Driving is a daily activity for most of us, our roads are not always safe, and whether it’s raining, windy or snowing, we often have no choice but to take our car. Not being able to act on traffic conditions, we try to have at least a safe vehicle! If you are not at ease, if you have the impression that your car is pulling to the left, then you are in the right place. Our team decided to write this article to help you find the origin of this problem and quickly feel safe behind the wheel of your car. To do this, we will first look at the causes of a car that pulls to the left without vibration and finally, a car that pulls to the left with vibration.
Car that pulls to the left without vibration
Car pulling to the left because of the alignment
Let’s start with the case of your car which pulls to the left without vibration, one of the most classic origins of a non-straight trajectory on a vehicle is the alignment , in fact, the parallelism is the adjustment of the vertical angle of the wheels, this adjustment is generally done when you change your tires. Although it is difficult or even impossible to know the condition of your alignment, you can look at the sidewalls of your tires, if you notice abnormal wear on your car, it is likely that the alignment is to blame. In this case, go to your garage or tyre specialist to correct it.
Car pulling to the left because of the tyres
Speaking of tires, parallelism isn’t the only reason for a car that pulls to the left. Indeed, if you have a difference in pressure on your tires, it is logical that your car is no longer a stable steering. So remember to check the pressure of all four tyres. In addition to the risk of an accident if you feel your car pulling to the left because of the tyre pressure, you will accelerate the wear of the tyres. And therefore, you will have to change them more quickly.
My car is pulling to the left and I feel vibrations:
Car pulling to the left because of the silent blocks
Now let’s look at the case of a car that pulls to the left but also causes vibrations in the steering wheel. The first common cause of trajectory error plus vibration is that your silent blocks are dead. Indeed, when they are too worn, they no longer manage their role of shock absorber and binder between the different parts of your front drivetrain, which leads to a lack of stability in the steering and the possibility if they are more worn on one side than the other that your car pulls to the left. Check their condition and change them if necessary. If you would like more information on problems with the silent blocks, please read this detailed article.
My car pulls to the left because of the bearings
Another possibility that your car pulls to the left is that one of your bearings, usually the front one, is dead, you should, in addition to the trajectory defect, feel a singular vibration or rolling noise (see this article for a complete guide). Indeed, when bearings are damaged, they no longer rotate as well and slow down the rotation of the wheel on which they are installed, which automatically leads to a trajectory defect. Check their condition and have them replaced if necessary.
My car pulls to the left because of the shock absorbers
Last but not least, your car that pulls to the left and produces vibrations because of the shock absorbers. Whether it’s the damper cup, your tired springs, or a twisted cylinder, every defect related to the shock absorbers can disturb the normal behaviour of the vehicle. You should, however, feel a noise when you drive over bumps or on speed bumps, for example. Have the condition of your shock absorbers checked and ask your mechanic for a replacement if necessary.
