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Tech Talk

The Two Main Types of Car Steering Problems

Your car is an incredibly complex and sophisticated machine. But the more moving parts a machine has, the more things can go wrong. Even if your car is stopping and going the way it’s supposed to, sometimes you’ll find that it isn’t going the direction it’s supposed to.

These are symptoms of potentially serious car steering problems, which can be boiled down to two main types: alignment issues, and power steering issues.

Power Steering Car Steering Problems
Power steering is the hydraulic system that makes it easier for you to turn the wheel of your car the direction you need it to go. Otherwise the weight of the vehicle would require so much more strength to turn it, and there would be no “Fast turns” or “Fast lane”.

One of the good things about this kind of car steering problem is you can feel when it’s coming. The steering will become trickier and slipperier. When you feel yourself overcompensating one moment and struggling with getting it to turn the next you’re definitely coming up on a power steering issue.

So how do you avoid it? 
Keeping the power steering fluid in your car flushed and refreshed regularly will go a long way towards managing and maintaining your power steering system to keep it lasting a long time. Also, getting regular service checks on your vehicle can definitely help prevent car steering problems. A good mechanic will be able to identify and repair slight problems before the whole power steering system goes kaput while you’re trying to merge on the freeway.

Alignment Car Steering Problems
If your car is pulling to one way or another, if you find yourself drifting when holding the wheel still, or if it’s harder to turn in one direction it’s very likely you’re dealing with an alignment issue. This is the second most common type of car steering problem, but not because it happens less often.

You can mess up the alignment of your wheels as easy as you can mess up your parallel parking job and jump up on the curb. And it can mess up the long-term drivability of your vehicle which can end up becoming a very costly repair.

Combat alignment car steering problems by getting your alignment checked regularly, rotating your tires every three months, and be mindful of the way your car is driving and address it when it’s calling to you.