Car Pulls in One Direction? 3 Things You Shouldn’t Ignore

Posted on | 12 Aug 2017 By Anita Gaal

In Dallas, Garland, Arlington, and Fort Worth, TX, areas the need for reliable transportation is apparent in our daily lives. The first signs of car trouble can be daunting, making it awfully appealing to simply ignore them or try to forget they exist. Staying on top of maintenance schedules and paying for repairs can become costly and time consuming; however, when things go wrong with your car it can only increase the need for maintenance and repairs, costing you more money in the long run when you don’t partake in preventive maintenance for your vehicle. One of the most common symptoms of inadequate maintenance is uneven wheel alignment. Off-center alignment can also be due to an impact or as the result of an issue with the suspension. More importantly, wheel alignment affects the other parts of your vehicle like tire wear and gas mileage. If you are having issues with the alignment, there are several signs that you should not ignore. Here are 3 of the most apparent symptoms of poor wheel alignment that should never go overlooked:

It can be fixed with a wheel alignment

If you notice that your steering wheel is noticeably pulling oddly in one direction, you may have issues with the alignment. It is important to test this out on a flat, open road; streets generally are not flat or straight inherently, but they are cambered and rounded so that water can run off the sides into drains and keep from pooling in the middle of the streets. It may be normal for your car to slightly pull in one direction, depending on the road—so make sure you pay attention to how noticeable the wheel pull is and in what conditions it is most apparent. This can usually be fixed with a wheel alignment, unless there are other issues with the suspension.

Off-center steering wheel

Another symptom of failing alignment is an off-center steering wheel. As previously mentioned, most streets are not perfectly level; you should take this into account when examining the centeredness of your steering wheel. Ideally, when the car is parked the symbol in the middle of the steering wheel should be mostly even and level. If you notice that the steering wheel is not returning to center after a turn, or one hand seems slightly higher on one side even though they’re in the same position on both sides of the wheel, then you should bring your car in to a trusted automotive shop for an inspection—it might be time for an alignment.

Uneven wear in tires

Lastly, but certainly not least, if your car is in need of an alignment you may notice uneven wear in your tires. The tires on your car say a lot about where you have been, but mostly about what is going on with your car. Uneven tire wear is troubling for a number of reasons, and can point toward any combination of issues. For instance, the issue could be related to inadequate tire pressure or suspension impairment. However, if the uneven wear is due to alignment issues, you may notice specific wear patterns on the outer or inner rim of the tire—this usually indicates that the tires are being worn oddly because the wheels are not aligned properly. Unfortunately, wheel alignment has a chain effect on the other parts of our car—when tires become affected by poor alignment, it can wind up costing you exceedingly higher amounts in tire replacements and repair bills.

Take help from a trustworthy mechanic

Preventive maintenance is critical for the everyday driver; keeping your car at its best performance level will help you to not only enjoy your car more, but it will put your mind at ease. When your car is kept in good condition, you can feel comfortable relying on it. If you have concerns about your alignment or tire wear patterns, stop by Euro Automotive; their reputation in the areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and Garland Texas is outstanding for their excellent customer service and automotive expertise. They specialize in European import vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche, making their knowledge and skill set at the highest standards possible in automotive communities. Check out their website, or stop by their facility to meet their friendly staff and schedule an appointment.