Ventura CA Volvo Services Specialists

One of the more overlooked services for vehicles driving around the Ventura area is wheel alignment. Known also as a front-end alignment, this service is an important adjustment that serves to insure your Volvo tracks straight & true while cruising around on the roads of Ventura. An improper alignment on your Volvo can result in tires wearing out prematurely, the failure of your Volvo's suspension, unsafe vehicle operation, steering wheel with excessive play, and more.

It is a combination of steering, braking, acceleration, and power that assists in the ability to drive your Volvo properly. Your Volvo needs proper alignment specifications and suspension components that are well-maintained. Additionally, the shocks, springs, tires, and steering in a Volvo need to be working correctly with one another for dependable operation.

Expressed in the simplest of terms, when a Volvo is not aligned properly, the wheels are pointing in different locations, resulting in tires that wear quicker and unevenly. This impact on the tires may result in your Volvo pulling to the right or left as you drive around the Ventura area. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be easily corrected by the alignment specialists at ABC Auto Care in Ventura.

It should be noted and important to remember that a wheel alignment on a Volvo will not last for the entire life of the vehicle. Even Volvo models that are brand new can have an unfortunate encounter of hitting a curb or large pothole. Such impacts as these can result in the alignment of your Volvo needing correction immediately. But in most situations, the alignment of a vehicle's wheels happens gradually over a period of time, visible by the wear of various components.

The Alignment Process

It once was the situation that body-on-frame vehicles, as well as those having rear suspensions that were non-independent, only required a front-end alignment to keep a vehicle on a true straight path when driving around the Ventura area. But today many if not most of today's modern-day vehicles have multi-linking independent rear suspensions and unibody designs, ABC Auto Care recommends having an alignment service done on all a vehicle's four wheels to ensure they are functioning together properly and tracking in the same path.

Depending upon the available adjustments for your Volvo, an alignment is a service done at our repair shop in Ventura that includes camber adjustment, an inward or outward tilt of tires when viewed head-on; caster, a front or rear tilt upon viewing from the vehicle's side, and toe, the view of how tires are pointed when looking down from above. When tires are pointed inward it is known as a toe-in, while when tires are pointed away from one another is referenced as a toe-out.

Signs that a Volvo needs an alignment

In determining if your Volvo is in need of an alignment, look for a tendency for drifting to the right or left, particularly when applying the brakes. Or when driving around the Ventura area, an excess of steering is required to stay within the lane. Also, it is not uncommon to experience some shaking or shimmy from the steering wheel. All of these are indications your Volvo may be in need of an alignment.

Impact on Tires

When a Volvo is out of alignment it can often result in excessive wear on tires. This wear results when a wheel incurs a set in a direction other than intended, and a consistent scuff works against the normal wear of a tire's tread. This can be noticeable when inspecting the tire(s) and noticing the tread disappearing in an uneven pattern across the tire's surface. This situation can result in a loss of tire traction, particularly in road conditions that are wet. When ignored, tire wear that is uneven can result in a blowout or early tire failure.

How frequently should a Volvo have an alignment?

ABC Auto Care tells our clients in Ventura that their Volvo should be checked for an alignment every six months, or 6,000 miles (whichever happens first). Irrespective, it is not advisable to let a Volvo exceed 10,000 miles without an alignment being inspected.

Our shop tells clients that it is always advisable to have the tires checked twice a year for alignment, or whenever tires are rotated. It goes without saying that when driving down the highway and your Volvo tracks straight, an alignment is not likely necessary. But when your Volvo has a tendency to pull to the right or left, it is a clear indication an inspection is necessary.