If your car drifts or pulls to one side when you're driving on a straight road with hands loosely on the wheel, something needs attention. The good news: most causes are common, well understood, and fixable.
This is the most common and cheapest cause. A tyre that's significantly lower on one side creates uneven rolling resistance, pulling the car toward that side. Check all four pressures against the door jamb sticker and inflate to the correct level. If this fixes it, you're done — but investigate why one tyre was low.
Uneven tyre wear across an axle — one tyre worn significantly more than the other side — also causes pulling. Run your hand across the tread surface. If one tyre feels noticeably more worn, it's contributing to the pull. Mismatched tyre brands or ages on the same axle can cause similar effects.
If pressures and tyre condition are fine, alignment is the next suspect. Wheel alignment drifts over time — especially after hitting kerbs, potholes, or speed bumps hard. Misaligned wheels cause the car to track to one side and also cause accelerated, uneven tyre wear. Alignment is a relatively cheap fix (£30–£60 at most garages) and worth doing if you've recently hit something or replaced tyres.
If the car pulls only or more noticeably under braking, one brake may be dragging or the braking force is uneven across an axle. A seized brake caliper on one side causes persistent drag and will make that corner noticeably hotter than the other after a drive. You can check by carefully feeling the wheel rims (not the disc — it's hot) after a drive. If one side is significantly hotter, get the brakes inspected.
If correcting tyre pressures doesn't resolve a persistent pull, book it into a tyre and alignment specialist. Most will do a quick visual check free. If the pull is accompanied by vibration, noise, or only occurs under braking, it needs professional attention sooner rather than later.
If the pull is specific to braking, a full OBD scan will identify ABS or brake control module faults that a visual check will not catch. £25, mobile across Pontypridd and RCT.
