The Haus – Independent Repair is your neighborhood alignment shop in Los Angeles, CA.
Keeping your vehicle properly aligned is critical for both optimal performance and safety. At The Haus, our certified technicians have the tools and expertise to quickly and accurately diagnose and repair all of your vehicle alignment problems. We perform alignments on all types of vehicles as well as alignments for custom suspensions.
Common Causes of Vehicle Misalignment
When a vehicle rolls off the assembly line, it’s preset with specific positioning and tire angles. Over time, these angles can fall out of line, requiring professional intervention. Other issues can also create problems with your alignment. Some of the most common include:
- Driving over potholes or poorly maintained roads
- Hitting curbs or road debris
- Problems with your shocks, struts, or other suspension parts
- Minor vehicle collisions
- Vehicle modifications, such as lifting
Vehicle alignments are performed by adjusting the angles of your tires, which impacts how they make contact with the road. When your vehicle is out of alignment, it can affect your braking and cornering performance and make it more difficult to steer your vehicle. This can also make it feel “twitchy” or unstable, particularly at high speeds.
Generally, it’s recommended that vehicles should be realigned approximately every six months or 6,000 miles, assuming typical road conditions. However, if you have encountered any of the circumstances above, your vehicle may need more frequent alignment.
5 Signs Your Vehicle is Out of Alignment
If your vehicle is out of alignment, you may experience uncomfortable and potentially dangerous issues. Following are a few signs that it’s time to make an appointment for vehicle alignment services.
1.) Vehicle Pulling to One Side
When driving on a straight road with little traffic, you can check your alignment by removing your hands from the steering wheel. If it pulls to one side, this may be a sign that your vehicle is out of alignment. The more your vehicle swerves or drifts, the more out of alignment it may be.
This can make it difficult to cross from one lane to another and may require you to keep a strong grip on your steering wheel at all times. If you’re experiencing these issues, you’ll want to have it checked out before the problem worsens.
2.) Uneven Steering Wheel
When driving on a completely flat road, you may also notice that your steering wheel is off-center. One of the best indicators of this is whether the emblem is straight or a few degrees to the left or right. Once your vehicle is realigned, it will become easier to control and the steering wheel will become centered again.
3.) Vibrating Steering Wheel
If your steering wheel vibrates while the vehicle is in motion, this is often a sign of vehicle misalignment or tire imbalances. However, this could also be an indication of issues with your suspension or problems with your brake calipers or rotors. A professional auto technician can definitively diagnose the cause of your steering wheel vibration.
4.) Excessive Tire Wear
Vehicle misalignment often causes excessive and/or uneven wear on your tire treads. Depending on the type of misalignment, you may experience excessive inner tire wear, excessive outer tire wear, or “tire cupping,” which results in a scalloped or dished tread.
When tires have worn unevenly, they may also squeal when your vehicle accelerates or turns. Since squealing can also be caused by other issues, such as worn brake pads, it’s a good idea to have this symptom checked out right away.
5.) Poor Gas Mileage
When your wheels are misaligned, extra effort is required to turn them. This naturally increases the amount of fuel your vehicle uses. If you’ve noticed a decrease in your vehicle’s fuel economy and you haven’t had your wheels aligned recently, it may be time to schedule an appointment.
Scheduling routine vehicle alignments will increase your vehicle’s performance, protect your suspension system from wear and tear, improve your fuel efficiency, and reduce tire wear. This will save you money over the long term and ensure your vehicle remains as safe to drive as possible.
Don’t make the mistake of ignoring this critical part of your regular vehicle maintenance program. Instead, allow our certified, dealership-experienced technicians to inspect and repair your vehicle for a fraction of the cost of an alignment at your local dealership.
Professional Alignment Diagnostics and Repair
We use laser technology and state-of-the-art equipment to diagnose and repair vehicle alignment problems. This allows us to ensure our caster, camber, toe, and thrust angle measurements are extremely accurate and precise.
Whether you’re currently experiencing symptoms of vehicle misalignment or you’re due for regular maintenance, the experts at The Haus will get you straightened out and back on the road in no time. Contact us today to schedule your VIP appointment.