact same issue, steering wheel is to the left when driving straight. I'm dropping it off and picking up next day. Hopefully they get it right the first time. Salesman said loaner vehicles are available when service is required. Of course service department knows nothing about loaner vehicles.

Pryme · November 27, 2023

3 hours ago, SoCal Angler said:

My truck is gas so lighter at front end.

The steering is straight and truck does not pull while driving unless road is severely crowned. I believe the alignment is correct.

It's the steering wheel that is off-center slightly to the left (between 11-12 o clock) when driving on a flat road. There are a few left in my town!!

BTW....when is steering wheel considered straight if setting it is partially based on crowned roads?

I will call another Chevy dealer about 45min away (coincidently, same owner) and see what they say about steering wheel issue. There's also a GMC dealer about 45min away that I may also call, not that it should make a difference, but two other opinions may be good.

Are you in So California? As your name suggests? Should be tons of dealers if so? Although they are probably only good at aligning Prius’ teslas and tacomas lol I kid