[Andystroh]

Last night I took my vehicle in to swap to winter tires and figured I’d start the lifetime alignment service Firestone offers. I got the tires swapped, but they were unable to perform an alignment because the vehicle wasn’t in their system. He didn’t know if that was because it was new, or because VW was only going to allow dealers to perform it. The latter sounds unlikely, has anyone had a similar experience? Any success with lifetime alignment at another shop, or another Firestone?

 

[7S POWER]

Why did you need a wheel alignment in a new car for? Did you see any uneven wear on the shoulder, cupping, bald spots etc. on any of the tires? Driving on a flat straight road and with the hands-off, does the steering wheel swerve to the left or right? If none, then I would just save your money and call it a day.

 

[fireboy92k]

My guess is it's just because it's that new. The car isn't in a lot of systems. My insurance company doesn't even have it in their system yet for instance.

That said, like my Audi Q5, a non-dealer will probably only ever be able to do a 'regular' alignment (what you want obviously), but not an alignment that includes all these sensors, etc. The latter is a much more expensive alignment that I hope you never have to do. I had to do it on the Q5 once because the Audi Pre Sense kept going off randomly, and it was almost $200 for the tires and the 1 sensor. I can't even begin to think what it will cost for something like the VW.

But not sure with low miles why you'd need an alignment unless you detected something was wrong? (pulling, cupping, grinding, etc.)

 

[Andystroh]

Didn’t need an alignment, but Firestone offers a one time $179 fee for lifetime alignments. My plan was to just get one each I switch winter and summer tires to make sure they wear evenly. I lost a pair of winter tires prematurely a few years ago due to a bad alignment so I wanted to make sure it was in good shape when I put on some new tires.

 

[RocketVol]

I have the Firestone lifetime alignment on every car I have and have always been super happy with it. Have not taken the ID.4 in yet for that, but will do the same. Everyone uses pretty much the same equipment and major tire centers can do the same alignment as the dealer, just much cheaper. I did see on Firestone's website a while back that they can do the safety systems alignment. I am betting it is just an add on feature to the Hunter alignment machine.

 

[Don]

You should be able to get the alignment specs for the ID.4 and take them in to him and he should be able to manually put them into his machine and do your alignment. What he was telling you is that his computerized machine doesn't have a listing for the ID.4, so he didn't have the specs to align it to

Any good alignment shop should be able to do a custom alignment - Your 2002 Sports Car is in their machine, but you don't want it aligned to the stock spec. If Firestone can't do that, I would find another shop

Don

 

[fireboy92k]

I did see on Firestone's website a while back that they can do the safety systems alignment. I am betting it is just an add on feature to the Hunter alignment machine.

That's a good thing to know!

 

[RocketVol]

That's a good thing to know!

not to advertise for Firestone, but the last paragraph of this page is where they state they can do the safety systems alignment: Why Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems Require Special Alignment | Firestone Complete Auto Care

but I am betting any major tire retailer would be able to do it

 

[fireboy92k]

I think that's cool. Made me go look up at least the Hunter system to do it. It's no simple add on to existing systems it looks like, but good to know in the future I can get it done someplace else other than the dealer hopefully. Audi's was expensive for what my current car has on it for ADAS. The VW will be like 200x more stuff!

ADAS Calibration Solutions | Hunter Engineering Company®

It's also funny when I search Google for 'i.d4wheel alignment parameters' this link is top of the list: Wheel Alignment - 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 | Firestone Complete Auto Care

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

Alignment on ID4 is more complex than just Alignment of the axles.
Depending on the model it will require headlights calibration and adaptation and front facing camera calibration and Adaptation.
So be careful who you choose to preform this and how honest they are and do they have necessary tools and equipment for this.

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

Calibration machines for headlights and front facing cameras are 15k+ dollars cheap versions.
Days of old fashioned alignment are long time gone if you have safety nannies factory installed.
Some things are best to be repaired by trained technicians....even if you are budget oriented owner.

 

[FASTGOLFR32]

Calibration machines for headlights and front facing cameras are 15k+ dollars cheap versions.
Days of old fashioned alignment are long time gone if you have safety nannies factory installed.
Some things are best to be repaired by trained technicians....even if you are budget oriented owner.

/
Are you still a VW tech?

Also-Your are 100% correct (for those that may doubt you), the ID.4 can not just get a basic alignment. All the other systems need to be recalibrated as well and right now, only VW dealers have the software do it. Firestone uses Hunter alignment machines but they do not have the live access feed VW service departments have to perform the software alignment updates for the driver assist features. If I could do it with my VAG-COM, I would.

Now, the main question, what is a reasonable fee for an alignment at the VW dealership for an ID.4?

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

/
Are you still a VW tech?

Also-Your are 100% correct (for those that may doubt you), the ID.4 can not just get a basic alignment. All the other systems need to be recalibrated as well and right now, only VW dealers have the software do it. Firestone uses Hunter alignment machines but they do not have the live access feed VW service departments have to perform the software alignment updates for the driver assist features. If I could do it with my VAG-COM, I would.

Now, the main question, what is a reasonable fee for an alignment at the VW dealership for an ID.4?

I seen prices around 250-500 depending on how much time is used to get it right. Calibration and adaptation is 20-30 minutes job.
With so many nannies this days pushed on the owners it is not possible doing just basic alignment.

 

[Bill]

I seen prices around 250-500 depending on how much time is used to get it right. Calibration and adaptation is 20-30 minutes job.
With so many nannies this days pushed on the owners it is not possible doing just basic alignment.

Just brought my FE in for 20,000 mile service. They told me my rear wheels were out of alignment, and I needed to do a full alignment. Cost for alignment estimated at $399.95, plus another $600 to replace both rear tires.

 

[Mark Magiera]

Just brought my FE in for 20,000 mile service. They told me my rear wheels were out of alignment, and I needed to do a full alignment. Cost for alignment estimated at $399.95, plus another $600 to replace both rear tires.

Bill,
I am going to surmise that the rear tire alignment was declared outside spec due to excessive wear on the rear tires that have worn to the inside wear bar, yet the rest of the tread was even & the tire pressure was correct to spec. If so, I have heard this myself, as have too other ID owners who are comparing notes...

 

[BlueDH]

😖 gotta' love these VW dealers. Gotcha' right where it hurts.
I would like to see it writing. And I don't believe that they are the only ones who can do a 4 wheel alignment.

 

[Bill]

Bill,
I am going to surmise that the rear tire alignment was declared outside spec due to excessive wear on the rear tires that have worn to the inside wear bar, yet the rest of the tread was even & the tire pressure was correct to spec. If so, I have heard this myself, as have too other ID owners who are comparing notes...

The invoice I was given after my 20,000 mile service says the following
Rear tire showing inner wear areas. Alignment is out. Mount and balance 2 tires ... $595.93 4 wheel alignment with ACC and LDW ... $399.95

I actually had the TPMS display a warning just before I went in, but when I checked all tires were at the correct pressure. I asked them to check, and they just checked the pressure was right then reset the TPMS.

 

[PANZERidIV]

Gotta pay to play. Can you align a Tesla at the Grease Hog?

 

[Mark Magiera]

The invoice I was given after my 20,000 mile service says the following
Rear tire showing inner wear areas. Alignment is out. Mount and balance 2 tires ... $595.93 4 wheel alignment with ACC and LDW ... $399.95

I actually had the TPMS display a warning just before I went in, but when I checked all tires were at the correct pressure. I asked them to check, and they just checked the pressure was right then reset the TPMS.

This inside tire wear has been mentioned by others in the forum, usually as a line in parallel with the tread depth discussions of the stock tires. I have been keeping a memory count (not only on this forum) of ID4 owners with at least 15K plus miles on their '21 models & specifically the inside tire wear on the rear slicks. Never the overall tread depth, maybe 1 or 2 & those were with 30K on what I would say is a 40K tire (9/32).

In other more technical comments, the culprit isn't assembly or alignment. More it is tire design for a "fleet of all manufacturers" & specifically paired with the rear drivetrain on the MEB. The motor is delivering specific torque where the handling & cornering on the power AND the regen AND the weight of the car. Place all these factors together & in real world the points of greatest friction on this specific chassis with this specific tire is going to see wear on the inside rear slicks.

Another more difficult point to assess is driver AND terrain/type of roads the car is on. A few who have countered my POV from the hear no evil, see no evil speak no evil crowd: I took the time to see where they drive. They are not chiming in from the twisty road sections of the county, but harken from the "grid/flat road" parts of the county. Also not from mix season, but warm to hot. There also not driving on roads that see a plow blade all winter either (last summers quiet paved roads are already rumble strip loud after one winter on my I-89 roads. No difference between that & a machine ground road prepped for resurface: same rumble). So wear of where the rubber meets the road & what the road is consisting of also makes a difference. Heck here in New England you can tell what state you are in by the conditions of the road...

 

[Huey52]

So rotating the rear wheels/tires side-to-side may be useless (not that I/we planned to do so)?

Will have to even more closely watch for disparate wear across the entire tread face as we really want to avoid having "slicks." Especially as we started out OEM with effectively less tread "shaved" tires to promote lower roll resistance.

This inside tire wear has been mentioned by others in the forum, usually as a line in parallel with the tread depth discussions of the stock tires. I have been keeping a memory count (not only on this forum) of ID4 owners with at least 15K plus miles on their '21 models & specifically the inside tire wear on the rear slicks. Never the overall tread depth, maybe 1 or 2 & those were with 30K on what I would say is a 40K tire (9/32).

In other more technical comments, the culprit isn't assembly or alignment. More it is tire design for a "fleet of all manufacturers" & specifically paired with the rear drivetrain on the MEB. The motor is delivering specific torque where the handling & cornering on the power AND the regen AND the weight of the car. Place all these factors together & in real world the points of greatest friction on this specific chassis with this specific tire is going to see wear on the inside rear slicks.