How often wheel alignment service is needed is one of the most common questions we hear at our Irvine shop. The short answer: check it once a year and every time you buy tires. The longer answer depends on how and what you drive.
The rule of thumb for how often wheel alignment is needed
For most cars, an alignment check every 12 months or 12,000 miles is a good habit. You should also align your car when you install new tires, replace suspension or steering parts, or change ride height.
Warning signs you need an alignment now
- The car drifts or pulls to one side
- The steering wheel is crooked when driving straight
- Tires wear on the inner or outer edge
- Steering feels loose or wanders on the freeway
- You recently hit a pothole, curb or road debris
What affects alignment
Alignment changes slowly as parts wear and settle. Sudden changes come from impacts. Even a single hard hit on a curb can knock toe out of spec. As a result, your tires can start wearing unevenly within a few hundred miles.
EVs and Teslas
Electric vehicles are heavy, and many have aggressive factory camber settings. That makes them sensitive to alignment. Tesla Model 3 and Model Y owners often see inner-edge wear on the rear tires. Checking alignment more often helps. Learn more about our Tesla alignment service.
Lowered and lifted vehicles
Changing ride height changes alignment angles. Lowered cars need careful camber and toe settings. Lifted trucks need correct caster. Always align after a suspension change, and recheck after a few hundred miles as parts settle.
Alignment vs. balancing
These two get mixed up a lot. Alignment sets the angles of your wheels relative to the car and road. Balancing evens out weight around each tire and wheel. Pulling is an alignment issue. A vibration at speed is usually a balance issue. Read about tire balancing to learn more.
What does an alignment cost you if you skip it?
Skipping an alignment can wear out a set of tires early. A misaligned car also uses slightly more fuel or battery energy, because the tires scrub instead of rolling freely. For more on efficiency, see the U.S. Department of Energy’s maintenance tips.
Get your alignment checked in Irvine
Still wondering how often wheel alignment checks make sense for your car? Ask us. Our wheel alignment service includes a before-and-after printout, so you can see exactly what changed.
Written by the WTC service team
Wheel & Tire Connection is a tire, wheel and alignment shop in the Irvine Auto Center, serving Irvine, Lake Forest and South Orange County.
