Bad Alignment after 22k miles for 2018 Outlander PHEV

Our 2018 outlander PHEV's OEM Toyo tires got really bad at the rear driver side tire with 22k miles due to bad alignment. We got a new set of 4 Michelin Premier, some $820 from Costco after discount of $150. Also got the alignment done at local mechanic for $50. Very disappointed with Mitsubishi for one year old car with bad alignment.

May I ask why you’re disappointed? Dealers here aren’t equipped for this level of analysis and adjustment.

I take my car to an independent tyre garage after every service and when new tyres are fitted(I have written about this before) and they have a machine that produces a report just like yours, and every single time both ends of the car need adjusting. It’s not a fault, it’s a consequence of driving the car.

By the way, here such adjustments are £80 a time, but I buy a 2 year, visit as often as I want, package for £200. This represents a massive saving for me as I go 3 times a year.

Also, I expect my garage to get all results within the centre section of each graphic, and They don’t ever fail to achieve that result. Your car needs to go back for rechecking, and you shouldn’t be paying.

Note to self: get alignment done after next service.
Thank you for sharing.

Tai

Steel188 said:

I take my car to an independent tyre garage after every service and when new tyres are fitted(I have written about this before) and they have a machine that produces a report just like yours, and every single time both ends of the car need adjusting. It’s not a fault, it’s a consequence of driving the car

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Steel188 said:

represents a massive saving for me as I go 3 times a year

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Unless your commute is from the jungle to the mountains and back, I'd say there is something wrong when your car needs alignment three times a year :shock:

My previous car has been aligned once, after replacement of the DSG gearbox. The two cars before have never needed alignment (200k kms / 125k miles each including mountain holidays and towing a caravan). As long as there is no excessive tyre wear and the car drives well, I don't see why I should have this done.

As I usually drive 80k kms with one set of tyres and even after 200k kms the previous cars drove straight when I let go of the steering wheel, my conclusion is there is no need to have my car aligned three times a year any time soon.

Steel188 said:

May I ask why you’e disappointed? Dealers here aren’t equipped for this level of analysis and adjustment.

I take my car to an independent tyre garage after every service and when new tyres are fitted(I have written about this before) and they have a machine that produces a report just like yours, and every single time both ends of the car need adjusting. It’s not a fault, it’s a consequence of driving the car.

By the way, here such adjustments are £80 a time, but I buy a 2 year, visit as often as I want, package for £200. This represents a massive saving for me as I go 3 times a year.

Also, I expect my garage to get all results within the centre section of each graphic, and They don’t ever fail to achieve that result. Your car needs to go back for rechecking, and you shouldn’t be paying.

Click to expand...

I usually get alignment check every time I got new tires which are usually 30k to 50k miles. For a one year old outlander, that's bad and I don't go offroad. BTW most dealers in LA got alignment machine for this kind of work but they charge a bundle like $200 so I used the local mechanic for $50.

yardbird88 said:

Steel188 said:

May I ask why you’e disappointed? Dealers here aren’t equipped for this level of analysis and adjustment.

I take my car to an independent tyre garage after every service and when new tyres are fitted(I have written about this before) and they have a machine that produces a report just like yours, and every single time both ends of the car need adjusting. It’s not a fault, it’s a consequence of driving the car.

By the way, here such adjustments are £80 a time, but I buy a 2 year, visit as often as I want, package for £200. This represents a massive saving for me as I go 3 times a year.

Also, I expect my garage to get all results within the centre section of each graphic, and They don’t ever fail to achieve that result. Your car needs to go back for rechecking, and you shouldn’t be paying.

Click to expand...

I usually get alignment check every time I got new tires which are usually 30k to 50k miles. For a one year old outlander, that's bad and I don't go offroad. BTW most dealers in LA got alignment machine for this kind of work but they charge a bundle like $200 so I used the local mechanic for $50.

Click to expand...

Note that when your tires are worn at 22k miles, you have been driving around with bad alignment for some time already. If you haven't hit anything (and your wife doesn't stutter when you ask her :mrgreen: ), my guess is it wasn't ok when you got the car.

A lot can happen in between driving out of the factory in Japan and the car being delivered to you. E.g. I've seen how boats are unloaded and, to put it mildly, those guys are usually in a bit of a hurry unloading your new car.

Have you ever noticed the car pulling to the left or right?

We used to own a Mazda5, and they are notorious for wear on the rear tyres caused by poor alignment. Even getting them checked and fixed once a year wasn't often enough. That's just driving 17k miles a year on regular UK roads.

I drive between 30k & 35k miles a year, and have you seen the state of many of the roads here?!?

As I commented in a recent thread, 10k is on or inside the M25 (ie in London) and I regularly have to pass through Milton Keynes. For those that don’t know, this is a town based on a grid of national speed limit dual carriageways with roundabouts at every junction, where the locals get extremely cross if you don’t take everything at maximum possible speed with your tyres screaming for mercy

Here in the UK 25 - 30k mikes from a set of front tyres, and 50 - 60k from the rear ones is good going.

The roads here are generally quite rough and certainly give the suspension a serious workout on a daily basis.

Before I had my car checked for the first time, it drove properly, there was no steering wobble and the car tracked properly when I let go of the wheel. However, as I had taken my 4 previous cars to the same place, I thought I’d give it a go, the transformation was miraculous. The car just felt better, even more planted on the road, more settled and the steering went from more than acceptable to sharp.

It’s like tuning a piano, you don’t realise it needed doing until it’s been done, then you wondered why you waited so long.

When the roads are tough there's not much you can do. Pleasing crossed locals by tearing up your tires and suspension going over roundabouts on two wheels is a choice. When you tear up your tires, you pay the bill and they won't notice you. When you decide not to, you won't have any additional costs and they will forget about it two minutes later.

Bonus is if enough people decide that "not crossing the locals" isn't a goal on itself, less stressfull driving will be the new normal in no time