Surreal illustration of a car drifting on a highway, emphasizing tire and suspension components.

Steering Clear: How to Avoid That Annoying Vehicle Pull and Drift

Theo Raines in Tech & Innovation December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Tired of your car veering off course? Discover the secrets to straight-ahead driving with simple fixes and smart tire choices."

Have you ever noticed your car drifting slightly to one side, even when you're trying to drive straight? It's a common annoyance, often described as vehicle pull or drift, and it can turn a relaxing drive into a constant battle of corrections. This isn't just a minor irritation; it's a key concern for both drivers and automotive manufacturers, impacting safety and driving pleasure.

Vehicle pull happens when you have to exert extra effort to keep your car moving in a straight line. Sometimes, the vehicle just won't maintain its intended path. It drifts laterally, demanding continuous corrections. Customers understandably expect their vehicles to track straight without any intervention, and without disturbances.

So, what causes this nuisance? The culprits are varied and complex, ranging from road conditions to the intricate interplay of tire and chassis characteristics. Understanding these factors is the first step in diagnosing and addressing the issue, ensuring a smoother, safer, and more enjoyable driving experience.

Decoding the Causes: What's Making Your Car Veer?

Surreal illustration of a car drifting on a highway, emphasizing tire and suspension components.

Vehicle pull isn't caused by a single factor. Instead, it’s a combination of influences, both external and internal:

External factors such as crosswinds and the slope of the road certainly play a role. The environment in which you're driving directly impacts how your vehicle behaves. Imagine driving on a road with a slight bank – your car will naturally tend to drift downhill unless you compensate.

Road Conditions: Crosswinds or road slope can significantly affect vehicle trajectory.
Tire Characteristics: Ply steer and conicity are major contributors to vehicle pull.
Chassis Setup: Suspension elastokinematics, wheel alignment, and steering system settings are critical.
Vehicle Balance: Asymmetrical weight distribution or dimensional tolerances can cause drift.

Internal factors are just as important. These include tire characteristics, chassis configuration, and even subtle imbalances in weight distribution. Among these, key aspects include tyre characteristics such as ply steer (the tendency of a tire to steer slightly due to its construction) and conicity (variations in the tire's roundness), and the settings of chassis such as suspension and wheel alignment.

The Road Ahead: Fine-Tuning for a Smooth Ride

Ultimately, understanding the factors that contribute to vehicle pull and drift is essential for both drivers and manufacturers. By carefully considering tire selection, maintaining proper alignment, and accounting for road conditions, it's possible to minimize these issues and enjoy a smoother, safer, and more predictable driving experience. Remember, a little knowledge can go a long way in keeping your vehicle on the straight and narrow!

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1080/00423114.2018.1551555, Alternate LINK

Title: Straight-Ahead Running Of Road Vehicles – Analytical Formulae Including Full Tyre Characteristics

Subject: Mechanical Engineering

Journal: Vehicle System Dynamics

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Giampiero Mastinu, Alessandro Lattuada, Giuseppe Matrascia

Published: 2018-12-04

Everything You Need To Know

What is vehicle pull, and why is it a concern for drivers and automotive manufacturers?

Vehicle pull refers to the phenomenon where a vehicle drifts to one side, requiring drivers to exert extra effort to keep it moving in a straight line. It's a concern because it impacts safety and driving pleasure. Customers expect their vehicles to track straight without continuous corrections. The causes of vehicle pull are complex and varied, encompassing road conditions, tire characteristics like ply steer and conicity, and chassis configurations.

What external factors contribute to a car veering or drifting?

External factors such as crosswinds and road slope significantly influence a vehicle's trajectory. Driving on a banked road, for example, will cause the car to drift downhill unless the driver compensates. These environmental conditions directly impact how the vehicle behaves. It is important to note that the magnitude of the vehicle pull depends on the severity of the crosswinds or the degree of the road slope.

Besides external factors, what internal elements within the vehicle cause it to pull or drift?

Internal elements that cause the vehicle to pull or drift include tire characteristics, chassis setup, and vehicle balance. Specifically, tire characteristics like ply steer and conicity are significant contributors. Additionally, suspension elastokinematics, wheel alignment, steering system settings, asymmetrical weight distribution, and dimensional tolerances within the chassis also play a crucial role. The interplay of these factors determines the vehicle's ability to maintain a straight path.

How do tire characteristics like 'ply steer' and 'conicity' contribute to vehicle pull, and what are their implications for drivers?

Ply steer, the tendency of a tire to steer slightly due to its construction, and conicity, the variations in a tire's roundness, both contribute to vehicle pull. If tires have mismatched ply steer or conicity, they can generate unequal lateral forces, causing the vehicle to pull to one side. The implications for drivers include increased fatigue from constantly correcting the vehicle's path, uneven tire wear, and potentially compromised handling and safety.

What role does chassis setup, including suspension elastokinematics and wheel alignment, play in preventing or exacerbating vehicle pull, and how can adjustments improve the driving experience?

Chassis setup significantly influences vehicle pull through suspension elastokinematics (how suspension geometry changes under load) and wheel alignment (the angles of the wheels relative to each other and the vehicle's body). Misalignment or incorrect elastokinematic properties can create unwanted forces, leading to vehicle pull. Proper adjustments, such as aligning the wheels to the correct specifications, can minimize these forces and improve the driving experience by ensuring the vehicle tracks straight with minimal driver input. Maintaining optimal chassis settings is critical for both safety and comfort.