I've just fitted 16" alloys to my stilo to replace the 15" steel wheels. All seemed fine. (although I only drove it home before going on holiday!) I had the car serviced at my local Fiat dealer this week and it now feels as though the car is pulling to the left constantly. Have they messed about with the tracking? (it was the 48,000m service), or do I simply need the tracking checking? If so where do you go? Kwick Fit etc or back to the dealer?


Thanks for your help

Why not get it done at a local tyre place that does proper laser-tracking...To be honest, I avoid the Kwik-Fit type places.

There is a place in Rugby called TW Tyres, who bend over backwards to help and advise.

This was talked about about a year ago about cars tending to pull to the kerb. I read somewhere that due to road camber etc, that this is a design feature, i.e. if you have a stroke you won't typically plow into oncomming traffic, just mince a few peds.

Anyhoo, the bigger the wheel foot print the more noticeable it will be.

Worth finding a good independant tyre place and get it laser tracked, Dont bother with the quick fit places ... you will go in for tracking and be told your Discs are warped, your pads are dangerous and your exhaust is blowing :tosser:

StiloBoy said:

if you have a stroke you won't typically plow into oncomming traffic, just mince a few peds.

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Maybe take out a few cyclists as well, for good measure.....

mines is pulling to the left now after it had its tracking done its by a 5deg angle. ive just not had the time to have it rechecked out again.
the pull is rather strong so it does gives your arms a bit of a strain after a while too

You been bumping up any curbs .... That will throw it out after a while.

How many miles have you clocked up? A worn track rod end can give you a pull to the left too. Mine did before I sorted it recently on 36K miles

I'd go back to the dealer first. Say the car was fine before they serviced it

On a side note - I went to my local tyre dealer to have a nail removed from one of my tyres today. I showed him the tyres with the inner wear and asked if he thought it was worth getting the tracking checked. He said he wouldn't do it, as the last time he did the tracking on a Stilo it ended up pulling all over the place, dispite being adjusted to spec.

If your tyres have been running off track and have worn at an angle then when you get the tracking set up correctly the car will still probably pull until the tread wears down evenly again. If it's been really bad then it really takes some flat worn or new tyres to see if the tracking is now running ok.

Then there's the new tyre problem. Sometimes even new tyres will track "off". I've had two new tyres on the front (on a different car) and it pulled left so, after finding absolutely nothing wrong with the suspension or steering, checking and rechecking many times, I change the front two tyres around and it pulls right! Great! :bang:

You've got to keep an eye on your tyres regularly chaps! At least every week. They're the most important thing on your car! Waiting until the metal is showing through on one edge is chronic for your safety and your wallet

I do my own tracking by old methods and is always 100% and more reliable than that done by the tyre shops. They don't even check whether you have any wear in the suspension/ steering BEFORE they do the tracking. Pointless trying to accurately track worn components

Thanks for your advice. I had it checked by my local independant Fiat specialist and they checked the tracking and claim its ok. I reckon it probably is just because the wheels are bigger and its a question of getting used to it! Also my main dealer will have road tested it as part of the service won't they? They won't have missed an opportunity to charge for something would they!?

I actually went to a local tyre place and they point blank refused to track a stilo! Apparently they have had nothing but trouble in the past with people complaining about the car being "messed up" after restoring it to Fiats recommended geometry. The mechanic said a number of local garages wouldn't touch Stilo tracking anymore and your only hope was a main dealer.

mbarratt2 said:

and your only hope was a main dealer.

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Were all doomed

Had it checked yesterday. it was one of the bloody tyres on the front that was to blame, so switched them around and it now pulls to the right. it isnt as bad though as it was at the time it pulled to the left, but I think the newest tyre will be comming off (some cheep thingy my dad bought and not the same as the other front) and the spare dunlop is coming out the boot

Excellent! Can't always blame the car you see. I'll keep an eye out for you wandering into my lane as you're used to pulling it right all the time

Never buy Halfords own tyres, ever they always wear badly and often warp causing very weird driving characteristics!

can say that about most things you buy at halfords