It sounds odd to say, but your VW’s wheels need to point in the right direction. If they don’t, even by a small amount, such as a tenth of a degree, it can immediately lead to steering and driving problems.
Technically speaking, this is known as wheel misalignment. You might also hear people refer to it as ‘tracking’ (as in, “Your tracking’s out.”). For this article, we’ll stick with ‘misalignment’.
Misalignment can happen gradually through normal driving, or suddenly after hitting a pothole, kerb, speed bump or rough road surface.
And just before we get started, a quick note of caution. You’ll find a good many online articles out there that confuse wheel misalignment with wheel balancing problems. Both affect the wheels, but that’s where the similarities end. If you’re ever in any doubt, check your tyres’ wear patterns (see below) or bring your car to our VW service centre in Derby for a quick inspection.
So, here are five signs your VW’s wheels may be misaligned:
Your VW pulls to one side
One of the clearest signs of wheel misalignment is your VW pulling left or right when you’re driving on a straight, level road. This happens because the wheels are no longer pointing evenly in the direction they should. Instead of rolling straight ahead together, one or more wheels may be angled slightly off course. As a result, the car naturally drifts to one side and you have to keep correcting the steering. A slight pull can be easy to ignore at first, but it can make driving more tiring and reduce your control, especially on longer journeys.
One side of the tyre tread is wearing faster
Misaligned wheels often cause uneven tyre wear. You’ll almost always see a strip of wear down one side of the tyre’s tread, either on the inner edge or the outer edge.
This happens because the tyre isn’t sitting squarely on the road. Instead, one edge of the tread takes more pressure than the rest of the tyre. Over time, that side wears down faster, even if the tyre still looks fine elsewhere. If the wheels are severely misaligned, this strip of wear can drop below the legal tyre tread depth limit within weeks of fitting new tyres or winter tyres.
Your steering wheel is off-centre
When you’re driving straight, your steering wheel should also sit straight. If the VW badge on the steering wheel looks slightly turned while your car is moving in a straight line, it’s likely to be a problem with your alignment. This can happen after suspension work, tyre replacement, kerb impacts or simply after normal wear over time. This is, in reality, the other side of the coin from the first symptom we mentioned in this blog. When the steering wheel is straight, your VW will pull to the left or to the right.
The steering feels less precise
Misalignment can also make your VW feel less sharp than it should. You may notice that the steering feels vague, slow to respond, or that the car doesn’t hold its line as confidently as it once did.
This happens because the tyres aren’t meeting the road at the correct angle. Instead of rolling cleanly in the direction you steer, they scrub slightly across the road surface. That can make the car feel less settled, especially when cornering or changing lanes.
Squealing tyres on turns
A squeal when you’re cornering, even gently, is worth listening to. Misaligned wheels don’t sit square with the road. Instead of gripping cleanly through the bend, the tyre scrubs sideways against the tarmac. That scrubbing is what you’re hearing.
It’s easy to write off as normal tyre noise, especially at low speed. But if it’s happening on turns you’d normally take without a sound, it’s a sign your alignment, not just your tyres, needs a look.
Why driving on misaligned wheels can be risky
Misaligned wheels don’t just wear out your tyres. They change how your VW responds when you need it most. A car that pulls or drifts means you’ll need to make constant small corrections just to stay in your lane. It can make it tricky to stay in control of your car if you need to swerve or brake hard. In an emergency, a car that doesn’t track true is harder to control.
There’s a financial cost, too. Tyres wearing unevenly often need replacing months before they should, and if you leave the problem long enough, the extra strain can spread to your suspension and steering components. What starts as a wheel alignment job can become a much bigger bill.
Wet weather can make all of this worse. Uneven tread wear reduces your tyre’s ability to clear water, so your grip in the rain drops off faster than it would on a properly aligned car. If you’ve noticed any of the five signs above, the longer you leave it, the more it will costs you, both in money and in safety margin.
How Sunset VW checks and corrects your wheel alignment
When you bring your VW to Sunset VW, our technicians can check whether your wheels are sitting at the correct angles. We use specialist alignment equipment, including Bluetooth measuring heads attached to the wheels. These measure how the wheels are positioned to within a hundredth of a degree and show whether the tracking is within the correct range for your specific car.
If the alignment is out, we’ll let you know what the check has found before making any adjustments. Correcting the toe angle usually involves adjusting the track rods, which connect the steering system to the front wheels. Camber or castor issues are much rarer, but they can be more complex, so our technicians will explain what’s needed if either of those angles is outside the correct range.
Once our technicians complete the adjustment, we do a test drive to confirm the steering wheel sits straight and there’s no pulling to either side.
Can wheel alignment problems cause your VW to fail its MOT?
No. An MOT doesn’t involve an alignment check. However, misaligned wheels will inevitably lead to tyre and possibly suspension problems. Once those problems develop, they could cause your VW to fail its MOT.
Fixing your wheel alignment does come with a price, of course. It’s best to think of it as protection for your tyres and your safety. That’s why we always recommend having your alignment checked. And if it doesn’t need doing, we won’t do it.
Book your VW wheel alignment or tyre check at Sunset VW
If your VW is pulling to one side, wearing tyres unevenly, wandering on straight roads, or no longer steering as cleanly as it should, it may be time for a wheel alignment. Help keep your car performing well and staying safe on the road. Book your VW wheel alignment or tyre inspection with Sunset VW today.