Detect an alignment problem

General maintenance	Preventive maintenance	Car maintenance
Save on fuel	Improve your engine performance	Replace tyre
Detect a brake problem	Detect a radiator problem	Detect an alignment problem
Detect an engine problem	Car do’s and don’ts	Car Paints

• Check tyres for proper inflation. Pressing a tire gauge onto the valve of each wheel and comparing the reading to the recommended pressure printed on the tyre's sidewall can do this.
• Add air as needed.
• Check for uneven wear in the tread. Drive to a mechanic and ask for the alignment to be checked and adjusted if the tread is worn unevenly.
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  With a jack, lift the car and place the front end on jack stands.
• Hold one front wheel by its top and bottom. Shake the wheel to check for looseness. If loose, take it to a mechanic and ask for wheel bearing service.
• Take the car off the jack stands and drive it on a road with little traffic.
• Watch out for any drift in the steering. Remove your hands from the wheel momentarily if necessary to check the drift.
• If the car drifts or the tyres have uneven wear, it is advisable to take the car to a mechanic for alignment without further examination. While you are having the alignment checked, ask your mechanic to check the ball joints for wear.