Are you noticing something weird while you drive? Something like the car pulling to the right? If this is the situation that you are into, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic.
Having a problem like this is something that you need to be worried about. And by worried, I mean really worried. This problem means that you are in danger. If the car pulls on one side you need to constantly adjust the steering wheel to align the wheels and not end up in a ditch or into another car.
In this case, the car is pulling to the right, so, it is most probably that you will end up in a ditch if you keep driving like this. Whenever you notice symptoms like these, it is important for you to address the problem quickly. But first, you need to understand the possibilities that could cause this problem to happen. And we are going to help you out when it comes to this, by listing all of the possibilities why the car pulling to the right happens.
First, we are going to discuss more on this problem of your car pulling to the right and describe it in detail. Then we will discuss all of the reasons why the car pulling to the right happens in two scenarios. And these are while driving and under braking. Then we will learn how to diagnose the problem and how to fix it as well as the costs involved in this work. So, if you want to fix your problem, follow along.
What Is Car Pulling To The Right?
Now before we move on to the probable reasons and causes for this car pulling to the right problem. Let’s first elaborate on the basics and learn what this problem is in the first place. There are people here that are not into cars and we need to introduce them to the topic. So, if you feel like you are well educated on the problem you can move directly to the reasons. If not, keep up with us for a while.
Now let’s discuss the car pulling to the right in simple terms. This is a situation when you are holding the wheel straight but the steering wheel is starting to move to the right. You will feel a force from the steering wheel and will notice how the steering wheel turns by itself and the wheels slightly point to the right. And you need to adjust it.
But then the steering wheel does this again. And you again have to adjust it. You basically need to adjust the steering wheel all of the time to avoid getting into an accident.
This situation happened to me and frankly, it is not an ideal situation. I had to drive the car like this for a while because I was on a trip. But as soon as I got home I took the car the next day to the shop and they determined that the problem was a bad tie rod. And frankly, I was pretty sure that that was the problem in the first place. Replaced the tie rod and aligned the wheel and that was it.
But this isn’t always the case and sometimes other things might cause your car pulling to the right. And more on these reasons that are causing this problem we are going to cover in a bit.
Is It Dangerous When A Car Pulls On One Side?
Now before we discuss the problem of a car pulling to the right. Let’s cover the safety aspect of this problem and the safety concerns around it.
Whenever this problem happens to you, it is very important to react quickly and sort this problem out. Driving like this with the car pulling to the right is not something safe and you could put your life in danger.
You will constantly have to adjust the steering wheel but sometimes you will forget. And this fraction of a second could be the limit between life and death in some cases.
So, having this issue sorted out as soon as possible would be a smart move for you if you want to avoid some consequences and repercussions later on. That’s why in the following chapters, we are going to discuss all of the possibilities out there that will help you out in diagnosing the issue quickly and without any sweat.
Reasons Why Car Pulling To The Right
We elaborated on the car pulling to the right problem. Now let’s focus on the reasons why this problem happens in the first place. Everything happens for a reason, right? Similar to this problem.
It is worth noting that we are going to focus on two possible scenarios of why the problem occurs. It can occur while you are driving the car on the freeway. But it can also occur when you apply your foot on the brakes. And these two things are completely different from one another.
The first scenario indicates a problem with the steering system, while the second scenario indicates a problem with the brakes. But you shouldn’t worry because we are going to cover everything in-depth.
Scenario 1: Car Pulling To The Right When Driving
First, let’s cover scenario number one of the problem car pulling to the right. This is the scenario when you have problems with your suspension or with the steering system.
This problem could also be considered to be more serious because it is constant. Meaning that it happens all the time and all the time you need to be aware to adjust the steering to avoid crashing.
So, what are the possible reasons of a car pulling to the right while driving happens? Let’s elaborate on them in detail.
Bad Air Pressure In Tires
A simple thing as bad pressure in your tires could be the culprit for the car pulling to the right problem. So, why is this the case, why could something simple as this cause so many problems?
This is the case because the tires should have equal pressure. All four of them should be equal for the optimum performance.
When there is no equal pressure, let’s say the ones on the left are more inflated than the ones on the right. The car pulling to the right problem might happen and could cause you to lose control of your car. Especially if you drive at high speeds.
So, whenever you notice that something is wrong and the car pulling to the right happens. Check your tires first and see if they are properly inflated. If they are not equally inflated, go to your nearest gas station and fill them with compressed air.
Bad Wheel Alignment
The second most probable reason why the car pulling to the right might happen is a bad wheel alignment. So, why is this the case?
Well, this is the case because the wheels need to be properly aligned for you to avoid problems like this.
This alignment is something that we don’t see with our naked eyes. We think, hey everything looks ok. But underneath is not ok. A car can get out of alignment after long periods of use and a lot of miles built upon it.
Also, whenever you change suspension components could also mess up your alignment. Wheel alignment is one of the most essential procedures that have to be done on our cars if we want to avoid possible problems like the car pulling to the right, uneven wear of the tires, and other issues that come up. So, if you haven’t aligned your wheel, make sure you do if you want to avoid problems like this in the future.
Bad Tie Rods
Bad tie rods can also make the car pulling to the right problem appear. Why I’m saying this? Well, this is the case because tie rods play a big role in how your car handles in general. Without them being in proper condition, you will have problems like this.
As you probably know, there is an inner tie rod that is going from the steering rack, and this rod is connected to the outer tie rod which then is connected to the knuckle via the ball joint.
Inner tie rod ball joint fails as well as the outer ball joint. Meaning that you will have to check these components when the car pulling to the right occurs. If they were never replaced, it might be the best idea to check them and replace them before you decide to do a wheel alignment on your car.
You don’t want to pay twice. Fix the problems on the suspension first and then do an alignment. Some shops will even do this for a discount if you do some work at their shop. By doing this, you will definitely fix the problem of a car pulling to the right.
Bad Wheel Bearing
The last thing that we are going to cover in this section on the problem of the car pulling to the right is the problem with the wheel bearing.
As you know each wheel has a wheel bearing that is connected to the knuckle. This bearing is crucial when it comes to the driving characteristics of the vehicle.
And unfortunately, these bearings often tend to wear and make your driving experience a complete nightmare. Weird humming sounds from the wheel or clunking sounds when the car is turning along with the car pulling to the right are some of the few symptoms that you will face. So, it is essential to check the condition of the front wheel bearing and replace the bearing if there is a need to do so.
Similar to the previous problems, fix the issue first and then do an alignment if you don’t want to have more problems later on. Now let’s cover the second scenario of the problem of a car pulling to the right.
Scenario 2: Car Pulling To The Right When Braking
Now let’s cover the second scenario when your car pulling to the right happens. This is the scenario when the car is braking.
Meaning that the car pulling to the right problem only occurs when you apply your foot on the brakes and honestly, this can happen a lot if some of the components in your braking system are not working as they should. But what are the possibilities? Let’s elaborate on them.
Bad Brake Pad
Bad brake pads are probably one of the prime causes for the car pulling to the right problem. Why I’m saying this? Because it is true.
The brake pads are the ones that do most of the heavy lifting when braking and they are known to wear, when they wear too many problems are starting to appear. And the car pulling to the right or to the left could be one of these problems.
In addition to this, low-quality brake pads can also make this problem even more prominent. There are brake pads that are sold that don’t even deserve to call them like that. That’s why avoid cheap brake pads if you don’t want to experience a problem like a car pulling to the right happening to you. Now let’s move on to the next probable cause for this problem.
Warped Rotors
The second most probable cause for a car pulling to the right is probably a warped rotor. Rotors go through a lot during their life, they heat up and cool down. If they cool down too quickly. More precisely, you driving through a puddle of water could cause the rotors to warp.
Metal doesn’t want to be cooled that quick and this could be a problem. The rotors will warp and cause you a number of issues when braking. There could be a stutter, vibrations, and also the car pulling to the right when braking. So, it is worth checking your rotors and seeing their condition. If they are warped, then they will need replacing if you want to solve your car pulling to the right problem.
Stuck Caliper
A stuck caliper can also cause the car pulling to the right problem on your car. So, why does this happen?
Well, nothing is perfect and so the brake calipers can fail sometimes. When they fail, the pistons that are on the caliper, end up stuck open or closed and sometimes even in the middle. So, when a caliper fails and doesn’t work. Only one of the front wheel brakes.
When only one wheel brakes, it is understandable for the car to pull on one side. So, when the car pulling to the right happens, this is one of the logical explanations for this problem. It is advised to inspect the calipers and see if they are functioning right.
Bad Master Cylinder
A bad master cylinder can also be a cause for a car pulling to the right. Why is this the case? Well, this is the case because the master cylinder has two circuits.
Each of these circuits is powering one side of the vehicle. This system is designed like that for a complete brake failure to be avoided.
So, if one circuit fails, the second circuit will do the job and the car will stop. But this means that your car only brakes with two wheels only. Quite similar to a seized caliper situation. Whenever you have this problem, the car pulling to the right will be present and you will have a problem.
The important thing is to follow the symptoms and address the issue as soon as possible if you want to avoid dangerous situations and your brakes fail completely. That’s why never ignore the car pulling to the right problem. But how to diagnose the issue? Well, that’s what we are going to discuss next.
How To Diagnose When Car Pulling To The Right?
Now after we covered both of the scenarios of the car pulling to the right problem. Let’s discuss something about diagnosing the problem. We will do this in a similar fashion. First, we are going to discuss the car pulling to the right because of bad suspension and alignment. And then we will discuss the same problem happening under braking.
Let’s first cover the first problem with the alignment. If you suspect that your alignment is off, you should inspect the wear of the tires and check the thread. If the thread is not evenly worn you will have to replace the tires and also do an alignment on your vehicle.
In addition to this, you will have to check the tie rods on the car. Both the inner and the outer since they play a major role in this operation. And lastly is the wheel bearing. Lift the car in the air and wiggle the wheel left and right. If it has play in it, then your wheel bearing is probably for replacing. In addition to this if the ball joint on the tie rod wiggles and the inner tie rod ball joint shows the same symptoms you will have to address the problems and then perform an alignment.
If you suspect that the car pulling to the right happens under braking, you will need to perform a detailed inspection on your braking system. Rotors, calipers, and pads, as well as the master cylinder. Check for wear and things that are different from that side in comparison to the other side of the car. Overall, that’s it. With a little bit of car knowledge, you can diagnose the car pulling to the right problem and move on to fixing it.
How To Fix This Problem?
So, how to fix this problem of a car pulling to the right? Fixing it unfortunately asks a little bit of expertise and knowledge of how this is done. If you are a beginner, then you might want to leave this work to the mechanics in the shop. Or if you have some experience, then fixing this problem might be the way to go if you want to save some money.
The important thing you need to nail from the first try is diagnosing the problem. Whether it is caused by braking. Or it is caused while driving. By doing this you will be able to eliminate the possibilities. Then the next thing would be to learn how to diagnose a specific component and then how to replace it. This can be even too much for a beginner to handle. That’s why you need to be careful.
Your best bet would be to leave the work to mechanics if you don’t have that experience and let them do the job. You might pay a bit more. But the end result will be perfect. No more car pulling to the right problem on your car. But how much it will cost you to sort out this issue? Let’s elaborate.
Cost To Fix Car Pulling To The Right
Now let’s discuss the cost to fix the car pulling to the right. The cost really depends much on the problem. You could end up paying $30 for new pads and up to a few hundred dollars if you need to replace a component like a caliper or a master cylinder for example. These are the most expensive components to replace.
Tie rods are also cheap to do, wheel bearing as well. Replacing all these components will not surpass $350 at a shop. If you do them at home you will escape with a fraction of this price.
But an alignment will have to be done. At least on the front end and this service can vary from $50 to $150. You can look for good deals on Groupon for this service. There are some excellent ones for like $40. Overall, that’s it when it comes to fixing the problem of a car pulling to the right.
Car Pulls to the Right Facts:
- Tire conicity is a characteristic of new tires that can cause a car to pull to the right, and can be detected by rotating the front tires.
- Tire separation, caused by air forcing the belts to separate from the tire carcass, can also cause a pull to the right.
- Uneven air pressure in tires is a common reason for a car to pull to the right, and low rear air pressure can also affect wheel alignment.
- Tread design and tire wear can cause a car to pull to the right, and new tires should be placed on the rear of the vehicle.
- After a tire rotation, a mismatched tire may cause pulling, and worn tire tread should be slowly worn out instead of replaced immediately.
- Road slope or crown can affect vehicle steering and cause a slight pull to the right, but an accurately performed wheel alignment can counteract this.
- A consistent pull in one direction, regardless of the road, is indicative of an issue with wheel alignment, while a pull only during braking or acceleration indicates a problem with brakes or suspension components.
- Torque steer affects front-wheel drive vehicles during hard acceleration and is caused by differences in air pressure or drive-shaft length.
- Memory steer causes a car to pull in the same direction as the last “hard” turn and is typically caused by fatigued strut mount bearings or other worn-out front-end components.
- Find a trusted repair shop with diagnostic equipment to pinpoint the exact reason for a car’s pulling issue, whether it be alignment, tire issues, brakes, suspension components, or road conditions.
Conclusion To Car Pulling To The Right
In this article, we have covered quite a bit about your car pulling to the right problem. First, we elaborated on the problem and learned what this problem looks like.
Then we discussed both scenarios of a car pulling to the right. When you are driving and under braking. The first problem is often caused by bad tie rods or wheel bearings and alignment, while the second is because of bad brake components.
Then we covered the diagnosing process in-depth and learned how you can diagnose the issue and also how to fix the problem and the costs involved in this job. Overall, not that expensive, with only a few hundred bucks, you will have your problem sorted out.
