Clocking steering wheel

[sdeck]

Does anyone know how slightly you can mis-clock the steering wheel after removing it? I noticed last week that I am having to turn the wheel a few degrees right to keep the car straight down the road. If I let go of the wheel, the car goes straight but the wheel is slightly off. If I straighten the wheel, the car moves right.

Last winter, I had the ignition lock replaced because it was frozen and they clocked the wheel way off when they reinstalled it. They fixed it and I thought it was fine. In September, I was involved in an accident that damaged the rear and front right side. I got the car back in December and thought it was all good. Drove for two months and didn't notice anything with the steering. Last month, I had the heater core replaced twice at the same (incompetent) dealership and I am wondering if they took the wheel off to make it easier to access the core? Would they do this and can they install it off by a couple degrees? I miss the old single orientation keyways.....

 

[jetlagmech]

when I replaced my turn signal switch I had to remove and instal the steering wheel couple times to get it right. I forgot to mark it and the factory marks aren't for exact position. very fine tooth spline on steering wheel. when I have done the heater core on other car brands, I have taken the steering wheel off since the entire dash had to be pulled forward.

 

[sdeck]

Dealer says they did not remove the steering wheel. Guess I'll take it to an alignment shop

 

[five7driver]

I'm having a similar problem. After my last alignment the steering wheel was off about 10 degrees to the right of centered and that is how it stayed until I recently did some work requiring loosening of front end components. Today I took it to my alignment shop and they said that they couldn't align it because one tie rod end would be all the way out at the end of the threads in order to get the wheel straight! Should the steering wheel be removed and moved ("re-clocked") to a new "center" position?

 

[sdeck]

I pulled my steering wheel and tried to check the marks. I'm about 90% sure it was off one spline, but in the wrong direction.
Im taking mine in to an alignment shop on Friday. I'll post what I found out.

 

[sdeck]

So I took it to a reputable alignment shop and the guy was perplexed. After setting the alignment (which didn't take much), the wheel was even further cockeyed and he couldn't straighten it out and it was now pulling to the right while the wheel was cocked left. So, he gave me my money back (reputable shop) and suspected something in the electronic steering. Driving home, the "Electronic Stability Control Error" message popped up and the ESC and tire sensor icons came on.

Day 2- took it to VW dealer. They diagnosed ($58) that the steering wheel was too far left and thats why the ESC error came up. They put it on the alignment rack and determined front right wheel was out of alignment, causing the pull to the right. After fixing that, the car drove straight but the wheel was still cocked so the tech pulled the wheel and rotated it to the straight position. Car drives straight, wheel is straight, but now when I start with the wheel centered and straight, it turns 1.6 to the right and 1.4 to the left. Dealer says it is normal. ***?