Newer vehicles: the alignment and the driver-assist systems
A lot of recent cars, SUVs and pickups steer partly by themselves. Lane-keeping assist nudges the wheel, adaptive cruise follows the vehicle ahead, and a camera behind the windshield or a sensor in the grille watches the road. Those systems rely on knowing which way the vehicle is actually pointing.
An alignment changes exactly that. Adjusting the angles of the wheels changes the direction the vehicle travels in a straight line, and on many vehicles the steering angle sensor needs to be reset afterward so the computer knows where straight ahead now is. Some manufacturers also call for the forward camera or radar to be checked or recalibrated after alignment work.
When that step is missed, the symptoms are subtle and easy to blame on something else: a lane-keeping system that tugs toward one side, a stability or lane warning light that appears after the visit, or assist features that switch themselves off.
What to do
- Tell the store the vehicle has driver-assist features when you book, and which ones you use.
- Ask whether your vehicle needs a steering angle reset or a calibration after the alignment, and whether that can be done at the same visit or needs to be arranged elsewhere.
- Drive it afterward on a familiar straight road with the features on. A tug, a warning, or a feature that has turned itself off is worth reporting straight away.
None of that makes an alignment less necessary. It means the job on a newer vehicle has one more step at the end.
The usual reasons to align
A pull, a steering wheel that sits off center, uneven tire wear, a hard impact, or new tires going on. If worn parts turn up, suspension repair is in the same building and the alignment follows. A shake rather than a steering complaint is usually tire and wheel balancing. The national alignment page covers the angles in more detail.
Other stores nearby
Joplin and Osage Beach also align cars and light trucks.
About this store
The Springfield store carries all nine Purcell tire categories and is managed by Steve Richardson.
See the national car and light truck alignment page for all 40 locations.