Car pulling to the left.

**Timbuk2**

My mother's 98 Toyota Starlet is pulling to the left as it is driven. It's not a huge pull (certainly easy to keep in control), but if you let go of the wheel it would veer slightly towards the kerb on the left side of the road.

I was checking the tire thread depth this morning (using an RSA card thing where you put the corner of the page into the thread) and all the tires were well over 1.6mm except for the front left tire, which was smoother than the rest of them (it was just over 1.6mm, according to the RSA card - it needs to be replaced very soon).

I'm thinking the two issues are related. Possibly the pulling to the left is causing the tire to wear excessively. Does this sound like a tracking, or alignment, problem?

I'll check the tire pressures tomorrow - maybe it's something as simple as uneven tire pressues!

Vodkat

Had a similar problem and went to the tyre centre as instructed by my dad, The guy in the tyre centre said my tracking was prob off so he aligned it and I was on my way. Only cost €30 and the tyre guy said that the wheels need to be aligned every time you buy a new tyre. Call into a tyre centre, the guys know what there at!!!!

Nissan doctor

The alignment doesn't need to be done just because you have bought a new tyre, however if the tyre is unevenly worn or there is evidence of misalignment then it should obviously be checked.

@OP If one front tyre is unevenly worn, or a different brand/spec to the other then that would certainly cause a pull, as would incorrect tyre pressures. Did you check the thread depths across the whole thread?

davoxx

try swapping the wheels around as is and see if it then pulls to the right.

if it pulls to the right, the tyres are the issue: balancing, thread depth, pressure.

if it still pulls to the left, the tracking is off - and 30 quid at kwik fit should do it

hope that helps!!

biko

Make sure pressure is right on both sides, all four wheels. This is an easy thing to do and is the cause of a lot of grief.
A dodgy tyre can also cause pull even if pressure is right.
But if you shift fronts to backs it'll be much less noticeable.
But start with right/left as suggested.

pslat

It's possible that it could be a brake problem. Slight binding on the left wheel plate could cause this but the plate and caliper would be noticably hotter after driving for a while.
Another possibility would be worn bearings in the wheel but I'd agree with the other posts, If it's not the tyres then it's most likely the tracking.

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the answers! I hope it's something simple, like the tracking, and not the start of a series of problems that a 12 year old car is bound to face (although, apart from needing a replaced radiator, it hasn't caused us any hassle yet!).

I checked the tyre pressures today - nearly all the tyres were at the recommended pressure (according to the manual), although the front right tyre was at a slighter lower pressure compared to the front left - the opposite of what I expected, seeing as it's pulling to the left!

I'll go tomorrow morning to one of the tyre places and ask them to have a look at the tracking/alignment.

Thanks again for the help!

coylemj

See if there's any local Fine Gaelers looking for a ride to work, that should fix the 'drifting to the left' problem

**Timbuk2**

OK, went to the tyre place today. He had a look at it, said the tracking was off and that was fixed, so off I went.

However, I noticed that the car was still pulling to the left. I went back to the place. He swapped the front left and front right tyres, and then said go out and drive it for a bit and see what happens. I did this, and noticed that it was now pulling to the right - but not as badly as it was to the left.

I went back and said this to him, and he said to leave it for a few days and see if it wears in (??). I suggested possibly putting the back wheels up the front, and the front wheels to the back, or swapping them diagonally, but he said it would be better to leave it for a few days.

I'll see how it goes anyway - I'd probably prefer it to drift left than to drift right, but it certainly doesn't seem as bad as it was. I'd say that it must be the tyres that are causing this now - could this be a result of one tyre being worn more than the other (he looked at the tyres and said they were fine, certainly legal, but I can see that one tyre is worn more than the other).

The tyre pressures are equal, left and right, so I don't think pressure is the issue

What do you think? I'll leave it for a few days, and if there is no improvement, I'll try swapping the front and back wheels

Mr Benevolent

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

OK, went to the tyre place today. He had a look at it, said the tracking was off and that was fixed, so off I went.

However, I noticed that the car was still pulling to the left. I went back to the place. He swapped the front left and front right tyres, and then said go out and drive it for a bit and see what happens. I did this, and noticed that it was now pulling to the right - but not as badly as it was to the left.

It's definitely tyre wear causing that problem.

davoxx

Confab wrote: »

It's definitely tyre wear causing that problem.

+1

were both front tyres bought at the same time and are of the same brand and model?
if not i'd use a pair that are, or buy a new pair.

**Timbuk2**

davoxx wrote: »

+1

were both front tyres bought at the same time and are of the same brand and model?
if not i'd use a pair that are, or buy a new pair.

Yep they are both the same and were put on at the same time!

It doesn't sound like something that will "fix itself", like the man suggested.

Thanks again for the answers!

pslat

Surprised at Mr. Man suggesting it will fix itself.. don't know why he didn't try sell you new tyres Agree with the others, get rid of that tyre and if at all possible replace both fronts.

Chuck Stone

This happened to me once. It ended up being one of the tyres which I had to replace.

mcwhirter

Some cars pull to the left more than others following the camber of the road, some bmw's ,mondeos and rover 75's I hear.