Centering the Steering Wheel?

[The Beanster]

I just took delivery of a CPO'd 2011 Turbo S from Barrier Porsche in Bellevue Washington. I noticed that the steering wheel is not centered. On a flat road, if I let go of the steering wheel, it drives straight but the steering wheel is at the 12:30 position (off by a few degrees). I'm somewhat mechanically inclined. Any chance a normal schmoe can align the steering wheel himself? If so, is there a DIY anywhere?

Edited February 20, 2014 by The Beanster

[JFP in PA]

I just took delivery of a CPO'd 2011 Turbo S from Barrier Porsche in Bellevue Washington. I noticed that the steering wheel is not centered. On a flat road, if I let go of the steering wheel, it drives straight but the steering wheel is at the 12:30 position (off by a few degrees). I'm somewhat mechanically inclined. Any chance a normal schmoe can align the steering wheel himself? If so, is there a DIY anywhere?

The easiest way is to center the wheel while the car is sitting on an alignment rack, and then readjust the tie rod ends on the steering rack until the wheels are correctly aligned. I'd suggest this is a job best left to the pro's unless you have an alignment rack in your garage........... Talk with your service advisor at Barrier, they might just do it for nothing.

[Ahsai]

Um, can you just put the wheels straight, remove the airbag and steering wheel and then recenter it on the spline of the steering column?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHAgw8Rs3QM

Edit: since it's a CPO, why don't you take it back to the dealer to ask them to fix it?

Edited February 21, 2014 by Ahsai

[JFP in PA]

Um, can you just put the wheels straight, remove the airbag and steering wheel and then recenter it on the spline of the steering column?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHAgw8Rs3QM

Edit: since it's a CPO, why don't you take it back to the dealer to ask them to fix it?

That would totally depend upon how many spline teeth it is off on the shaft; more often than not, one spline is either not enough or too much wheel rotation. Adjusting the tie rods is infinitely variable.