GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

So, I had my tires rotated earlier this year. The shop that rotated them did a terrible job to the point where if I went above 60 mph the steering wheel would vibrate badly and even pull to the right a little bit. I took it back and they "fixed" it, essentially eliminating the vibration, stating that the problem was with the balancing. It still pulled to the right slightly.

The worst part is that suddenly, the outside treads on my left front tire wore down VERY quickly, within a few months - much faster than the other tires.

I tried an alignment later to see what would happen. It didn't solve my pulling problem.

So, when I got my transmission fluid changed at the local Toyota Stealership (a different shop), I got my tires rotated as the left front tire was essentially bald on the outer rim (the rest of the tire is actually ok) so that I would have better traction in wet weather. So...now my car pulls to the left ever so slightly...and the tire that is now on the front left of the car is experiencing similar wear as the other one (which is now in the back until I put enough change together to replace them).

I'm baffled...what could be wrong here? All my other tires are wearing down relatively well, although one seems to be leaking air faster than the others.

There's some information missing-
* did the pull start after the bad tire rotation?
* type of wheel (steel/alloy)?
* was the alignment done by a reputable shop?

If the tire is not wearing evenly, you either have worn suspension components like tie rods, struts, bushings, etc, or the alignment is out of whack. Or you are driving very hard, but I doubt that is the case. Best bet is to go to a reputable shop and have them check out the whole front end for you. Its not like you have to fix it right away, just get their report and pay them a inspection fee if they have one. You need to fix it before buying new tires or that will just be a big waste of money.

Good luck!

ehoff121 wrote:There's some information missing-
* did the pull start after the bad tire rotation?
* type of wheel (steel/alloy)?
* was the alignment done by a reputable shop?

Ah good questions!

*The pull as I could tell started right after the rotation. It was so slight and I really didn't notice it until I was on the highway 30 miles later. It did feel noticeably different when I left the shop, but I thought it was just because I now had the rear tires in the front (and they hadn't been in the front for a while. Before I got to the shop, all was quite well.

*I have alloy wheels.

*The alignment was done by a reputable shop as far as I know - a national chain, actually, and I think it's ASE certified.

trb wrote:If the tire is not wearing evenly, you either have worn suspension components like tie rods, struts, bushings, etc, or the alignment is out of whack. Or you are driving very hard, but I doubt that is the case. Best bet is to go to a reputable shop and have them check out the whole front end for you. Its not like you have to fix it right away, just get their report and pay them a inspection fee if they have one. You need to fix it before buying new tires or that will just be a big waste of money.

Good luck!

Oh I see! Yikes with the potential price tag, but I'll definitely have a shop check out the suspension and alignment for me. Thanks for the tips - I'm glad I posted this before I went to buy new tires!

That sounds like excessive negative camber to me. Negative camber is when the top of the wheel leans in toward the car.

This is what the tire wear looks like.

This is what the wheels look like (very exaggerated, though). Apparently it's in style.

Bastranz wrote:* The pull as I could tell started right after the rotation. It was so slight and I really didn't notice it until I was on the highway 30 miles later. It did feel noticeably different when I left the shop, but I thought it was just because I now had the rear tires in the front (and they hadn't been in the front for a while. Before I got to the shop, all was quite well.

When you notice the pull, is the steering wheel in the "straight" position? (i.e., steering wheel not turned left or right) Are you on a level road or in the center lane of a 3 lane highway? (most highways' outside lanes are pitched to encourage drainage and can feel like a pull when the wheel is 'straight')

Do you know if they did more than just the wheel alignment? Even a reputable national chain can adjust the steering wheel incorrectly due to the amount of play.

Did you get a printout of the alignment before and after measurements? Most shops provide this.

trb wrote:If the tire is not wearing evenly, you either have worn suspension components like tie rods, struts, bushings, etc, or the alignment is out of whack. Or you are driving very hard, but I doubt that is the case. Best bet is to go to a reputable shop and have them check out the whole front end for you. Its not like you have to fix it right away, just get their report and pay them a inspection fee if they have one. You need to fix it before buying new tires or that will just be a big waste of money.

Good luck!

+1