Just got my TCM xB and noticed the steering wheel is a little off center. It's about 1.5" left of center when driving straight down the road. Is this normal? Anyone else seen this?

Sounds like your alignment is off!

Check your tire pressures, mainly the fronts....if one side is a little lower than the other, the car will pull in that direction due to the increase in friction (more contact patch due to lower psi), and the slight difference in ride height (also, lower psi than one side = lower on the low side)

Alignment may be possible, but rolling with your statement of you just got it, I'd say that's rather unlikely since it's brand new.

And of course, the road grade may be slightly off......some places around town here have the roads slightly higher in the middle to aid in water runoff.

do you mean the top of the wheel is at 11 o clock when going straight or the fact that the wheel is actually 1" to the left of the center of the drivers seat? :) :) :)

Sounds like your alignment is off!


Yep what he said!

Hi. I've been on the board for about a year now and owned my XB for a year. This topic has been discussed before.

The off center steering wheel (to the left) in the XB is VERY COMMON! I don't know if the dealer fixes it free of charge, but the allignment is probably not off.

If anything needs to be alligned it's more than likely the steering wheel. I'm going to search for other threads and link them here if I find them. I've just lived with mine.
Here are the links:
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10764&highlight=steering+wheel+center+centre

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12911&highlight=steering+wheel+center+centre

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=737&highlight=steering+wheel+center

Appears to be a dealer fix...there's a DIY on the last link, but the dealer should handle the issue.
Cameron

Thanks, Cameron.

Yeah, it's the steering wheel that's off about 5 degrees to the left, the wheel alignment is perfect (as it should be on a car with 241 miles). If I can't seem to get over it I'll have the dealer fix it during one of the free oil changes.

If I can't seem to get over it I'll have the dealer fix it during one of the free oil changes.

If you're lucky they'll fix it. Make sure they do it right the first time. My dealer tried to fix mine once, they claimed they adjusted the toe settings (funny, the toe was probably never off) but it didn't change anything. When I went back they claimed nothing was wrong. I even went through NCDS arbitration over it and had Toyota deny any further assistance with the problem.

I guess I'm just getting used to it, but it would be nice to actually find someone who would find and fix the problem then give Toyota a nice, indignant phone call.

I had the same problem. I jsu ttook it back to the dealer adn said the steering wheel was off and not centered. so they fixed it. JSut take it back to teh dealer adn tell them to center the wheel adn they should.

I had the same problem. I jsu ttook it back to the dealer adn said the steering wheel was off and not centered. so they fixed it. JSut take it back to teh dealer adn tell them to center the wheel adn they should.


Mine is being fixed tomorrow.

Seem's like a pretty common problem? :(

Seem's like a pretty common problem? :(

Unfortunately....

yea it does seem pretty common. I have heard of a few people in my area having that problem also.

mine was off to the left also, but when i lowered it, it corrected the problem, until one day i was doing about 60 down a street i was unfamiliar with, and hit a huge dip. I swear the rear tires came off the ground. but anyways, after that, the alignment was wayyy off, so i took it to get aligned, and the guy fixed everything, and even reset the toe-in, and now it is even faster because the wheels are all perfect! get it aligned! :wink:

I test drove an xB the other day,and the steering wheel was "off" a bit to the right.The car tracked fine,but steering wheel was off.I do about 10 alignments daily on various vehicles,that does not mean your alignment is out,but whoever did it at the factory didnt set the steering wheel straight.I would take it back to the dealer and tell them to recheck the alignment and make sure that the technician sets the steering wheel straight.