Sensor Alignment Concerns on Thrust Alignment
06-12-2018, 08:39 AM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Sensor Alignment Concerns on Thrust Alignment
I took my '17 AR (with pre-sense camera and 360 cameras but without the front radar sensors) in for its 40k service today and planned to have it aligned. I was informed that Audi policy is now that if the car requires adjustment to the rear wheels the 5 hour sensor alignment is now mandatory. They claim that not doing the sensor alignment (including the 360 cameras) is a safety issue and that's why it's required. They also claim that not aligning the sensors will cause it to start throwing error codes.
I'm not about to start paying $600+ for an alignment, so I'm planning to take it to an independent for the alignment. Has anyone here done an alignment that required adjustment to the rear wheels without also aligning the sensors. If so, did you get error codes thrown?
Thanks in advance.
I'm not about to start paying $600+ for an alignment, so I'm planning to take it to an independent for the alignment. Has anyone here done an alignment that required adjustment to the rear wheels without also aligning the sensors. If so, did you get error codes thrown?
Thanks in advance.
06-12-2018, 06:34 PM
#2
AudiWorld Member
Soooooo....
Everything on your car is calibrated to each other.
If you change the rear Toe angle, that can cause a need to change the front Toe angle also. Once you start messing with Toe angle, you mess with steering angle and the sensor that is in the column.
The steering angle sensor in the column is just one of the sensors that write to the ABS, traction control, rear view camera, etc... etc... etc....
Therefore, if you change the toe you must calibrate the rear view camera to be accurate, the rear doppler radars read off the "square" rear wheel angle (blind spot assist and the backup traffic alert). All those advanced systems for driver aid are calibrated to each other in some way shape or form. You must calibrate them all together to get them to be happy.
All that said, you "should" have them all calibrated and if you don't you run the risk of systems throwing a fault and not working properly.
Any independent will gladly align your car for you, keep in mind with all the sensors they may make it worse. If they get too wild, you will be aligning it with them, then with the dealer....
What is your concern with the alignment? Are you just doing it because you are in the habit of getting your cars aligned at certain milages, or because you have a tire wear concern?
Everything on your car is calibrated to each other.
If you change the rear Toe angle, that can cause a need to change the front Toe angle also. Once you start messing with Toe angle, you mess with steering angle and the sensor that is in the column.
The steering angle sensor in the column is just one of the sensors that write to the ABS, traction control, rear view camera, etc... etc... etc....
Therefore, if you change the toe you must calibrate the rear view camera to be accurate, the rear doppler radars read off the "square" rear wheel angle (blind spot assist and the backup traffic alert). All those advanced systems for driver aid are calibrated to each other in some way shape or form. You must calibrate them all together to get them to be happy.
All that said, you "should" have them all calibrated and if you don't you run the risk of systems throwing a fault and not working properly.
Any independent will gladly align your car for you, keep in mind with all the sensors they may make it worse. If they get too wild, you will be aligning it with them, then with the dealer....
What is your concern with the alignment? Are you just doing it because you are in the habit of getting your cars aligned at certain milages, or because you have a tire wear concern?
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