5 Signs Your Car Needs a Wheel Alignment

Misaligned wheels chew tyres, pull steering and waste fuel. Here are the warning signs.

1. Car pulls to one side

Drive straight on a flat road. If the car drifts left or right when you let go of the wheel briefly, alignment is out.

2. Steering wheel sits off-centre

Driving straight but the wheel is rotated slightly left or right? Alignment.

3. Uneven tyre wear

• Inside or outside edge worn faster than centre = camber out
• Feathered or scalloped wear = toe out
• Centre worn faster = over-inflated (pressure issue, not alignment)

4. Steering feels loose or vague

Like the car wanders within the lane. Often combined with worn suspension parts.

5. After hitting a pothole or kerb

Even a moderate impact can knock alignment out by a few degrees. Get checked.

How often to get an alignment

• Every 10,000 km as a check
• Every time you fit new tyres
• After any kerb strike or pothole hit
• After suspension work

Cost in Perth

$70 for most cars at our Welshpool workshop. Takes 45 minutes. Includes a printed before/after report so you can see what was corrected.