5 Symptoms of a Bad Wheel Alignment in Your Car
All vehicles have a suspension system attached to the wheels. The suspension is also connected to the rest of the vehicle, so when the wheels and their tires rotate, they allow the vehicle to move.
When you buy a new car, a wheel alignment has already been performed. This means that the suspension is set up correctly so that the wheels are in the right position and angle on the road surface. This is important to ensure a smooth driving experience. Unfortunately, wheels don’t stay aligned forever. Certain driving conditions can cause your wheels to adjust incrementally.
For example, if you regularly drive on uneven roads or over potholes, this will affect your wheel alignment. In some cases, even very minor alignment issues can cause problems with your tires and your overall driving experience.
It’s common for accidents to cause significant misalignment. If your vehicle is repairable, a full wheel alignment will be performed as one of the final steps to restore the camber, caster, and toe angles to their correct values.
Common Signs of Poor Wheel Alignment
You can’t always tell if your wheels are out of alignment just by looking at them. Symptoms of poor wheel alignment are worth paying attention to. As soon as you notice them, take your car to an auto repair shop and get your wheels adjusted right away. Below are the five most common symptoms of bad wheel alignment:
1) Tire tread wear
The most visually noticeable symptom of poor wheel alignment is when the tire tread is worn down, either on the outside or inside.
Instead of having all those deep grooves or patterns, the profile looks much smoother. Tire wear can be another sign of poor wheel alignment. Either way, uneven tire tread wear will cost you money over time, as you’ll have to replace your tires sooner than normal.
Unless your tires are a few years old, worn tread is a good sign that your wheels are out of alignment and new tires are needed. Don’t leave this problem unresolved for long periods of time as it will affect your driving ability.
2) Dragging Side to Side
There’s a simple test you can do to see if your wheels are misaligned. Find a straight, flat road with no people around and drive on it. Center your steering wheel and release it while the vehicle is moving.
If your wheels are aligned, your car should continue to go straight. However, if your car swerves too much from side to side, it means your wheels are out of alignment.
3) Vibrating Steering Wheel
Axle alignment is meant to give you a smooth driving experience. If your wheel alignment is good, you won’t feel any vibrations from your steering wheel. So, if you feel any vibrations from your steering wheel, it means you have a problem with your wheel alignment.
These vibrations may not seem like a big deal, but they really aren’t. Consider these as early warning signs to get your wheels aligned before the symptoms get even worse.
4) Tire squeal
As your tire tread continues to wear down due to poor wheel alignment, you will notice your tires squealing more frequently. You will hear a squealing sound when you accelerate or corner. The more inaccurate your wheel alignment is, the louder the squeal will be.
5) Steering lag
Poor wheel alignment can cause a variety of steering issues. The biggest problem is steering uncertainty when turning.
For example, when you turn the steering wheel to turn, your car doesn’t start turning right away. It may take just a few seconds before you realize that your car is changing direction. This is a serious wheel alignment issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible or it could lead to an accident.
