Why your car pulls to one side: alignment, tires and suspension

First, rule out the road

Most roads are built with a slight crown so rain runs off to the sides. On a crowned road, many cars drift gently toward the curb. Before you worry, try the car on a flat, empty stretch, like a large parking lot, at low speed. If it still pulls there, it is the car.

Tires come first

Tires are the simplest cause and the cheapest to check.

• Uneven pressure. A tire that is low on one side makes the car lean toward it. Check all four with a gauge when the tires are cold, and set them to the number on the sticker in the driver's door jamb, not the number on the sidewall, which is the maximum.
• Uneven wear. If the front tires have worn differently, they can pull. Regular rotation helps keep wear even.
• A tire problem. A tire with a shifted belt inside can pull even at the right pressure. Swapping the two front tires is one way a shop narrows this down.
• A slow leak. The tire keeps losing pressure and the pull keeps coming back. A nail in the tread can often be repaired; one in the sidewall usually means a new tire.

Inland Empire summers matter here. Pressure rises and falls with temperature, so a tire set on a cool morning reads differently in afternoon heat. Check them through the seasons, not just once. Proper pressure also gives better gas mileage and longer tire life.

Alignment

Alignment is the angle of the wheels relative to each other and to the car. Potholes, curbs and ordinary wear can move it over time. The signs:

• The car drifts or pulls with the steering wheel held straight
• The steering wheel sits off center when you drive straight
• Tires wearing on the inside or outside edge
• Steering that feels loose or hard to hold straight

An alignment sets the wheels back to your vehicle's specifications. That keeps the car tracking straight, the steering wheel centered and the tires wearing evenly, which means longer tire life. New tires on a car that is out of alignment wear unevenly, so an alignment with new tires is a good idea.

Suspension and steering

If the tires and alignment are right and the car still wanders, look lower. Worn tie rods, ball joints or control arm bushings let the wheels move in ways they should not. Signs include clunking over bumps, a loose feel on the freeway, extra bouncing after a dip and steering that needs constant correction.

Suspension wear shows up slowly, so it is easy to get used to. Worn parts also make it hard for an alignment to hold, so they are usually repaired first, and the alignment follows the suspension work.

Only when you brake

If the car pulls only when you press the brake pedal, the cause is more likely a brake part, such as a sticking caliper, than the alignment. That is worth a brake inspection.

What to tell the shop

It helps to know when the pull happens: all the time, only on the freeway, only when braking, or only after a hard pothole. Tell us whether the steering wheel sits centered and whether anything was done recently to the tires, brakes or suspension. Those details point toward the cause before the car is even on the rack.

Cars with lane assist

If your car has lane keeping or similar driver assistance, an alignment can change what the forward camera sees as straight ahead. Many cars need their ADAS cameras calibrated after an alignment. We offer alignment and ADAS calibration together, so both are done in one place.

See our wheel alignment and steering and suspension services, or book a time.

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