Under what circumstances is a car wheel alignment needed?

[RubyLynn]

There are several situations when a car needs a wheel alignment: 1. The vehicle pulls severely to one side. 2. Uneven tire wear is observed, either on the inner or outer edges. 3. The car has been involved in a major collision that affected the tires. 4. Components on the vehicle frame or suspension have been removed. 5. When two or more tires have been replaced. Here is additional information: 1. Wheel alignment is based on the four-wheel parameters of the vehicle, adjusted to ensure good driving performance and reliability. 2. The installation of the steering wheels, steering knuckles, and front axle of a car has a certain relative position, which is called steering wheel alignment, also known as front wheel alignment.

[DelViolet]

Be alert when the steering wheel starts fighting you. For instance, if you constantly need to slightly tug the wheel to maintain straight-line driving, or the car drifts to one side when you let go, this misalignment is a classic sign of improper wheel alignment. Other warning signs include violent steering wheel vibrations during hard braking, sudden increases in tire noise during normal driving, or sawtooth-shaped wear on the inner edges of tires. I've encountered many owners complaining about their cars feeling floaty, only to find excessive toe-angle deviation in the rear wheels. Remember: always perform alignment after replacing suspension components, and definitely check it after hitting curbs. It's wise to conduct a pre-winter alignment check since low temperatures significantly affect chassis rubber bushings. These practices can save you from replacing two sets of tires prematurely.

[VonRose]

Just installed four new tires and hearing a humming sound? Don't rush to blame the tire quality. Last year, my newly replaced Michelin tires did the same, and the alignment machine showed the left front wheel had a camber angle deviation of 2.1 degrees. When wheels hit the road at an angle, the tire edges wear out like tearing an eraser. Especially now, with new energy vehicles generally being heavier, the suspension bears more load, and a few full loads can cause parameters to shift. It's recommended to check chassis data every 20,000 kilometers, always perform alignment after modifying the suspension, and be extra cautious about chassis deformation after driving through deep puddles post-rain. Those photos of tires worn bald on the inside but perfectly fine on the outside are truly heartbreaking to see.

[StIsabela]

Is the repair shop ripping me off by recommending wheel alignment every six months? Not necessarily. During my last maintenance, I found the right front wheel was 1 cm further back than the left—this is a thrust angle misalignment. Such hidden issues won't cause the car to pull to one side but will wear tires unevenly, like a crab walking sideways. Novices often overlook this until severe tire wear becomes noticeable. Strongly recommend checking after collisions or replacing suspension components, especially when upgrading rims. Once, while helping a fellow enthusiast adjust track settings for an RS3, we spent three hours fine-tuning just the rear toe-in—this level of precision rivals camera focusing.

[MacRuth]

Three months ago, the chassis was scraped when going over a speed bump, and recently the steering wheel has been slightly trembling. This shaking is most noticeable at 60km/h, indicating that the wheels are hopping forward like a limping foot. Four-wheel alignment is not just about adjusting angles; it can also uncover hidden damage: last time, a 3D alignment machine detected a deformed control arm bushing caused by the impact. Pay attention to whether the tire tread is wearing unevenly on one side and whether the steering wheel's return force is inconsistent in daily use. It's best to perform a basic alignment during the first maintenance of a new car, as the manufacturer's default parameters may not be precise.