Reasons your car pulls when braking
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Okay, we all know that having your car pull to one side when braking can be very frustrating – what is even more frustrating is not knowing the case. That's where we come in to help. It’s hard to focus on driving safely, making proper turns, and braking at the right time when you can constantly feel your wheels and steering wheel turning to the right side.
The worst part is that you have no idea how to diagnose the issue, where it is coming from, and its root. However, we have listed the top reasons as to why your car pulls to the right when braking songs so you can remain safe and drive at a high-performance level.
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Wheel alignment
The most common reason your car pulls to the right when braking is that the wheel alignment is uneven and not leveled correctly when driving flat roads. Whether it gently skews to one side over prolonged use, or whether it comes from hitting a rock or some other object in the road, wheel alignment can be drastically changed for the worse by driving conditions. Since it can be easily changed or due to an accident, you need to constantly check the wheel alignment to keep the car from pulling to the right when braking.
Purpose of Wheel Alignment
The purpose of making a wheel alignment adjustment is to reduce wear and tear on the tires, preventing uneven tread wear and ensuring that the vehicle is straight. By keeping the car straight, the alignment ensures the tires do not roll unevenly and cause the vehicle to run crooked. If your wheels consistently run lopsided, the tires will wear down incorrectly. Wheel alignment also can prevent the occurrence of your car pulling to the right side when braking or when you are trying to steer your vehicle in one straight line.
The alignment angle for the wheel alignment can be changed to the maker’s specifications to make sure that the car does not pull to one side when braking. More modern vehicles today have driver assistance systems like electronic stability, anti-lock brakes, lane departure warnings, and traction control, with these systems depending on and also aiding in mechanical adjustments and wheel alignments.
Lastly, the final reason why wheel alignment can help your car is that not all roads are created equally. Some roads are slanted, so if you are driving continuously on a slanted road, it can make your car pull to the right side when braking. Make sure that your mechanic takes the driving conditions and roads into account when looking at the wheel alignment cost and calculations.
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Inconsistent Tire Pressure
We always want a quick and easy fix in our cars. Sometimes the problem can be fixed as easily as adding the correct amount of air to your tires, making sure each tire is filled to hee required specifications and that all tires are pumped evenly. The tire pressure fluctuates over time as you drive, changing with the amount of wear and tear on the tires and the prolonged use, and can decline as you continue driving.
However, some tires will have less tire pressure than others, causing your car to pull to the right side when braking. If you find your car pulls to the right side when braking, the first thing you should do immediately is to check your tire pressure with your own gauge or with the gauge provided at most gas stations.
Overinflation
Two causes can affect the lifespan of the tires. Both overinflation of the tires and the tires’ underinflation can cause tread wear prematurely and potential early tire failure. Overinflation can result in decreased traction, early tire wear, and the inability to absorb road impact and handle rough terrain. Overinflated tires can show premature wear on the tire tread, mainly centering in the middle of the trade. Looking at why your car pulls to the right side when braking, overinflated tires can be the culprit.
Underinflation
The other cause of the low tire pressure light in your car will be underinflation. Underinflated tires can cause the tires to respond sluggishly, decrease fuel economy and lower miles per gallon, excessive heat buildup, tire overload, and stress. An underinflated set of tires can show premature wear on both sides of the tread instead of centered in the middle and focus on the tires’ shoulders. If you can’t figure out why your car pulls to the right side when braking, adding air to your tires can sometimes solve the problem.
Low Tire Pressure Light
As far as the dashboard signs go in your car, the tire pressure monitoring system is one of the least severe. However, this does not mean that you should ignore it – it means you should take care of it by visiting your local mechanic or auto body shop.
If one of your tires is underinflated, then the low tire pressure light will come on. This can reduce the fuel economy and miles per gallon, cause unpredictable and shaky handling, resulting in a decreased tire lifespan, and impact your safety on the road due to the underinflated tires experiencing damage to the sidewall. Keeping an eye on your low tire pressure light can prevent your car from pulling to the right side when braking.
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Tire Conicity
Tire conicity basically refers to a problem in the tire’s manufacturing and production, leading to an inconsistency when the tire was made. Sometimes during the creation process and manufacturing, one of the tire’s components becomes placed improperly, causing a misaligned tire. This misalignment can cause the tire tread to harden in the wrong shape, causing the car to pull to the right side when braking.
When your car pulls to the right side when braking, this can indicate that you have tire conicity on the pulling side. If you begin to notice your car pulling after many miles have been driven on your car, this is most likely due to uneven tread wear caused by harsh driving conditions, like unsafe driving or rough roads, or a suspension problem.
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Damaged Suspension or Steering Part
If you find that the problem is not with your tires or wheel alignment, then it could be the steering system or the suspension system that causes your car to pull to the right side when braking. Damaged components or those that have become excessively worn down over time can influence how your car drives and your vehicle’s performance.
Memory Steer
When looking at why your car pulls to the right side when braking, memory steer refers to the car that is pulling in the direction you turn. In this case, if you turn right at a stop sign, your car will also turn right. Any problems with memory steer or worn-out suspension parts can exacerbate this steering issue, due to damaged tie rods, broken ball joints, and faulty strut bearings.
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Uneven Brake Wear
If your car pulls to the right side when braking, chances are a local mechanic or auto body shop will immediately check your brake before anything else. Brakes often cause the pulling problem due to the prevalence of calipers getting damaged over time. These damaged calipers can cause consistent and loud grinding noises, resulting from the wearing down of these parts.
Calipers are in charge of applying pressure to the brake pads to stop the vehicle. However, if these calipers do not squeeze the brake pads firmly enough, the car will pull to the right side when braking. If you notice any damaged brake pads symptoms, you should change them before the brake pads cause your car to pull to one side.
Screeching Noises
A screeching sound when applying your brakes can frequently occur when your calipers or brake pads are damaged. If you hear the screeching noises while braking, it’s time to take your car in for inspection. In addition, if your brakes are constantly exposed to wet or damp conditions, then a layer of dust can form on the brake pads, causing a screeching sound while you brake.
Grinding When Braking
If your car is not screeching, there might be an audible grinding while braking that can indicate faulty calipers. If you hear a deep and low noise, this is typically a sign that the brake pads are worn away and that your brake discs and calipers are currently rubbing against each other. If you notice your car pulls to the right side when braking, you might find the culprit is uneven brake pad wear.
Indicator Light
Your vehicle might have an indicator light that will come on to signal when it is time to replace your brake pads. Be sure to check your vehicle’s manual to see when this is and what the proper indicator looks like. If your light comes on, you’ll have to bring your car to a mechanic to turn off the light and analyze the brake pads. If you notice your car pulls to the right side when braking, this can be clearly seen by the indicator light on your dashboard.
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Torque Steer
Torque steer almost always impacts front-wheel-drive cars, but can sometimes affect all-wheel-drive cars as well. This torque steer phenomenon refers to your car pulling to the right side while braking or during acceleration. This is usually caused by the engine, which is mounted transversely. An influx and too much engine power may be sent to one tire instead of another tire, causing uneven pulling and the shaky steering.
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Collapsed Brake Hose
The brake hose functions to carry the necessary brake fluid from the brake line attached to the car’s body to the brake caliper on the wheel. Without his brake hose, the brakes would not be able to function, and the wheels would not stop. If your brake hose becomes damaged over time or collapses, your car can pull to one side. The damaged brake hose causes the calipers to move unevenly, meaning the car pulls to the right side when braking.
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Stuck Caliper
As you can see, calipers are a key part of the braking system. If one of the brake calipers is contaminated, stuck, or damaged, there might be a significant pull to the specific side when braking. Even if you are not braking, your car will pull to the right side when accelerating, cruising, or pressing on the brake pedal.
How To Fix The Car Pulling to The Right Side
When you notice your car pulls to the right side when braking, you should bring your vehicle to a local mechanic or auto body shop to fix the vehicle. This problem requires you to lift the car using a jack system, which is why you should bring your car to a shop to have this service performed for you.
- First, you need to check the caliper slides and rotors. Most cars have floating brake calipers that move in tandem on the slides. When these become stuck or contaminated over time, the caliper will not fully engage or disengage, resulting in the car pulling to the right side when braking.
- When you notice that the caliper is not fully closing or opening, you or a mechanic needs to check the car’s brakes. You can do this by taking your car for a drive while heavily pressing on the brakes, frequently and with force.
- After you have done the brakes’ testing by taking your car on a test drive, you or the mechanic need to use an infrared laser temperature reader to read the temperature of each car brake rotor. Position the beam so that it is close on both the front right and left rotor.
- Once you place the sensor, you will be able to tell which rotor is damaged, if any. If there is a large difference in temperature, you will notice that this could be why your car pulls to one side when braking. If the right side reads nearly double the temperature as the left side, then this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Conclusion
If you notice that your car pulls to the right side when braking, this is a serious problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. By noticing the car pulling symptoms, you can help find a solution to keep your car running at a safe level. Some of the symptoms to keep an eye and ear out for is the torque steering, uneven brake wear, wheel alignment problems, inconsistent tire pressure, damaged calipers, damaged steering components, and a collapsed brake hose.