mischief

I had my car at an independent shop to do an alignment about a month ago. While they were doing the alignment, they noticed that my front lower control arm bushings were cracking.

Since I still have extended warranty on my car, I took it into the stealership to get them replaced yesterday. Now my car is pulling to the left. Are they suppose to do an alignment after replace the control arm bushings?

The stealership claims they don't have to do an alignment after changing the bushings and want to charge me for an alignment. My argument is that the car was tracking straight before I brought it in, so they must have done something to put the alignment out of wack.

Dingleberry

Clearly somebody must have played with the tie-rod adjustments, maybe a noob tech. Even if pulling off the control arms doesn't affect alignment, the fact that it was good before and now isn't means somebody screwed up.

TemjinX2

anytime you touch the suspension its best to get a alignment. I would take it to get aligned.

91RS

I don't understand it, my dealer said the same thing. I complained about a clunk in the front end of my old C230 and they eventually replaced what they called the thrust arm bushings. I asked him if they did an alignment and he said that those bushings don't affect the alignment. I wasn't sure what exactly they replaced because of what he called them, but after I got the car back the steering wheel was off center and the car pulled. I would have complained, but I traded the car instead. I do intend to let them know next time I'm in. I guess Mercedes doesn't think they need an alignment after bushing replacement if more than one dealer is saying the same thing about it.

mischief

Just a quick update. After squabbling with the dealership for the past couple of weeks, it was mutally agreed to get my car in and put on the alignment rack. I dropped it off this morning and I guess the toe and caster were off. The dealership is willing to cover the time to fix the caster as that can be affected by changing the control arm bushings. They are trying to hold me responsible for the 1 hr. of time to adjust the toe. They are saying that nothing they would have done would have affected the toe adjustment.

I've found articles on line saying that the toe is very sensitve to adjustments in caster & camber. Apparently adjusting the toe should be the last adjustment when doing a wheel alignment. Any thoughts?

I think I'm going to escalate this matter up to the dealership GM. I can't believe I have to pay to fix something that wasn't a problem before I brought my car in.

320 dreamer

i think you are on the right path. something to note, if the tires are in good shape with no abnormal wear that would be a good indication that the alignment was correct before being brought in. keep after them dont let them bulldog you into paying until all avenues have been used. in the end remind them this is all being documented and if it causes premature tire wear it can and will be setteled in small claims court!

91RS

If you adjust caster or camber, toe is affected and must be adjusted as well. And yes, toe adjustment is last. You adjust rear caster/camber first, then rear toe, then front caster/camber, and then front toe.