WHEEL ALIGNMENT TROUBLE SHOOTING
Note. This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.
| CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE | CORRECTION | |
|---|---|---|
| Premature Tire Wear | ||
| Improper tire inflation | Check tire pressure | |
| Front alignment out of tolerance | See ALIGNMENT SPECS in WHEEL ALIGNMENT section | |
| Suspension components worn | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Steering system components worn | See STEERING section | |
| Improper standing height | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT | |
| Uneven or sagging springs | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Bent wheel | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT | |
| Improper torsion bar adjustment | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Loose or worn wheel bearings | See WHEEL BEARING ADJ. in SUSPENSION section | |
| Worn or defective shock | Replace shock absorbers | |
| Tires out of balance | Check tire balance | |
| Pulls to One Side | ||
| Improper tire inflation | Check tire pressure | |
| Brake dragging | See BRAKE section | |
| Mismatched tires | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT | |
| Broken or sagging spring | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Broken torsion bar | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Power steering valve not centered | See STEERING section | |
| Front alignment out of tolerance | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT section | |
| Defective wheel bearing | See WHEEL BEARINGS in SUSPENSION section | |
| Uneven sway bar links | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Frame bent | Check for frame damage | |
| Steering system bushing worn | See STEERING section | |
| Hard Steering | ||
| Idler arm bushing too tight | See STEERING LINKAGE in STEERING section | |
| Ball joint tight or seized | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Steering linkage too tight | See STEERING LINKAGE in STEERING section | |
| Power steering fluid low | Add proper amount of fluid | |
| Power steering drive belt loose | See STEERING section | |
| Power steering pump defective | See STEERING section | |
| Steering gear out of adjustment | See STEERING section | |
| Incorrect wheel alignment | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT | |
| Damaged steering gear | See STEERING section | |
| Damaged suspension | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Bent steering knuckle or supports | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Vehicle "Wanders" | ||
| Strut rod or control arm bushing worn | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Loose or worn wheel bearings | See WHEEL BEARINGS in SUSPENSION section | |
| Improper tire inflation | Check tire pressure | |
| Stabilizer bar missing or defective | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Wheel alignment out of tolerance | See Adjustment in WHEEL ALIGNMENT section | |
| Broken spring | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Defective shock absorber | Replace shock absorbers | |
| Worn steering & suspension components | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Front End Shimmy | ||
| Tire out of balance/round | Check tire balance | |
| Excessive wheel runout | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT | |
| Insufficient or improper caster | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT section | |
| Worn suspension or steering components | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Defective shock absorbers | Replace shock absorber | |
| Wheel bearings worn or loose | See WHEEL BEARING ADJ. in SUSPENSION section | |
| Power steering reaction Bracket loose | See STEERING section | |
| Steering gear box (rack) mounting loose | See STEERING section | |
| Steering gear adjustment loose | See STEERING section | |
| Worn spherical joints | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Toe-In Not Adjustable | ||
| Lower control arm bent | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Frame bent | Check frame for damage | |
| Camber Not Adjustable | ||
| Control arm bent | See SUSPENSION section | |
| Frame bent | Check frame for damage | |
| Hub & bearing not seated properly | See SUSPENSION section | |
BASIC WHEEL ALIGNMENT TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART