Javane

Hey, guys, I have a 2001 LS I purchased back in February and started driving it every day starting in March. I realized that it pulled a little to the left when I'm driving, even on the straightest roads.
I took it to Pep Boys, got the Lifetime Alignment thingy and thought it would be okay.

Couple weeks after, it started pulling to the left just as bad as it did before the alignment. Brought it back, and now fast forward a couple months, and it's doing the same thing.

I brought it back last week, to another pep boys. Right after they had finished, they told me it was still pulling to the left and that the cause might be my tires. I have some Falken tires on at the moment with a good amount of tread life.

I was hoping someone would help me figure out what the problem is. Could it really be the tires or something like the tie rods or... idk.
Just as I was about to start some suspension work too.

DA18Integra

It's your tires.

Javane

Simple enough I guess. Time to shop for some new tires.

thewrai6th

Tire shop telling you to buy new tires? What a surprise!
Did you try rotating your front to rear? Check tire pressure? If that doesn't change anything, it's not your tires. No offense, but Pep Boys are not auto techs.

Javane

Right.

I was thinking of getting the tires rotated when I get an oil change in a couple days. If that doesn't change things, you have any other idea what it could be?

NVturbo

your problem is letting Pep Boys work on your car. It's either....bad alignment job, bent steering components, or bad tires.

Javane

Where do you suggest taking it for a good diagnosis?

egsleepercivic

swap the from tires, unless they are direction , if they are move them back to front

tamboo

you can try finding a highly rated mechanic on yelp or cartalk's mechanic's files:

Mechanics Files | Car Talk

also if you havent replaced original suspension bushings/ball joints/motor mounts/tie rods then now
would be a good time to start thinking about it.

Javane

I'll definitely try switching the tires tomorrow, get a rotation as well.

If not I'll try things like the tie rods and all that. Hopefully it's something simple.

NVturbo

Go to a reputable alignment shop besides PB that specializes in one thing, wheel alignment.

DA18Integra

Make sure your brake calipers are not stuck also. One may be grabbing some and causing your car to pull to one side.

Javane

So while getting an oil change, I had my tires rotated at the same time. After I was done, it felt a little better than it did before but that was a couple weeks ago and now it went back to pulling to the left.

I still haven't switched the tires. I'll do that before anything else. If not, I'll check the tie rods. Then, steering components. Hopefully, after all that, it'll be sorted out.