What Causes One Side to Be Parallel While the Other Side Is Not When Reversing into a Parking Space?

[MacDaisy]

From the rearview mirror, you should view the edge line of the garage at eye level. Below are detailed instructions: 1. Observe the rearview mirror: Check the right rearview mirror. If the car body is parallel to the edge line, continue reversing directly. If the car body is not parallel to the edge line, make minor adjustments until they are parallel. 2. Steer toward the side where the rear of the car is leaning: While adjusting for parallelism, also observe the distance between the lower edge of the left rearview mirror and the front edge line of the garage. Generally, you can stop when the lower edge of the mirror aligns with the top line of the garage. Although minor adjustments are the principle, if the rear of the car is leaning too much, you should increase the steering angle appropriately, usually turning to the 12 o'clock position. However, if the lean is excessive, you can adjust to the 2 o'clock position. 3. Keep both hands on the steering wheel: Many test cars have loose steering wheels due to prolonged use, and slight instability can cause the direction to change. Additionally, avoid crossing your hands when steering. Keeping both hands on the steering wheel prevents erratic movements, as crossing hands can cause the car body to exit the garage.

[LunaAnn]

I also often encountered this issue when I first started reversing. Later, I figured out several reasons: first, incorrect steering wheel operation—the left and right angles weren't consistent when turning, causing the front of the car to tilt inward; second, not paying attention to the rearview mirror, leading to misjudging the distance on both sides and veering off; third, starting to reverse into the parking space without aligning the car properly, resulting in the car body not being parallel; fourth, uneven tire pressure, such as higher pressure on the left side and lower on the right, causing the car to naturally deviate from the intended path; fifth, slopes on the ground, which are most common in open-air parking lots—if the right side of the ground is lower, the car body will lean to the right. I suggest stopping a few times while reversing to check the rearview mirror and continuing only when the distances on both sides are roughly equal.

[VanReed]

I think the issue of one side being parallel while the other is crooked during reverse parking is mostly a technical problem: the timing of straightening the steering wheel is incorrect, such as turning the wheel a few seconds too early or too late, causing the car body to tilt to one side; another issue is choosing the wrong observation points—some people only look at the left rearview mirror and neglect the right one, realizing the misalignment too late; additionally, the seat position affects visibility, and asymmetrical views from both sides can lead to misjudgment; external reference points also play a role, such as a crookedly parked car nearby, which might unconsciously influence your alignment. The adjustment method involves practicing slow-speed reversing, developing the habit of switching between left and right rearview mirrors, and correcting the car's position before each reverse parking attempt.

[DiEmily]

I encountered a situation where the car was tilted when reversing into the parking space, which is usually caused by wheel issues: when the wear levels of the tires on both sides are different, or the tire pressure difference exceeds 0.3 bar, the car will lean towards the side with lower pressure; abnormalities in the suspension system can also cause this, such as a faulty right shock absorber, leading to natural body tilt; if the steering wheel is not straightened before getting out of the car and repeatedly moving, it can accumulate directional deviation. You can first measure and adjust the tire pressure to be consistent, and ensure the steering wheel is completely straightened before moving when reversing into the parking space. If this happens frequently, it's best to check the chassis and suspension components.

[TaylorLee]

When I was backing into the parking space, I noticed a unilateral parallel issue, which turned out to be a problem with visual judgment: the driving posture wasn't adjusted properly, with my body leaning to one side, causing an angled observation view; the rearview mirrors were improperly adjusted, with the left and right mirrors at different heights, leading to distance perception errors; lighting also played a significant role, with deep shadows on the left and bright light on the right in the evening, creating an illusion of imbalance between the two sides visually. Solutions include adjusting the seat to face the steering wheel squarely, resetting the rearview mirrors to the same height, and turning on the headlights for better visibility if necessary. If the garage's white lines are blurry, it's recommended to practice in an open area first to get a feel for it.