If your car is noticeably pulling to one side while you’re driving, the cause is usually one of two major culprits.
The first, less severe cause of pulling is a problem with your tire pressure. All four of your car’s tires should be inflated to specific PSI levels, as outlined in your owner’s manual and the little placard on the driver’s side door. If one of your tires isn’t inflated to its proper PSI, whether due to an air leak or bad driving habits over time, your car’s chassis won’t sit evenly on the road, placing more weight on the flatter tire. That imbalance can cause the car to list to the side the flatter tire is on.
The other, more worrisome cause of pulling is a problem with your wheel alignment. Usually, when you let go of the steering wheel while the car is in motion, it automatically returns to a central position. This is because all four of your wheels are centered in uniform alignment. However, if the car is subject to a sudden impact, like going over a deep pothole, the alignment on one of the wheels can be thrown out, causing it to angle to one side while the other wheels are centered.
