Symptoms of poor alignment are that the steering pulls to one side or that there is
excessive wear on the inside or outside edges of the tire. If you are driving at low
speed on straight and level ground, such as in an empty parking lot, and slowly
release the steering wheel, your vehicle should continue to travel straight ahead. If it
pulls to one side, it could need its alignment adjusted. Pull can also be caused by an
under-inflated tire or a dragging brake, both of which waste fuel.
Wheels could be knocked out of alignment at any time by hitting potholes, curbs or
other obstacles. Alignment should be checked once a year, or every 25 000 km.
Check your ownerís manual.
Steering and Suspension Components
The tires act as an extension of the carís steering and suspension.
The shock absorbers are there to dampen vibration (itís the springs that absorb most
of the shock from a rough road, with the tire helping out) and to keep all four tires
in contact with the road surface. Struts are suspension components that include the
shock absorber and the spring in one unit. There are also various steering linkage
components that wear over time. Any excess wear in these components could mean
that alignment settings cannot be maintained, affecting handling and resulting in
premature tire wear and increased fuel consumption.