Reasons That Your Car Won’t Start in the San Diego Heat

Wheel Alignment Issues & Repair Benefits

For your vehicle to function properly, all four wheels have to be set-up so that they are in a perfectly straight line while the steering wheel is set straight. This is referred to as your “alignment.” However, it may surprise you to know how easily a wheel can be knocked out of alignment and how much your entire vehicle can suffer in its performance. 

Your vehicle could have an alignment issue if it drifts or pulls to one side, the steering wheel is off-center, the tires have uneven wear, or the vehicle just doesn’t handle properly. Often, running into a pothole, smacking a curb, or hitting other objects in the road can knock your vehicle out of alignment. Then, one or more of your wheels will start to pull in different directions, and the real issues will begin. However, you can just take in your car to have your alignment checked and fix any issues. 

When performing alignment repair at Auto Repair Shop San Diego, there are many factors involved. Firstly, there is an inspection of the steering and suspension systems. These components must be checked to see if any parts are bent, broken, or worn. Then, the tire condition will be checked. After that, the car is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. If the car’s alignment is not within certain specifications, the mechanic will adjust the steering and suspension components to meet the car manufacturer’s specifications for safe handling and proper tire wear. 

Your manufacturer has a recommended mileage interval for having your car alignment checked. If you hit a curb, pothole, or some other roadway debris, focus on if your car is pulling to one side or if your steering wheel is off-center. It is better to have your alignment checked before waiting to see if there is uneven tread wear. At that point, the damage to your vehicle is permanent. 

When your wheels are properly aligned, your car will handle the way it was designed. Drivers usually associate wheels being knocked out of alignment with an accident, hitting a pothole, or curb. These can potentially take your wheels out of alignment, but so can the bumps and bounces of everyday driving. Also, your car can lose alignment over time with normal wear and driving. 

Camber, Toe, and Caster

You may have heard these terms, but what they refer to is how your tire makes contact with the road and at what angle. All three can tell you a lot about your vehicle’s alignment. 

Camber

Camber is the amount of tilt the entire wheel has vertically, inward or outwards, towards the hood of your vehicle of the ground. Too much camber can indicate misalignment caused by damaged ball-joints, bearings, and other components in your car’s suspension. 

Toe

Toe is the degree your wheels angle away or towards the engine. One way to conceptualize the toe of your tires is to angle your feet towards the center of your body or away. Tires that angle outward have a “toe-out” alignment and tires that angle inward have a “toe-in” alignment. Some cars are designed with a slight toe inward or outward, but too much can cause increased wear. 

Caster

The caster can be hard to check without taking the tire off. However, one way to determine if your alignment is off is to check the center of the wheel well, where the car body frames the tire. If the center of your tire does not line up with the center of the wheel well, your car likely requires an alignment. At Auto Repair Shop San Diego, we have expert technicians with experience doing front-end repairs and wheel alignments. Your vehicle’s alignment, suspension, and steering components should be checked regularly. Tires that wear out excessively or in one certain area must be aligned to prevent increased wear.  Wheel Alignment Issues & Repair Benefits

Professional Wheel Alignment Saves Time & Money

Because we take your safety and wellbeing seriously, Auto Repair Shop San Diego always has multiple ASE-certified mechanics on staff to not only perform repairs on your vehicle but to explain them in thorough detail. 

Auto Repair Shop San Diego uses the latest in digital alignment equipment with optical sensors, allowing us to pinpoint accuracy for your car’s wheel alignment.

We will always provide a full-color printout of your wheel alignment before and after, showing ins simple terms precisely how your car, truck, or SUV repair process went. We also store the wheel alignment report in our system, in the event that we have to look back and reference it again later. You neer know what could happen to your vehicle when you are driving on San Diego roads. 

Benefits of Wheel Alignment

A proper wheel alignment will maintain your car in optimal running condition by efficiently promoting increased gas mileage, reducing tire wear, and providing overall safer driving conditions. Uneven tire wear can be felt when your car pulls to the right or left while driving. If untreated, wheel alignment problems could turn into steering and suspension issues, because driving with wheels out of alignment puts stressor your tires as well as the components of your suspension system. IF your car starts pulling to the right or left while driving, or if you feel a vibration in the steering wheel at high speeds, give us a call today for a wheel alignment. 

Auto Repair Shop in San Diego

Automobile Repair Shop San Diego is a family-owned and operated business that has been providing the best repair experience. We will offer you a hassle-free auto repair starting with a precise damage assessment or estimate. We will tow your vehicle for free to our shop, organize for a rental car, and work directly with the insurance company to streamline the repair process. We will even pay up to $500 of your deductible. Contact us today to see how we can help.