Car Pulls to the Right or Left?

Diagnosing why my Car Pulls To The Right or Left when driving and breaking

Learn to Diagnose Why Your Car Pulls to One Side When Driving or Braking

Struggling to drive a car that pulls to the right or left can be daunting, whether driving or braking. This is especially true if you have to constantly adjust the steering wheel to keep the vehicle moving in a straight line. There are plenty of reasons why your car could be pulling to the left or right. However, it can always be narrowed down to a few possibilities. Here are six of them. 

6 Reasons Your Car Pulls to the Right or Left:

1. Uneven Tire Pressure

Checking tire pressure.

Driving with one or more tires that are over or under-inflated is one of the most common causes why a car pulls to one side. Fixing the problem could be as easy as adding some air into the tire or releasing it out. Ideally, all tires should have the same pressure at both the front and rear. 

You can always check the manufacturer’s specification to confirm what tire pressure is ideal for your vehicle or, like in most cars, take a look at the sticker that’s placed on the door. If you find out that one of your tires has low pressure, there could be a leak that needs to be fixed. 

2. Stuck Wheel Components

checking to see if tires spin freely

A stuck brake caliper or a frozen wheel bearing are also common problems that could be a reason your car to pulls to the right or left. To check if your wheels are sticking, rotate each of them with the vehicle raised. The direction that your car is pulling in is usually indicative of the side with the malfunction.

Your brakes are a critical safety component that should be inspected and fixed if there’s a problem. You’ll need to have the hydraulic system and wheel cylinders checked as well to ensure there’s no additional damage—especially if you notice a burning smell every time you brake. 

3. Worn Steering and Suspension Parts

checking if faulty suspension parts could cause the vehicle to be pulling

Suspension parts that are critically worn out could be shifting their position as you drive. As a result, you’ll have a car that pulls to one side when applying the brakes. Quick pulls to the steering wheel will happen every single time the brakes are pressed. 

However, the pull subsides when you release them. To check for worn suspension or steering components, grab the tire while the vehicle is raised and wiggle it from side to side and top to bottom. If you notice excessive play, your suspension, and steering components may need to be replaced. 

4. Uneven Tread Wear Can Cause Your Car to Pull to One Side

Uneven tread wear could your car to pull to the right or left

Slip belts and uneven tread wear are also possible culprits behind a car that pulls to the left or right. When the belts in your tires begin to slip, they pull apart and separate from the tire frame. This then causes the sidewall to weaken. If you take a look at your tires, you may notice bulges or bumps on one of them. This occurs due to a defect in the manufacturing process. 

Abnormal tread wear could also be causing the pull. It’s often characterized by areas on the tires that are more worn than others. You can always swap your tires and drive the car to confirm whether this is the cause behind the pulling. If you notice a shift in the car’s pulling, then you have a problem with one of the tires. 

5. Wheel and Tire Alignment

Showing tires are straight on vehicle to prevent a car that pulls when driving

If your truck or car pulls when driving you may need a wheel alignment. For the sake of safety and handling, our tires should be as straight as possible. Professional technicians carry out different adjustments to make sure your tires stay straight while driving. The first adjustment is the camber adjustment. It ensures none of the tires has an outward or inward tilt. 

A toe adjustment ensures that the front part of the wheel is not tipped in or out. While this may not be a direct reason why your car pulls to one side, it will cause your steering wheel to be off-center and lead to uneven tire wear. The technician will either tighten or loosen the tie rods to fix the problem. 

Lastly, the caster adjustment ensures that the suspension components and steering axis meet the wheel at the right angle. It is one of the least understood adjustments mainly because you can’t see it. You’ll need an alignment machine to see how it works. 

Ideally, all of the wheel adjustments mentioned above require an alignment rack. However, you can always use our string alignment guide to see how you can do it yourself. It will help get you by for a while before you take your car for a proper fix. 

6. Road Crown Can Cause Your to Pull to the Right or Left

Your car could also pull to one side due to road crown. Most roads are constructed to tip to the right or left for drainage purposes. If you’re driving on either of the farthest lanes, your vehicle could pull to either the left or right. This is often never a reason for concern as the pulling goes away as you continue driving.

Shop Parts to Fix a Car That Pulls to the Right or Left:

Related posts:

Summary
Car Pulls to The Right or Left?
Article Name
Car Pulls to The Right or Left?
Description
Struggling to drive a car that pulls to the right or left can be daunting. This is especially if you have to keep constantly adjusting the steering wheel to keep it moving in a straight line. There are plenty of reasons why your car could be pulling to the left or right.
Author
Publisher Name
1A Auto
Publisher Logo

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *