If a used car drifts to one side on a straight, flat road, ask the inspector to find out why before you buy. Uneven tire pressure, worn or mismatched tires, alignment, brakes and worn steering parts can all cause a pull, and each has a different cost.
For this November 5, 2026 guide I read Michelin's handling-problems page and a Vehicle Service Pros article by technician and instructor Barry Hoyland. Both start with the simple causes before the expensive ones. So, a pull is a symptom to classify, not a reason to assume the car was crashed.
Describe when the pull happens
Michelin separates a steady pull after pressures are equalized, which points to alignment, from a pull that happens only during braking, which points to the brakes. Note whether the car drifts while cruising, braking or accelerating. Also note whether the steering wheel is merely off-center while the car tracks straight. Hoyland's article treats those as different problems. Precise notes save diagnostic time.
Start with tire pressure
Michelin says a pressure difference between the left and right front tires causes pulling. Check the pressures cold with a gauge against the door-jamb placard, with the owner's permission. Adjusting pressure can cure the drift on the spot. If it does not, move on to the tires themselves. Our tire date-code guide covers tire age while you are looking.
Read the tire wear
Michelin says wear on one edge only points to alignment, center wear to overinflation and both-edge wear to underinflation. Cupping suggests a balance or suspension issue. Look at all four tires and check they match in size and type. A mismatched tire on one corner can create a pull by itself. Photograph the tread.
Ask for an undercar inspection
Hoyland recommends a thorough undercar check for worn or damaged steering and suspension parts, and notes that bushings, bearings and brakes can cause pulls too. Brake drag can show up as one hotter wheel after a drive. Ask the inspector to check these before any alignment. An alignment on worn parts will not hold.
Understand the alignment details
Hoyland notes that ride height and vehicle load affect the geometry, and that many vehicles built after 2012 need some kind of reset during or after an alignment. Ask whether the shop did that reset. Request the before-and-after printout. A printout from the seller's shop with no date is not much evidence. Compare it to the car you just drove.
Make the road test fair
Hoyland notes that excess load in the cabin or trunk can change ride height and suspension geometry, and he describes pulls that only show up with a heavier driver. So, try the car with a normal load rather than a trunk full of the seller's belongings. Drive on a straight, flat road where it is safe and legal to relax your grip briefly. Road crown can cause a mild drift, so repeat the check on a different stretch. Note the result each time.
Weigh what the pull might mean
Michelin notes a curb or pothole impact can misalign wheels and damage a tire at the same time. A pull that returns soon after an alignment deserves a closer look for bent parts. Ask the inspector to look for signs of impact damage. Our tire-replacement report guide explains what history files can show about tire work. A pull you cannot explain is a reason to keep the offer conditional.
Use history reports for a different question
A clean history report cannot tell you the present condition of the part you just checked. Reported repairs and present wear are separate questions; our alignment report guide explains how that coverage works. The NYC consumer-agency guidance suggests getting a history report through NMVTIS and having an independent mechanic check the car. Our VIN verification guide helps make sure every document describes the same vehicle.
Turn the check into a written finding
Ask the shop to classify the pull and name the cause before you agree a price. Honestly, if the car still drifts after the pressures are set, the cheapest explanation is already gone. Put this item on the work order using our pre-purchase inspection checklist, and ask for a repair scope with a local estimate rather than a verbal promise that the fix is cheap.
We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Guest reports have been about $5.50, member reports about $4.50 and a two-report bundle about $6.75; confirm the price at checkout because it can change. A report can miss unreported work, so keep the inspection appointment even when the history looks quiet.
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