car is steering/pulling to the right?
 

Hey guys, this is a huge mystery. I was in the small accident in my 1992 500E, everything was fixed up at the body shop and it was given back to me. It looks amazing and better than before except for one thing.

I noticed it was pulling right. I took it back to them, and it was in alignment, they drove it, and noticed it was pulling right also.

They've spent 3 weeks working on it, and they still can't figure it out. They replaced the whole left side and right side suspension, they tried rotating the tires. They've checked the frame and the frame is perfect. They keep telling me they have no clue and its a huge mystery to them.

They specialize in Mercedes, Porsches, and all the high end cars, they do all the body work for our Mercedes Dealership. It's not that their inexperienced, they've even worked on 500E's before.

Is there anyone out there who could suggest anything for them to look at? So when I call them I can ask them if they checked or replaced this or that. Anyone have a clue what it could be? Thanks!

What was the nature of the accident and where was the damage? In my experience, body shops are notorious for the lack of understanding of mechanical or electrical things.

E.g. a Plymouth Sundance my wife had went into the body shop after an accident, and when we got it back the battery kept discharging. Several returns later, and scratching their heads was the best they could manage. I checked a Haynes manual, found the computer - which contains the alternator regulating circuit - was located in the fender that had been involved. A quick trip to the local dealer shop and renegotiation with insurance solved the problem.

Steve

I agree with their electical lack of knowledge.

As for the accident, the left side was scraped, the wheels took heavy damage, then i fish tailed and the very back right most corner took a small hit.

So the damage was mainly in the back right corner, but the left side was scraped a little, and the left side suspension was shot. So they replaced that, then tried replacing the right side suspension to fix it.

Maybe electrical system that deals with the power steering or something like that?

Anyone have ANY clue?

It could be warped brake rotors or soemthing in the brake system since you checked all other possibilities.

Tires?

Thing I would consider

Was the car towed?
Tow Drivers are notorious for using the steering linkage as a tie down and will bend it when they tie down the car for transport.

Was the rear suspension checked in the alignment. It is adjustable.

Brakes
brake lines. Were they damaged. Steel and rubber
Rotors were they damaged.
Calipers is one hanging up.
Do you have ASR or any steering control system. Sheck the wire.

Steering. Was the linkage bent. Was the steering box damaged.
Was the wheel hub bent

The rear end. Was any component damaged. Bushings damaged?
Again did they do a 4 wheel alignment.

Dave

Although the elaborate body shops have frame-straightening equipment, most don't - and send it out to specialists. Did yours do a frame alignment check before repair? Bent suspension members have transmitted some of the absorbed energy to the frame, and it should be tested on a jig, not just eyeballed. Another possibility is damaged subframe mounts - these are active parts of the suspension, but may be overlooked, or damage not noticed. Since the subframe is replaceable, damage there may not show on the frame jig.

Steve

A myriad of problems can cause pulling; add a collision and it can be nearly impossible to pin point the cause. Try putting the left front wheel on the right side and vice versa and see if it starts pulling to the left. If it does then there is a problem in the wheel and/or tire. If that doesn't fix it, the shop will most likely have to throw parts at it until it is fixed. I hope you were not at fault and the other part's insurance carrier will have to dish out more money.

It was towed, I'm not sure how he hooked it all up.

it was a one car accident, though I was not at fault, though the guy did an eye witness report to the police blaming it on me so he was not at fault.

Basically he turned right on red, didn't look to see me in the lane he was turning right into, i had to swurve to miss him and i hit a barier.

So he "eye-witness reports" to the cops that i was speeding and he hadn't turned right on red in front of me. Whatever.

anyways

they do have an electronic frame device. I don't know exactly how they work and how they check. But they did show me a frame read-out that showed the frame was perfect.

the whole subframe was replaced, so i don't think its the subframe.

they did try rotating the wheels and the tires and that didn't change anything.

PLEASE keep posting ideas of what could be wrong and what they should check for. I'm going to let it accumulate and fax it to them so they can go over everything. Please don't be afraid to suggest anything, every little suggestion will help us solve this. Thanks guys!

I had a similiar mystery on an 86 Fiero that had been crashed by the P.O. turned out it was a VERY slightly bent right side spindle, overlooked by numerous bodyshop and alignment personnel. Replaced for $34, drove like new.

I launched my car over a curb once while avoiding and accident in the rain. The car was pulling to the right, so I assumed it was knocked out of alignment and took it in for adjustment. NTB put it on their rack and said alignment not needed (no charge). While diagnosing the problem with the mechanic, he said maybe I had damaged the steel belts in the tire. Rotated it to the rear and problem solved. Maybe both of your tires on that side are shot and you just rotated rear to front, front to rear and switched bad tire for bad tire.

I don't like to change direction of tires when rotating, but maybe if you got both those bad tires on the rear, you would see a difference. Then you can decide what to do about new tires.

thanks inspect and e320 :)

keep them coming pleeasseee

going to fax all the ideas tomorrow