Audi wheel alignment in Elk Grove

California freeways are crowned to shed water, so every car drifts a little toward the shoulder. Try it on a flat, empty parking lot instead. If your Audi still pulls, if the steering wheel sits off-center when you are driving straight, or if the tires are wearing on one edge, the alignment has moved.

Alignment is the set of angles that decide how each tire meets the road. Audi specifies those angles for every model and suspension, and when they drift, steering precision, tire life and efficiency all drop with them.

The angles we set

• Toe: whether the tires point straight ahead or angle in or out. Toe is the most common cause of fast, feathered tire wear.
• Camber: the inward or outward tilt of the tire seen from the front. Wrong camber wears one shoulder of the tire.
• Caster: the tilt of the steering axis seen from the side, which gives straight-line stability and steering return.
• Thrust angle: whether the rear axle points straight down the centerline. Get it wrong and the car tracks slightly sideways with the wheel centered.

quattro. With all four wheels driven, all four corners matter. Out-of-spec angles scrub tires and make the drivetrain work against itself, and the composed feel Audi engineered goes with them. That is why an Audi gets a four-wheel alignment, not a front-end adjustment.

Adaptive and air suspension. On models with adaptive air suspension, such as the A6, A7, A8, Q7 and Q8, the car changes its ride height. The alignment has to be set with the car at the correct reference height, or it will be wrong in every drive mode.

Driver assistance. Adaptive cruise, lane guidance and Audi pre sense rely on cameras and radar aimed along the car's direction of travel. Changing the thrust angle or replacing steering and suspension parts can mean those sensors need recalibration. Your service advisor will tell you whether yours does before the work is done.

Alignment rarely drifts on its own. It gets knocked out. The concrete slab joints on Highway 99 and I-5 hammer the suspension thousands of times a week. Potholes after the winter rain, the rough county roads out toward the Delta, and a curb taken too tightly in a parking lot can move a setting in a single hit, especially on low-profile tires with little sidewall to absorb it.

If you have hit something hard, or your steering wheel is no longer centered, have it checked now rather than at the next service. A misaligned car can wear the edge off a new tire in a few thousand miles.

Alignment is the geometry. The tires are what it wears out when the geometry is wrong. If your tires are already worn on one edge, they will need attention too; our Audi tire service page covers what happens next. When new tires go on, align at the same visit so the new set starts straight.

Audi Elk Grove runs alignment offers through the year. See the current ones on the Audi service and parts specials page.

Every current and recent Audi, including quattro, S, RS and e-tron models: A3, S3, RS 3, A4, S4, A5, S5, RS 5, A6, S6, A7, S7, RS 7, A8, Q3, Q4 e-tron, Q5, SQ5, Q6 e-tron, Q7, SQ7, Q8, SQ8, RS Q8, Q8 e-tron and e-tron GT.

• Factory-trained Audi technicians who work to Audi's alignment specifications for each model.
• Four-wheel alignment, every time.
• A complimentary multi-point inspection with every service visit.
• A service record against your VIN.
• Online scheduling any time of day, right off Highway 99 on West Stockton Boulevard.

How often should an Audi get a wheel alignment?

Have it checked whenever new tires go on, after any hard impact with a pothole or curb, after suspension or steering work, and whenever the car pulls or the steering wheel is off-center. Your technician can also check it during regular maintenance.

Why does an Audi with quattro need a four-wheel alignment?

quattro drives all four wheels, so the angles at all four corners affect tire wear, stability and the drivetrain. Setting only the front leaves half the car out of specification.

Will my Audi need driver-assistance recalibration after an alignment?

Sometimes. If the thrust angle changes or steering and suspension parts are replaced, the cameras and radar used by adaptive cruise, lane guidance and Audi pre sense may need recalibration. Your service advisor will tell you before the work is done.

What are the signs my Audi needs an alignment?

Pulling on a flat surface, an off-center steering wheel when driving straight, tire wear on one edge, or steering that feels vague or needs constant correction.

Does air suspension affect alignment?

Yes. Models with adaptive air suspension must be aligned at the correct reference ride height, which requires putting the suspension into the right mode before measuring.

Do I need an alignment with new tires?

Yes. If the alignment is off, new tires begin wearing unevenly from the first mile. Aligning at the same visit protects them.

Is wheel alignment covered by the Audi warranty?

Alignment is normally a maintenance item. If a manufacturing defect caused the problem, your service advisor will review warranty coverage with you.

Are there alignment specials?

Audi Elk Grove runs alignment offers through the year. Current offers are listed on the service and parts specials page.