I recently had my AEM cold air intake installed a couple days ago. The shop who installed it for me jacked up my S2K on the front right side in order to install the air filter. I watched him install the intake the whole time. On a couple occasions, I noticed he turned my wheel from underneath the car. Since the install, my car doesn't seem to drive straight - it drifts to the side a little now. And that "tight" feeling isn't as noticeable as before. Could my alignment be thrown off now? The car is only a few months old. He did also cut some plastic pieces below the car so that the air filter is exposed to suck up air. Could this have thrown off the "aero dynamics" of the car? My cousin said that anytime you jack up any car, it'll throw off the alignment.....is this true?

Thanks for any info

-Brian

 

It shouldn't but in your case, where you now feel something is not as it was, I'd have it checked. It's not expensive. If your alignment has changed it would have to be because something was or is loose.

 

Have you checked your tire pressures? I wouldn't do anything until you check the tire pressure on all of the tires.

It is not a problem to turn the wheel on any other car that I've worked on before. Just grasp one of the wheels and turn it. It should not hurt anything to do this.

Where did they put their floor jack when they jacked the car up? I wonder if they somehow or another managed to bend your steering linkage?

I have been working on cars for 38 years and I have never heard the story that your cousin told you, never. IF you don't know what you are doing and you put the jack in the wrong place all manner of BAD things can happen (like bending the floor pans, denting the fenders, bending/breaking the steering linkage, etc, etc). I think that your cousin's story originated from an experience where the mechanic put the jack in the wrong place. This happens all of the time (using the jack improperly).

Jacking the car up when the jack is used properly should not have any affect on the wheel alignment. I jack mine up all of the time and have never had a problem. The owner's manual shows you where the jacking points are.

Check your tire pressure first. Good luck on your problem,
Bob

 

Bob, I checked my tire pressure in all 4 tires. I found 2 problems:

1) All 4 of my tires PSI were at 40 lbs. I have no idea why they were put so high, but I'm glad I checked that.

2) As I was putting all the tires back down to the recommended 32 PSI, I noticed my back rear tire was a little flat. I rolled the car out a little and what do you know.......there's a nail in that rear tire. Apparently, it's been leaking air and that's what caused the drifting. Anyways, I'm going to get the tire patched up tomorrow morning. Thanks a lot for your help! If you hadn't of told me to check the pressures, I doubt I would have found the nail so soon. Thanks again!!!

-Brian

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by HondaS2K8888
[B] I rolled the car out a little and what do you know.......there's a nail in that rear tire.

 

Did you check your tires when they were cold? Seems to me your pressure readings increase with tire temperature.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Woodson
[B]