Though it’s sometimes so subtle you won’t notice, the alignment of your wheels can get out of whack from the jolts and mishaps of everyday driving. This reduces your vehicle’s drivability, lowers gas mileage and causes early tire wear. An alignment is the process of adjusting the angles of your vehicle’s wheels back to original specifications

An alignment improves driving safety by keeping the right amount of the tire in contact with the road and preventing your vehicle from pulling to the left or right. A properly aligned vehicle has a smoother ride and optimal gas mileage. Keeping the wheels aligned also extends tire life.

Over time, normal settling of the suspension — plus fatigue of springs and bushings (rubber cushions that dampen the amount of movement and noise) — will gradually change alignment. Impacts like hitting a pothole, going over big bumps, rubbing up against a curb or rolling over debris can push the wheels out of alignment. Aggressive driving, carrying heavy loads, bent or worn suspension parts (tie rods, ball joints, strut mounts and bearing plates) or a slight fender-bender can trigger misalignment.

Diagnosing misalignment isn’t always clear-cut. Because the measurements can be very fine, you may not see it with a quick look at the tires and wheels. You may notice the steering wheel is off-center, feel a pull or drift or notice your handling isn’t up to par. The only way to know for sure is to have a trained technician run a check on an alignment machine.

Yes. If they show moderate-to-severe edge wear or feathered wear, it likely means they’re being dragged along rather than rolling smoothly. This is often an indicator that the toe or the camber angle is off.