Do you feel lost whenever you visit your mechanic? Even the best auto technicians can sometimes overwhelm their customers with jargon and technical details. Cars are complex machines, and it isn't always easy to explain problems in terms that it's easy for the average person to understand.
We've experienced this too, and we know how frustrating it can be to pay for a repair bill that you don't fully understand. Our goal is to try to describe many common car problems in a way that even non-gearheads can understand. We hope that the information we provide here can give you confidence at the garage so that your car ownership experience can be more comfortable and enjoyable.
After finding that your car became a bit difficult to steer or that the steering wheel felt shaky, you may have taken your car into a shop to have the wheels aligned. However, after just a few weeks, you may have found that the problem has returned, causing you to wonder why this issue keeps happening.
Other than serious problems with the axles or other parts of your car's undercarriage, there are a few other problems that could lead to the wheels being knocked out of alignment that are not part of the vehicle itself. Below are a couple of possible reasons why your car's wheels keep getting out of alignment, as well as what you may be able to do yourself to prevent them.
1. Driving on Rough Roads Full of Bumps and Potholes
One possible reason why your car's wheels keep falling out of alignment may have something to do with the roads that you drive on. If you tend to drive on rough roads that have multiple bumps and are full of potholes, constantly hitting these areas will cause your wheels to shift around in multiple directions. This constant shifting will knock the wheels out of alignment.
If possible, try to find alternate routes that you can take to your destinations. If this is not possible, be extra mindful while traveling the roads so that you do not hit the bumps and holes directly.
2. Neglecting to Keep Your Car's Tires at Their Recommended Pressure
Another possible cause of recurring vehicle wheel misalignment is that the air pressure within the tires is not at the recommended level for their particular model. This includes having tires either over or under-inflated.
If the tires are not inflated to the recommended level, the weight and pressure on them will be uneven. As the wheels try to compensate for any shift in the weight, the alignment will shift, causing them to stay misaligned.
Along with constantly driving on and hitting bumpy roads full of potholes and neglecting to keep the pressure up on your car's tires, there may also be a mechanical issue with your wheels or undercarriage. The parts may be worn out, or they may need to be adjusted. Take your car to an automotive shop that offers wheel alignment services to have them realign the wheels while also pinpointing and correcting the cause of the recurring issue so that future problems can be avoided.
Contact a wheel alignment automotive service near you to learn more.