Why Does My Car Pull to the Right?

Do not be alarmed if your vehicle pulls to one side as you are drive. In fact, this is a problem you hear all too often in the automotive community. While in most cases this means your car’s alignment is off, there are other underlying reasons that drivers should be made aware of. If you’ve asked yourself lately, “Why does my car pull to the right?”, then we’ve got your most obvious answers below.

Reasons why my car suddenly pulls to the right

Before a repair can take place, your mechanic will typically ask a few questions to get a gist of what’s going on with your vehicle. One of the most common responses that indicates something is askew is when a driver’s mention a congruous pull in one direction. Whether it be from the steering or the car itself, it’s important to tell your mechanic about this distinguishable driving discomfort.

Here you’ll find the most common reasons why your car is pulling to the right or left, starting with the most obvious below:

Incorrect wheel alignment

The most frequent reason your car begins pulling to one side is due to your vehicle’s wheel alignment. You’ll start to notice that your steering wheel will pull to the right or left if your wheel and axles are not properly lined up. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Take your car to a trusted mechanic and they’ll quickly remedy the issue and realign everything so your car will drive good as new.

Apart from the gravitating pull, another tell-tale sign of incorrect wheel alignment is uneven tread on your tires. If you’ve noticed your tires are rapidly deteriorating in certain spots over others, your alignment may be to blame.

Wonky tire pressure

Under-inflated tires and overinflated tires both have the ability to cause reduced ride comfort. When tire height varies, this automatically throws your vehicle’s alignment out of order and may cause your steering to sway in one direction while driving. The answer to this problem is simple. Revisit your owner’s manual and see which PSI measure is correct for your specific make and model. If no other underlying issues are present, the right pressure should alleviate this issue.

Brake or suspension problems

The most unmistakable sign of worn out suspension or steering parts is when you notice a consistent pull in one direction, even when you let go of your steering wheel for a few seconds. But there is also ways to know that alignment is not the issue. For example, when your car pulls to the right specifically when you press your foot on the brakes. In this instance, chances are the problem stems from your brake caliper sticking. Other brake problems could include an imploded brake hose or slide pin that needs replacement.

Bad wheel bearing

If you’re experiencing a subtle pull in one direction, grinding noises, and a shaky steering wheel from time to time, then it’s likely your wheel bearings have worn out over time. In general, they should last about 100,000 miles but wear-and-tear plays a major roll on their longevity. Unfortunately, this is not a car part that is easy to replace yourself. What’s more, it’s exceptionally dangerous to operate a vehicle in this state, which is why you should always bring your car to the mechanic at the first warning of these symptoms.

Conclusion

When it comes to mechanics, there are often straightforward solutions to your car problems. However, what may seem like the obvious fix at one point in time may actually be something else entirely. If you notice your car tends to pull to the right, the first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with a licensed mechanic. They’ll run diagnostics on your vehicle to see if alignment is actually the root of the problem. Should that be the case, you have an easy fix on your hands.

Might there be other reasons as to why the problem originated, such as faulty brakes or suspension concerns, then your mechanic will be able to address the issue right away and get your vehicle back in superior condition.