How Do You Know if You Need Wheel Alignment Service?

The main purpose of a car is to safely transport you from Point A to Point B. As with any mechanical item, your car will experience wear and tear from normal usage, specific trauma or the passage of time. When you start noticing irregularities, it is usually better to repair your car sooner rather than later. This prevents further damage and it reduces the likelihood of an accident. If you think back to when your car was new, likely the steering was true – without wobbling up or down, pulling left or right, or emitting unusual sounds. Are you more consistently experiencing any or all of these? If so, it is probably time for a wheel alignment service.

Usage

New cars typically include an owner’s manual with suggested intervals for performing routine maintenance, such as oil changes or brake inspection. Absent from this guidance is an alignment schedule. The most conservative mechanics suggest inspecting your wheel alignment annually. Many mechanics suggest pairing an alignment with tire rotation or tire replacement, which typically happens every 15 to 30 months. With the average driver logging 1,000 miles per month, this places the range for getting an alignment from “wear and tear” somewhere between 12,000 and 30,000 miles.

Commons Signs of a Wheel Alignment Problem

If you notice that your car is not driving straight, it is probably an indication of an alignment issue. Here are some other common indicators:

1. Vehicle pulling to one side
2. Your steering wheel is off center
3. The vehicle handling is loose or less responsive
4. Unusual steering or steering column noise
5. Unusual tire noise
6. Uneven tire wear
7. Declining gas mileage

If your car’s been in accident or drove over, say, a large pothole at speed, you might notice one or more of these sudden performance drops related to items 1 through 4. If instead you’ve had a gradual degradation, it is more likely prompted by items 4 through 7. Either way, when you get your alignment checked, the tire pressure, steering and suspension parts, ball joints, and tie rod need to be inspected. The toe, camber, thrust and caster angle of your wheels need to be measured. If off, a proper alignment is needed. With the precision of today’s cars, which have numerous computer systems supporting your mechanicals, it is critical that you have a qualified mechanic perform this.

Get Wheel alignment Service at Fred’s Auto Repair Today

At Fred’s Auto Repair, all of our mechanics are ASE certified and are able to service your car. During this time of germ transmission concern, for the protection of you, your car, and our staff, we sanitize your car upon intake and before returning it to you. Additionally, we can offer white glove service where we pick up your car and return it to your home. Contact us at (914) 762-1131 for an appointment today.