The mechanical needs of your vehicle are on-going. While no one likes spending their hard earned money on mundane preventative maintenance measures, such as a car alignment, it is perhaps the most proactive thing you can do to protect the investment you have made in your automobile.
By being in tune with the look and feel of your vehicle, you can better self-diagnose when an alignment is needed. If you allow your vehicle to remain unbalanced, it poses safety threats and will be significantly more expensive to fix later.
Here are Some Points to Consider that will Help You Understand Why the Correct Car Alignment Matters:
How Does a Car lose its Alignment?
Sometimes something as simple as hitting a pothole can cause your vehicle to lose the alignment setting. Rough driving, strenuous terrain, and failure to check the alignment periodically can also contribute to a poorly balanced vehicle.
The Dangers of Unbalanced Wheels!
Wheels in motion have amazing force behind them. Combined with the rate at which wheels spin, if left out of alignment, you will start experiencing all kinds of problems, such as difficult steering and handling, poor fuel economy, excessive and uneven tread wear, and most importantly, the heightened risk of losing control of your vehicle.
How to Identify Alignment Issues?
Two of the most common signs of alignment problems are:
- Your vehicle vibrates while driving down the road, and
- The wheels are straight but the steering wheel is not.
How Often Should You Get a Wheel Alignment?
The rule of thumb is to have your car alignment checked annually. Depending on driving habits and terrain, some drivers may need an alignment service more than once a year if you notice signs of an unbalanced vehicle.
In sum, vehicle alignment is an inexpensive and simple task if it is done proactively. Ask your auto shop for guidance as to whether your vehicle is in need of an alignment.
Don’t ignore the signs of a lost vehicle alignment. Contact our ASE Certified technicians at Dependable Car Care to find out more about our wheel alignment service and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves residents in the community of Ventura, CA, and surrounding area.
