When to get your car aligned?

As a vehicle owner and driver, you know that you need to carry out a certain number of maintenance and servicing operations in order to ensure your driving comfort as well as your safety on the road. One of these various technical services that you need to carry out in a professional garage is the alignment of your car’s wheels. But you are wondering if you really need to do this maintenance? What are the signs that tell you that you need to have your car aligned? Read this article to find out when to have your car aligned and what it involves.

Everything you need to know about your car’s alignment

The alignment of a car also called parallelism or wheel geometry allows good road holding as well as good stability of your vehicle. It is a preventive maintenance that ensures that the wheels of your car are completely aligned. It therefore consists of adjusting the four wheels of the vehicle so that they are perpendicular to the road and parallel to each other. In this way, you ensure safe driving and reduce your fuel consumption, thereby reducing your environmental footprint. Indeed, wheels that are poorly aligned impact your driving and the wear of your vehicle’s tires.

Generally, this mechanical maintenance is carried out by professionals when changing your tires for winter and summer.
There are several causes that can cause the wheel alignment of your vehicle to be out of alignment, such as road defects (potholes, bumps, speed bumps, etc.), an accident causing significant damage, your vehicle hitting an obstacle on the road or a pile of hardened snow or a curb chain, changing a part of your vehicle’s steering or suspension system, etc.

When to align your car’s wheels?

There are several signs that will tell you that you need to have your car’s wheels aligned. Here are the main ones:

• Your tires wear out prematurely as well as abnormally, unevenly and irregularly, reducing their lifespan.
• Your vehicle’s fuel consumption is increasing unusually.
• When you are driving on a straight line, you feel like your vehicle is pulling to the right or left or that the steering wheel is stuck.
• The steering wheel of your car has difficulty returning to the central position after taking a sharp turn.
• You hear strange and abnormal sounds like squeaking.
• You have difficulty keeping your car on track, especially when taking turns.

However, even if you have not noticed any of the specific problems listed above on your vehicle, it is recommended that you have your car aligned at a professional garage once a year or every 20,000 km.

You have noticed some of these symptoms, so you think you need to have your car’s wheel alignment checked? For your safety and to ensure your vehicle runs perfectly, trust the professional mechanics at Pneus Groupe Unik. These experts perform wheel alignment impeccably using 3D technology, on all types of vehicles and all brands.

What is the average price of a wheel alignment?

If you own a vehicle, you know as a responsible driver that there are a number of technical services and maintenance that you must perform in order to maintain your safety on the road as well as your comfort. Among these various revisions of parts or mechanical systems to be carried out, some are very simple and you can do them yourself such as topping up the oil or windshield washer fluid, but several on the other hand require the intervention of professional mechanics such as replacing brake discs and pads or changing tires in winter and spring, mandatory by law.

One of the technical services that you should also carry out in a professional garage is the wheel alignment of your vehicle. What does it consist of and how much can you expect for a wheel alignment? In this article you will find all the information regarding the price of a wheel alignment.

What is vehicle wheel alignment?

The wheel alignment of a vehicle also called automotive alignment or parallelism or wheel geometry is a technical revision that allows better control of your vehicle, ensures safe driving and reduces your fuel consumption. Indeed, wheel alignment allows good road holding and good stability of your vehicle by keeping the wheels of your vehicle perfectly aligned with each other and with the road. In simplified terms, automotive alignment therefore consists of adjusting the four wheels of the vehicle so that they are perpendicular to the road and parallel to each other.

Over the mileage you drive, your car’s wheels can become misaligned. This is why it is recommended that you have your vehicle’s wheels aligned at a professional garage once a year or every 20,000 km. Ideally, the alignment should be done when you change your tires each season.

Symptoms of a Wheel Alignment Problem

There are several signs that can tell you that your vehicle’s wheels need to be aligned, the main ones are:

• You notice that your tires are wearing out prematurely or abnormally, unevenly or irregularly. As a result, the life of your tires is reduced.
• You notice that one tire on your vehicle, always the same one, is often more deflated than the others.
• Your fuel consumption is increasing abnormally.
• When you are driving in a straight line, you feel like your steering wheel is turning or your vehicle is pulling to the left or right.
• After taking a sharp turn, your car’s steering wheel has difficulty returning to the center position.
• You have difficulty keeping your vehicle on track, especially when cornering.
• You hear abnormal and strange noises like squeaking.

If you notice one or more of these symptoms, for your safety and to keep your vehicle running optimally, it is essential to have a thorough wheel alignment inspection at a professional garage.

Causes of poor wheel alignment

There are many factors that can cause your vehicle’s wheel alignment to be out of alignment, including:

• Road defects such as bumps, holes, speed bumps, etc. In spring in Quebec, the presence of many potholes on the roads is the cause of much damage to the alignment of your vehicle’s wheels.
• You hit an obstacle on the road or a pile of hardened snow in winter.
• You rubbed a sidewalk chain.
• Your vehicle has been in an accident or has suffered significant damage.
• A part of your vehicle’s suspension or steering system has been changed.
• Your vehicle’s ground clearance has been raised or lowered.
• Wear and tear on your car’s suspension such as sagging springs.

The Consequences of Faulty Car Alignment

Improper wheel alignment on a vehicle can have several negative consequences for the vehicle and the safety of the driver. Here are the main ones:

• Premature wear of the tires on the outer or inner edge of the tread. This can lead to a loss of grip, reduced safety on the road and a reduction in the life of the tires.
• Increased fuel consumption: When the wheels are not aligned properly, the tires rub against the road surface unevenly. This creates increased resistance, requiring more effort from the engine to move the vehicle forward. As a result, fuel consumption increases and results in higher costs.
• Steering System Instability: Improper alignment can affect the geometry of your vehicle’s steering system, including the bearings, ball joints, and steering arms. Your vehicle may become unstable and difficult to control on the road.
• Premature wear of suspension components such as shock absorbers, springs, control arms and ball joints leads to costly repairs.
• Loss of grip and control: Poor alignment can affect your vehicle’s handling by reducing the tires’ grip on the road, increasing braking distances and making driving unstable.

The average price of a wheel alignment in Quebec

The price of a wheel alignment can vary depending on several factors, such as the region, the type of vehicle (car, light truck, SUV, etc.), the level of service and the chosen auto repair shop. In Quebec, the average cost of a wheel alignment is therefore generally between $80 and $130.

If you notice one or more symptoms of poor wheel alignment on your vehicle, you need to have them aligned in a professional garage for your safety and driving comfort. For this, you can trust the expert mechanics at Pneus Groupe Unik in Dorval. They efficiently and professionally perform wheel alignment using 3D technology, which allows them to align all types of vehicles and all brands. You will be sure to get the best price for your car’s wheel alignment.

Why go to a garage to have your wheels aligned?

If you own a vehicle, you know that there are a number of servicing and maintenance to be done in order to maintain your comfort and safety on the road. Among these various car maintenances to be done, some are simple and you can do them yourself, such as topping up the oil or windshield washer fluid, while several require the intervention of professional mechanics, such as changing tires every season (a mandatory step by law) or the brake system.

But what to do for the alignment of your car’s wheels? You are wondering if you need to do this maintenance and if you should go to a garage for the alignment of your car. You will find in this article all the information necessary to answer your questions.

Car wheel alignment in detail

Automotive alignment, also called wheel alignment or wheel geometry, allows for better control of your vehicle. This service is usually performed by professionals when changing your tires for winter.

Simply put, wheel alignment adjustment involves adjusting all four wheels of the vehicle so that they are perpendicular to the road surface and parallel to each other.

What is wheel alignment used for?

This is a preventive maintenance that ensures that your vehicle’s wheels are perfectly aligned. It allows you to ensure safe driving and reduce your fuel consumption, thereby reducing your environmental footprint. Indeed, poorly aligned wheels can have many impacts on your driving and tire wear. Wheel alignment allows for good road holding and good vehicle stability. It is therefore an element that should not be neglected for the comfort of your driving and your safety on the road.

So, even if you have not noticed any particular problems with your vehicle, it is recommended to have your car aligned at a garage once a year or every 20,000 km.

The causes

Several anomalies can cause a disruption in the alignment of your vehicle’s wheels, such as:

• Road defects (holes, bumps, speed bumps, etc.). In Quebec, the presence of many potholes in the spring is a real nuisance for the alignment of your wheels.
• Your car has been in an accident or suffered significant damage.
• Your vehicle hit an obstacle on the road or a pile of hardened snow, or you brushed against a sidewalk chain.
• A part of your vehicle’s suspension or steering system has been changed.

Symptoms of an Alignment Problem

There are several signs that will indicate that you need to have your vehicle’s wheel alignment checked at a garage . Here are the main ones:

• You notice that your tires are wearing out prematurely before their time or in an abnormal, uneven and irregular manner. As a result, your fuel consumption increases and the life of your tires decreases.
• You notice that when you are driving on a straight line, your steering wheel stays turned or you have the impression that your vehicle is pulling to the right or left.
• After taking a turn, the steering wheel of your vehicle has difficulty returning to the central position.
• When you turn or drive, you hear strange and abnormal sounds like squealing tires and/or a knocking in the suspension.
• Especially when you are taking turns, you have difficulty keeping your vehicle on track.

If you notice any of these symptoms, for your safety and to keep your vehicle running perfectly, it is essential to have a thorough inspection at a wheel alignment garage .

The Benefits of Going to a Garage to Align Your Vehicle’s Wheels

By choosing to bring your vehicle to a garage for wheel alignment , you benefit from many advantages:

• You benefit from excellent customer service. In fact, as a general rule, the garage manager knows his customers well as well as the history of their vehicle. He will take the time to listen to you, understand the problem, carefully check the wheel alignment and give you personalized advice.
• You avoid making technical errors. Being an auto mechanic is not something you can improvise! You must have a lot of knowledge of auto mechanics to know how to work on a vehicle and perform tire alignment safely and efficiently. In a garage, mechanics are certified and qualified because they have received professional training in auto mechanics and have the skills necessary to carry out all work on various types of vehicles safely, such as wheel alignment.
• You are sure to get a great repair with the right quality parts.
• Professional mechanics have all the necessary and adequate equipment to correctly and efficiently carry out the revision as well as the various alignment repairs. In addition, they have access to a wide selection of quality original or used spare parts ensuring careful work.
• You benefit from solid guarantees. In fact, the Consumer Protection Act requires that all automobile repairs (i.e. labor and parts) carried out in a garage be guaranteed for a period of 3 months or 5,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.
• You keep the manufacturer’s warranty. Indeed, if you have a new vehicle still under warranty, for it to apply, you absolutely must go to a garage to have your car aligned . Thus, the invoice that the garage gives you will prove that you have carried out this service on time and that it complies with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Do you think you need to align your car’s wheels? To do this, trust the expert mechanics at Pneus Groupe Unik , they professionally perform wheel alignment using 3D technology, which allows them to align all types of vehicles and all brands.