When your car is out of alignment, it may become difficult to control. Your safety — and that of your passengers — can also be a concern. Hitting a pothole, curb, or even a bad bump, can cause your vehicle to become misaligned. Accumulating high mileage, being in an accident, or not keeping your tires balanced properly can also cause alignment issues.
1. Vehicle pulls to the left or right
You notice your vehicle is pulling towards the left or right when you are driving straight ahead on the road. Having difficulty in keeping your car between the lines of your driving lane due to it pulling the left or to the right may be the result of an issue with your car's alignment. You may experience anything from a slight tug to a hard jerk. Occasionally, the trouble is found in tires being under-inflated or of the wrong size.
2. Uneven or rapid tire wear
You may notice that your tires seem to be wearing unevenly. They can also wear out more rapidly than normal. If you notice spots of wear and tear in unusual areas of the vehicle's tire treads, you most likely have a problem with its alignment.
3. Crooked steering wheel
Take note of the position of the steering wheel of your car. When driving straight ahead down the road, do you notice that it may seem a little crooked or off-center? If your answer is yes, you could be correcting for a misaligned vehicle by driving with your steering wheel off-center. If you notice this is happening, it is another sign that your wheels need to be realigned.
4. Loose Handling
Your vehicle's steering wheel should always feel tight and stable in your hands. You may notice that the steering wheel of your vehicle feels looser than it used to be. This may mean that your wheels are out of alignment. Loose handling will cause your car to drift off the road and may cause a lot of difficulty with driving.
5. Vibration
Being out of alignment causes the steering wheel to repeatedly vibrate. It can cause the entire vehicle to vibrate while you're driving down the road.
If you experience any — or all — of these signs that you need an alignment, bring your car to Bud's Auto Repair & Transmission soon.