Has your vehicle been pulling to one side lately? Maybe you feel like your car wants to go right when you want to go straight? Obviously, your car is supposed to travel in a straight line, unless you move the steering wheel in another direction.
So, if your car wants to do its own thing, then it’s time to have a Downey auto mechanic check it out. When cars want to pull in one direction that’s not a good sign. And you don’t want to ignore it, because it could put your safety at risk and be a sign of a bigger problem. So, what causes your vehicle to want to pull to one side? There are several possible reasons.
Common Causes of Pulling
The first thing you need to do is determine when exactly does your vehicle pull? Does it happen all the time or just during acceleration? Do you feel it pull when you brake, and does it consistently pull to just one side? These are all important factors to help figure out why your car wants to pull to one side.
Bad Alignment – one of the most common causes is bad wheel alignment. It’s common for your wheels get unaligned, especially if you don’t rotate your tires as often as you should, or the tread wears unevenly. Additionally, if you’ve run into anything with your tires, like a curb, you should also check the alignment. Furthermore, if you’ve had new tires and/or wheels installed, an alignment is a good idea. Properly aligned wheels should prevent your vehicle from pulling to one side.
Worn Tires – tires can also be the reason your car wants to pull. When tires wear down or have an uneven tread wear, this can cause your vehicle to pull to the right or left. Underinflated tires could be another reason your vehicle pulls to one side.
Sketchy Brakes – if your tires are fine and your alignment is correct, then another place to check is the brakes. If your brake calipers, which apply pressure to the brake pads when you slow down and stop, get stuck, your car could pull. When calipers get stuck it causes uneven pressure, and that’s what causes the pulling feeling. If your vehicle pulls when you apply the brakes, then get it checked out as soon as you can. Driving around with any kind of brake problem is not safe.
Other Possible Causes – if it’s not any of these problems, there are some other possibilities. A bad wheel bearing, worn steering linkage, or a weak tire rod could cause the pulling in one direction, as well. It’s not easy to diagnose these without a professional so it’s a good idea to let our technicians look at it.
Downey Auto Repair You Can Count on
If your car, truck, crossover, or SUV keeps pulling to one side then please come see us at Glenn’s Auto Service. The problem won’t get better on its own. However, when you bring your vehicle into our Downey auto repair shop, our ASE certified technicians will find the problem and fix it.
Our number one goal is to always get you back on the road as quickly and as safely as we can. So, if your vehicle is having any kind of issues, then please call us at 562-359-4232 to schedule your next service. You can also schedule an appointment with us online by clicking here. We are your trusted Downey, CA auto repair shop for all services and repairs on all makes and models, including:
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