Keeping up with the required maintenance of your car could be an uphill task sometimes; especially for people who know next to nothing about how their car is supposed to sound or behave in a perfect condition. Therefore, knowing the appropriate time to prevent a minor condition from becoming a safety issue is almost a thin line, and wheel alignment falls into this line.
In fact, wheel alignment is an important element in the roadworthiness of your car, but it is sometimes given scant attention; either due to lack of knowledge or innocent negligence.
A properly aligned wheel ensures a smoother ride, pleasure in driving and keeps your car in the right direction. Below are some signs that your car is in need of a good wheel alignment:
Failure of Steering Wheel to Return to the Center
The steering wheel is created to return to the centre after completing a turn, but when the wheel is not properly aligned, the steering wheel fails to return to its normal position. This is a sign that you got your wheel wrongly aligned and you need to get an alignment done immediately.
Car Pulling to One Side
When your car regularly pulls to one direction in the course of driving, this could be because of underinflated tyres. However, there are cases where the tyre pressure is rightly done and the car still moves to one side while on the road. Waste no time! This is a sign that your wheels need to be correctly aligned.
Unstable Handle When Driving
Any sign that your car’s steering is unstable could be as a result of bad wheel alignment, which should be corrected as soon as possible. This sign becomes noticeable when driving and the steering feels loose or there is sloppiness around the corners.
Uneven Tyre Wear
The patterns made by tyre wears could be a great indication of poor wheel alignment. Tyre wears can tell a mechanic about alignment problems and tyre pressures as well as what needs to be adjusted while performing a tyre rotation.
It goes without saying that a proper alignment is a sure way to make your tyres last longer and for your car to perform optimally. In contrast, poor alignment sucks the miles out of your tyres and puts important steering and suspension parts in jeopardy.
Vibration From the Steering Wheel
Vibration from the steering wheel could be as a result of a number of reasons – It could be a sign that the suspension is worn out or unbalanced tire as a result of potholes on the road. This could also be a sign of misalignment.
You should be on the lookout for these signs and the moment you notice any of these worrisome signs, get your call to an auto mechanic immediately.