A proper wheel alignment is necessary not only to ensure that you drive in a straight line but also to maintain the overall performance of your vehicle. Driving a car with correct alignment is enjoyable, whereas when you drive a car with misaligned wheels, you have to work extra hard to control your car.
If you have a smooth driving style and you only drive on well-maintained roads, then you don’t have to worry about getting wheel alignment services for more than six months to a year.
However, if you like taking your car for off-roading on a frequent basis and the road you use for daily commutes has a lot of potholes or curbs, then you might need to get wheel alignment sooner.
Problems That Occur Due to Wheel Misalignment
There are several symptoms to look for that tell you if your car needs wheel alignment. Here, we have listed some of the most common signs you need to notice:
- The Steering Wheel Is Not in the Centre
While driving the car, when you let go of your steering wheel, it should stay in the center. It’s okay to drift if the road you are driving on is curved, but if you are going on a straight road, it should stay in the center.
If your car drifts away as soon as you let go of the steering wheel while driving and it drifts harshly toward right or left, then it’s a common sign that your car is out of alignment.
When you get wheel alignment, the mechanic ensures that the tires align with the steering column. This will eliminate the issue of the car drifting towards the side after lifting your hands off the steering wheel.
- You Notice Abnormal Wearing of Tires
Your tires wear after some time, and it’s normal. However, if you see that the tire treads from the sides are wearing out more than from the center, then it’s a sign that your wheels are misaligned.
This happens because your tires are not making proper contact with the road surface; the inner or the outer edge is more in contact with the road. Whereas in normal conditions, the center of the wheel should stay in contact with road surfaces.
If your tires are worn out before time, then it’s probably because of wheel alignment issues. Replacing the tires could be very costly, so if you want to maximize their life, you should get regular wheel alignment.
- You Feel Vibration While Driving
It’s normal to feel a little vibration in your steering wheel when running your car on a road with bumps. But you should not feel your steering wheel moving freely. When the steering wheel starts to vibrate harshly and move on its own, then there might be a problem with alignment.
When driving a car with misaligned wheels, you will feel your tires vibrating at high speeds. If you don’t align your wheels, then over time, the vibrations may worsen. This can lead to loss of control and increased risk of accidents.
It’s recommended that you don’t keep driving if you feel a vibration and visit a reputable auto repair shop in houston to get the issue solved.
- Fuel Economy is Sabotaged
When driving a car with misaligned wheels, the engine has to work harder to maintain speed. This results in more burning of fuel, which could have been saved if the wheels were aligned correctly.
So, if you wish to get maximum fuel efficiency, then you should regularly get wheel alignment, as it will help you save money in the long run.
- Risk of Accidents is Increased
As your control over your car is affected badly when the wheels are misaligned, it leads to an increased risk of accidents. You will have to put in extra effort to keep your car in a straight line; if you lift your hands off the steering wheel just for a bit, then it will drift towards the side, so the risk of accidents is increased.
Your road grip is also affected due to bad wheel alignment. You will have braking issues sometimes when you brake suddenly; the car might drift towards the side rather than stop right there. The braking issues are worse during harsh weather conditions such as rain.
- Issues While Turning The Car
Most drivers take the value of correctly aligned wheels for granted. They only realize it when their wheels are misaligned and they have to put some extra effort while making sharp turns.
You will notice the car is not turning like it used to, and you have to reverse again and again while making a U-turn because the turning radius is affected due to misaligned wheels.
Due to misaligned wheels, the car also steers more than you tend to while making a turn. Moreover, the steering wheel doesn’t come back in the center after making a U-turn. All these issues collectively cause annoyance among drivers, and the driving experience is sacrificed.
