What Causes a New Car to Pull to One Side?
3 Answers
The reasons why a new car may pull to one side are: 1. Inconsistent tire pressure in the drive wheels, leading to uneven wear between the drive wheels and the ground, causing the car to pull; 2. Suspension system faults, such as damage, deformation, or misalignment of the suspension components, can cause the car to pull; 3. Inconsistent wheelbase on the left and right sides—when the car is moving, it will tend to pull toward the side with the shorter wheelbase. Solutions for a new car pulling to one side include: 1. Adjust the belt tension according to specifications and tighten the connecting screws of all components; 2. Inspect all connection points of the oil pipes and tighten the connecting bolts; 3. Replace the oil pipes, power steering pump, or power steering gear; 4. Fill the oil to the specified level and inspect or replace the oil cup.
I've encountered this issue where a new car pulls to one side. Usually, it's because the wheel alignment wasn't properly adjusted at the factory, or slight suspension deformation from bumps during transport can cause the car to drift. Uneven tire pressure is the most common cause—for example, if the left tire pressure is a bit low, the car will pull to the left. I experienced this myself with a new car. Later, at the dealership, the mechanic said the alignment was off, and it was fixed after adjustment. From a safety perspective, prolonged misalignment can accelerate tire wear and make the car prone to losing control at high speeds. It's advisable to check tire pressure and alignment right after picking up the car and maintain it regularly to prevent issues. A temporary fix is to test the car on a flat road, briefly letting go of the steering wheel to see which way it pulls, then inspect accordingly.
Just a few days after buying the new car, I noticed that the steering always pulls to the right, which was quite annoying. I asked a few friends, and they said it might be due to misalignment during assembly or the tires being compressed for too long in factory storage. I checked the tire pressure myself and found significant differences between the front and rear tires. After balancing the pressure, it improved somewhat, but the problem wasn’t completely resolved. Eventually, I took it to a repair shop and spent some money on a four-wheel alignment. They advised that steering issues in new cars shouldn’t be ignored, as prolonged misalignment can damage the suspension system and even affect brake balance. Now, I’m particularly sensitive to steering problems in new cars and always check user reviews before purchasing to avoid buying defective products.
