Mar 25, 2024

Does your Buick’s steering wheel drift to one side when you let it go while driving? This is one of the signs that your car has become misaligned. Schedule a wheel alignment at your local Buick dealership before your ride becomes compromised.

What Can Affect Your Buick’s Wheel Alignment?

Driving habits like hitting speed bumps, curbs, and potholes, off-roading, and overloading your vehicle will cause wheel misalignment. But you don’t have to do these things to have alignment issues. Even if you’ve been careful, your car may still lose alignment over time. An alignment adjusts the angles of the suspension components to make sure all the tires rotate at the same speed.

Why Should You Get a Tire Alignment at Your Buick Dealership?

Extend the Life of Your Tires

Misalignment causes the tires to rotate at different speeds and make uneven contact with the road surface as you drive. This causes uneven and premature tire wear on one edge of the tread. Alignments ensure that the tires make even contact with the road, which prevents uneven tread wear and extends the life of the tires.

Improve Steering and Stability

Misaligned wheels make it harder for your vehicle to track straight and respond to steering inputs. That’s why the steering wheel doesn’t centralize as it should. The drifting of the steering wheel can make your Buick feel unstable on the road. Tire alignment restores stability and handling, allowing you to feel in control of the vehicle.

Enjoy a Smoother Ride

If your wheels are misaligned, you may start to experience steering wheel vibrations, shaking, and an overall rougher ride quality. This forces you to drive at low speed, which doesn’t do much to resolve the problem. Aligning the tires ensures that the wheels and entire suspension system operate smoothly. This leads to a smoother ride with no jarring motions.

Increase Your Buick’s Fuel Economy

Tire alignment and uneven tread wear are notorious for affecting a vehicle’s fuel economy. If the tires aren’t making even contact with the road, rolling resistance increases. This causes the engine to work harder and consume more fuel. Aligning your tires reduces the strain on the engine and restores your Buick’s fuel economy.

How Often Should You Get an Alignment?

We generally recommend you get a tire alignment every 6,000 miles, but this isn’t a rule. Driving habits and environmental conditions determine the right frequency for this service. Stay on the lookout for these signs that it’s time to get a tire alignment:

  • Pulling to one side
  • Uneven tire wear
  • Steering wheel vibrations
  • Squealing tires
  • Loose handling

During an alignment, our technicians check and service the suspension components and steering as well. You will be surprised at how smooth and enjoyable the ride feels after the service.

Don’t wait for suspension problems to get a tire alignment. Contact Granite Buick GMC in Rapid City, SD to schedule an alignment as soon as you notice signs of trouble.