Drivers often treat alignments like the flossing of auto maintenance. We all know we’re supposed to be doing it, but most people wait until something hurts to take a professional’s advice seriously. Just like ignoring the early signs of a cavity, skipping a wheel alignment doesn’t seem like a big deal until you’re shelling out cash to fix a more serious problem. The even worse news is that driving around on misaligned wheels affects far more than the longevity of your tires.
You may think your mechanic is just trying to upsell you when they recommend an alignment along with your tire rotation or some other service, but the reality is that properly aligned wheels are not just a nice-to-have. They’re critical to the way your car handles, steers, and wears down. Misaligned wheels can be a silent killer, draining your wallet by diminishing your fuel economy and causing premature wear on parts of your car besides just the obvious.
The truth is that wheel alignment affects nearly everything about how your car drives, and skipping this essential maintenance service can lead to issues that go far beyond tread wear.
Where the rubber meets the road
To put it simply, a bad alignment makes for an unpleasant driving experience. When your wheels aren’t properly aligned, your tires aren’t sitting flush with the road. A slight misalignment will force you to make constant, slight steering corrections without realizing it, and if its really bad, you’ll notice the wheel fighting against you, seemingly determined to pull you to the left or right. You might even notice your steering wheel vibrating at high speeds. This lack of control is unsafe and increases your chances in being involved in a dangerous accident or crash.
Constant stress on the components of your suspension system to keep your car tracking in a straight line when it would rather go rogue can make your struts, control arms, and shocks go bad sooner. If the roads you travel are rough or in disrepair, these negative effects are amplified, and you’ll likely feel every bump and jolt much more intensely.
Perhaps the most offensive effect of misaligned wheels is its direct reduction in fuel economy. Since misalignment creates extra resistance, your engine has to work harder to keep you moving forward. Some sources say you can experience a loss in fuel efficiency of up to 10%, which adds up to quite a lot for a regular commuter.
Subtle and not-so-subtle signs
Modern cars haven’t yet given us specific warning lights to give us a heads up we’ve become misaligned, so until they do, we’ll have to continue to rely on our five senses. The tires are the major place to check for a visual hint, particularly if you notice uneven wear patterns on the outer edge. Next, have a look at your steering wheel. If you’re driving straight, your steering wheel should be in a straight position, and it should return to center naturally after making a turn.
As mentioned before, sometimes you can actually feel the misalignment. If it seems like your steering wheel has its own agenda, either fighting against you or feeling loose, or if you’re feeling like you’re sitting in a vibrating massage chair while driving, then that’s a good indicator you have an issue.
Considering that alignment is one of the more affordable maintenance services, it’s absolutely worth doing when recommended, or particularly if you start to notice any of these warning signs. This is a situation when it pays to be smart, not cheap. Skipping the alignment is not going to save you money in the long run, and its clear that the potential repercussions go beyond destroying your tires well before their time. Whether you decide to see the pros or learn to perform those auto repairs yourself, just take our advice — get an alignment.
