I just my car aligned to spec but my car's steering wheel is tilted to the left and pulling to the right. I have a new left rear wheel because the old one had a nail through the side wall so I had to replace it. Could the rear tire cause my car to pull to the right and have my steering wheel off? My other 3 tires had 10,000 miles on them when I got the new tire.

 

The left rear has a larger overall diameter since it's new. That's most likely why your car is pulling to the right. You might consider changing out the right rear to get the same OD.

 

Be sure the cold tire pressures are correct, too.

 

For sure. I had new tires installed and the installers put 49.5 psi in the front and 39.5 in the rear. Needless to say I was just a bit unhappy about it.

 

i went in with perfect tire pressure when they were cold at my 5k service, but after driving 30 min. they were hot so they let out air to get them where they should be when cold. then they were underinflated...duh! don't touch my tires anymore please!

 

THoon, are you the one with the 3 turanzas and one RE in the back cuz the dealer ran out of turanzas?

 

No. All my tires are Potenza RE050. The left rear does have quite a bit more tread than the rest. I haven't been able to check the air pressure yet, but wouldn't they check that before doing an alignment?

 

No, tire pressure has nothing to do with doing the alignment, and even if they checked it, they probably messed it up.

 

Hmmm, tire pressure can impact alignment. A good example would be on a truck with tires with large sidewalls. A significant difference in air pressure in one tire can change the suspension geometry enough to cause issues.

Slight changes in suspension geometry is so important that some manufacturers require the vehicle have no cargo and a full tank of gas in order to have proper alignment procedures followed.

 

You should ALWAYS ensure tire pressures are correct before aligning your car. It can make a world of difference if they are incorrect.