Hey everybody!

I spend more time lurking here at Driver than anything, but I just had a quick question.

A few months back, I managed to go over some rough road that knocked my passenger's side front tire out of alignment. It's not terrible, but it's enough that the toe/camber wear is eating up the inside of my passenger front tire.

Now. None of the lights (VDC, Slip/ABS/etc.) are on to indicate that the car is so out of alignment that it's throwing off the steering angle sensors.

So here's my question:

I took the car to my buddy's shop to get an alignment done this morning. However, he told me he couldn't do it without doing a relearn on the steering angle sensors, or it would mess with my VDC/ABS (he doesn't have the Consult tool, or any other tool capable of doing it). So, I thanked him for trying and went to my local stealership.

The head of the service department told me just the opposite, and that the relearn wasn't necessary unless the vehicle was way, way out of alignment, or the front end had been apart, blah, blah, blah. It should just be align it and go.

So, at the risk of getting shafted with a $200 bill for a four-wheel alignment from Nissan, with the relearn (which is painful to swallow, considering my buddy was going to do it for $75), I need to know. Anyone out there with experience on this that can give me some insight? I didn't think a relearn would be necessary, but my buddy's alignment machine is a machine Nissan was using to align cars at the factory, and apparently the software says the relearn is required.

I'd just rather not cough up $89.99 to Nissan, leave the car to get an alignment, and then come back and get the, "By the way...we had to do the relearn. It's going to be an extra $98," story.

A Consult relearn costs more than an alignment. That's the part I don't understand.

But at any rate, I appreciate the input. Thanks, guys!

Shouldn't need a reset as far as I know. I've had several alignments at tire shops. Needed a steering angle reset once, only when I had to replace replace the steering rack.

no. the only time you have to relearn the steering angle sensor is if you replace it or take it off and didnt put it back on the same way lol. i work at infiniti and do alignments every day.........

Okay, that's kind of what I figured. Thanks for the input, guys.

I went back, and thought about it a bit more common-sensically after I posted and was thinking, "Why in the world, if you're going back to OE specs, would it confuse the sensors?"

I guess I'll just have to let him know that I got that confirmed by both a Nissan and an Infiniti tech..

I have a similar issue. I'm getting a C1143 code which stands for steering angle sensor circuit fault and the slip and vdc lights come on. This happen after replacing the rack and pinion. I had an aligment done but the lights still come on.

Do I need to take it to the dealer so they can reset the angle sensor. A mechanic told me this was probably caused by movement of the steering wheel while replacing the rack and pinion.

Yes that's likely your problem.

I took it to the dealer and they reset the steering angle sensor with their consult machine. Charged me $152. Slip and vdc lights no longer come on.

smh... could of bought nissan datascan2 for half the price and did it yourself and have a great program for future use. I wouldn't go to the infiniti dealer unless I had to take a 12 pound ****

Cool! I already have NDS2, just replaced my steering u-joints, and have the VDC error (and crazy traction control behavior immediately after starting. Apparently the car thinks I'm sliding because it thinks the wheel is at a 45* angle.)

I love NDS2. Nice to find yet another use for it.