ok guys, I got a question. my fiance and i took her car (04 grand prix) to the dealer to get an oil change and rotation along with a rear door problem under warranty. her steering wheel is also a little off center towards the right. my 03 1500hd was the same way and also my 05 dmax the steering wheel is a little towards the right side. anyways, we asked if this was an allignment problem from the factory. now i dont really believe what the service manager said, let me know what you think. he said "well...gm makes all the steering wheels to the right so when you fall asleep at the wheel, you wont veer into oncoming traffic, you know as a safety feature." i'm serious, thats what he said. so is this the truth, or plain BS. i thinks he is full of it. let me know.

Could be as simple as the road being sloped to the right.

Just the steering wheel off to the right is an alignment issue, toe to be exact. Alignments are set to slightly go to the left to compensate for road crown. You shouldn't feel a pull to either side with a proper alignment

no it doesn't pull to either side, its just a little weird that all these steering wheels are tilted towards the right. even on a flat surface going straight

yes yes yes, I thought I was nuts until now. My steering wheel(on a flat, straight road) is tilted to the right, I just noticed it a few days ago(already over 20k miles). Dosen't really pull, well sometimes but I wean that out as road slope? Mine tilts to the right, it can't be normal.

There is an adjustment, but I don't know where. I had a similar experience. Before alignment, the wheel was to the right, after alignment, it was to the left. I took it back to the alignment place and they checked it out, swapped tires, ect, then the guy adjusted it and it was better. I asked him what was out and he said he had to adjust the steering. I am not a suspension guru, so I can't tell you where to look for this adjustment, I can only say that there is an adjustment.

It is a VERY VERY easy fix, Just adjust both tierods the same way about a 1/4 turn at a time. You will see the wheel correct itself or start to correct its self. Another 1/4 turn if needed until it is like you want it. Do make sure your are making your tires adjust it the same direction, both to the right, this part does take a bit to figure.
DAN

My 05 was the same way. Dealer reset the toe and all is better now.
Rick.

A good allignment shop can straighten the wheel and make the car go straight. Factory allignments can suck as I have had brand new vehicles pull to the right or left straight off of the show room floor. I know your post is regarding the position of the steering wheel but IMO, the wheel should be straight up and down... not to the right or the left.

VR :beerchug:

Hello,
That service manager totally insulted you!! A good alignment tech could take your car around the corner, and adjust the tie rods. He should know which way and how much on the first try!!!
I would have taken that service manager aside and told him he was full of beans!!
Some managers will say anything to make you leave. Den.

The service manager is an idiot or just BS you.
The alignment on the truck can be set up so the truck goes straight and your wheel is upside down if you want to. The wheel is ususually set at the straight position and then locked in place with a tool that holds it there and then you adjust your tie-rod's to the correct alignment spec's.
Take the truck back and tell the service manager you want the wheel straightened out, and if he think's "GM set's the wheel to the right so that you drive off the road in case you fall asleep" tell him I said he's an IDIOT and need's to go back to school.
GMCSID is correct that most alignment's are set to compensate for the crown in the road but the wheel should still be straight. If the alignment was set up that way and you drive on a perfectly flat road you may notice a slight pull to the left.
To do a alignment correctly you should have a 1/2 tank of fuel and place 150lbs of weight in the drivers seat to compensate for the average size driver, might need a couple more poundss in my case ;)
Any way where the wheel is pointed really has nothing to do with the alignment and should be pointed straight no matter what the spec's are and what is compensated for.

DD

Go inside the dealer, and ask to speak the the sales manager. Tell him you have not filled out the survey yet, on your new 05 dmax. Tell him what the service guy said. Then tell him if it's not addressed to your satisfaction, you'll Christmas-tree the survey with all "poor" ratings.

They'll respond to that.

When I have an alignment done, I tell the tech to NOT add any compensation for the slant of the road.

I drive on enough different roads that if adjusted for a right side down crown, and I am on a leve of left down, the vehicle will "drift" to the left.

I want to control the truck, not the other way.

My .02