Reader asks about tire alignment on BMW
Wheels: JPJ asks: “I own a BMW 540i and I am very proud of it.
I try to keep everything clean and I polish it almost every week, weather permitting. When I had it to the dealer for service, I had them rotate the tires and change the engine oil. When it was on the lift, I rotated each wheel so that the BMW emblem on the wheels were all the same. I assumed that when the wheels were rotated, the technician did not bother to align the wheels in the correct location.
After the car was serviced, I drove to a store to do some shopping and then drove home. When I looked back at my car when I got home, I was shocked to see that the emblems on the wheels were no longer aligned as
I had them placed them at the dealer. In fact, all four emblems were in different places. I called the dealer and they said that this is perfectly normal and that there is nothing they can do. What is wrong with my car? Is there a transmission issue or a fault with the brakes? I am really concerned about the safety of my car, so any ideas or suggestions would be helpful.”
Halderman: This is perfectly normal. Each wheel rotates different distances when going around corners. The outside wheels must travel farther than the inside wheels. The car is designed to allow for these differences by using a differential in the rear (and front if all wheel drive). There is nothing that can be done, and there is no service or repair service required.