The most common reason a car pulls to one side is a tyre that's low on air, so check your tyre pressures first. If the pressures are right, the usual causes are the wheel alignment, a brake that's sticking, or worn steering or suspension parts.
When it happens tells you a lot. Pulling all the time points one way; pulling only when you brake points another.
First, is it the road?
A small drift to the left on some roads is normal. Most roads slope slightly towards the kerb so rain runs off, and in New Zealand the kerb is on the left, so cars tend to drift left. Try it on a flat, straight stretch, like an empty car park. If it still pulls there, it's the car.
Pulls all the time
1. Tyre pressure. A soft tyre on one side drags the car towards it. Check all four with the tyres cold, before you've driven far. The right pressures are on the sticker inside the driver's door frame, inside the fuel flap, or in the owner's manual. Not the number on the tyre wall: that's the maximum. If one tyre keeps losing air, it may have a slow puncture.
2. Tyre wear or a tyre fault. Uneven wear, mismatched tyres on the same axle, or a tyre with an internal fault can make a car pull. Worn tyres are also a WOF problem: our guide to how much tread you need for a WOF shows how to check yours.
3. Wheel alignment. Alignment is the angle of the wheels against each other and the road. Hit a kerb, a pothole or a speed bump too fast and it can be knocked out. Signs:
- the car drifts even on a flat road
- the steering wheel sits off-centre when you're driving straight
- the inside or outside edge of a front tyre is wearing faster than the rest
Bad alignment wears tyres out early, so it's worth sorting.
4. Worn steering or suspension. Worn parts like ball joints, tie rod ends, bushes or a tired shock absorber let the wheel move where it shouldn't. You might also notice clunks over bumps, loose or vague steering, or the car wandering at motorway speed.
Pulls only when braking
If the car pulls when you brake but drives straight otherwise, look at the brakes first.
- A sticking calliper. The calliper is the clamp that presses the pad onto the disc. If one sticks, that wheel brakes harder, or drags all the time. You might notice a hot smell, a hot wheel after driving, or grinding from the brakes.
- Uneven pad wear or contaminated pads. Oil or brake fluid on one side's pads changes how they grip.
- Worn suspension parts. They can shift under braking even if the car tracks straight otherwise.
A car that pulls hard under braking isn't one to leave. Book in straight away, and if the pedal also feels soft or the brake warning light is on, stop driving and call us.
Is it safe to keep driving?
A mild drift with good brakes and correct tyre pressures can usually wait a few days for a booking. Book in sooner if:
- it pulls hard, or is getting worse
- it pulls when you brake
- the steering feels loose, heavy or makes new noises
- one tyre keeps going down
Steering, suspension, brakes and tyres are all part of the WOF, so a pull that comes from worn parts may show up at your next inspection anyway.
What happens when you bring it in?
We check the tyres and pressures first, because it's quick and often the answer. Then we look at the brakes, steering and suspension, and tell you if the alignment needs adjusting. You get a plain answer: what's causing the pull, what needs doing now, and what can wait. The price is agreed before any work starts, and nothing extra is done without your OK in writing.
Quick questions
Do I need an alignment after new tyres?
Not always, but it's worth checking if the old tyres wore unevenly. Uneven wear often means the alignment was out, and it'll wear the new ones the same way.
My steering wheel is crooked but the car goes straight. Is that a problem?
It usually means the alignment needs adjusting. It's not urgent on its own, but it's worth sorting before it wears your tyres.
Can hitting a pothole cause a pull?
Yes. A hard hit can knock the alignment out or damage a tyre or suspension part. If the car drives differently afterwards, get it checked.
Steering and suspension repairs in Albany and the North Shore
Midas Albany is at 3C Saturn Place, Albany. Family owned since 2004, MTA Assured, and the price is agreed before any work starts. Not sure what's causing it? Our $89 diagnostic finds it, and it's credited against the repair if we do it.
See our brakes and repairs.
Call Robin on 09 415 6595, book online, or request a callback. Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday 8am to 12pm.
Written by the Midas Albany team.