Alignment or Tire Issue or?

[Douger]

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

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[JP4AZ]

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

I personally ditched the crappy factory tires at 35 miles and never looked back. My truck has been perfect from day 1. Sorry to hear about your problems, I would have to guess that the tires are the problem. I strongly recommend Michelin

 

[peeturd]

Sounds like “radial pull”, which is a bad tire belt alignment during manufacturing.

 

[Douger]

Thank you both for the help, I agree both times. It's a bummer to have to replace new tires with other new tires, but not the end of the world. I have my eyes on the Michelin tires, but will take it to the alignment shop one more time and post back.

 

[Montana]

How bad of a pull are we talking here? Can't say the description sounds "normal". Borderline unsafe if it's just going to sway back and forth. Get it on a lift and get it checked out. Tire shops around you, dealership if you must... Get the alignment done and a balance if nothing out of the ordinary is found after inspection.

 

[Decayed]

This is why, unless something is obviously wrong (as it was in your case) I never let them touch the alignment. Every time I have, they have made things worse. When I was younger and more ignorant one shop screwed things up so bad the steering wheel was cockeyed by about 30 degrees.

 

[Oscarcat]

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

If it is a "bad" tire - belt or chords broken, it should be covered under the tire warranty. Be prepared for them to duck and dodge; you hit a rut, you hit a curb, you went off-roading over rocks, etc. etc.

 

[23minimav]

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

Was your alignment done by a Ford Dealership? The reason why I am asking because I tried to do my alignment on April 2024 at Firestone but they inform me they do not have the alignment software for my 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid yet, so I had my alignment done in a Ford Dealership with no issues. The Alignment shop if it is not a Ford Dealership may not have the software for 23 hybrid maverick.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Duh! 3/36k = dealership (if for no other reason than documentation on a warranty claim later,). It could be software issue or sensors miscounting tire rotations? Who can guess?

 

[MetalsGeek]

Was your alignment done by a Ford Dealership? The reason why I am asking because I tried to do my alignment on April 2024 at Firestone but they inform me they do not have the alignment software for my 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid yet, so I had my alignment done in a Ford Dealership with no issues. The Alignment shop if it is not a Ford Dealership may not have the software for 23 hybrid maverick.

OMG! (WTF!) Even an ALIGNMENT involves proprietary software? Seriously, I wonder what this involves. I can see commanding an ABS purge for service brakes, but wheel alignment?

 

[jorl]

my lifetime FIRESTONE alignment was $200 and they DO align the rear of truck too-I can send pics of before and after spec sheets --and that was right after lowering it on EIBACHs

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

 

[HoiToid]

Thank you both for the help, I agree both times. It's a bummer to have to replace new tires with other new tires, but not the end of the world. I have my eyes on the Michelin tires, but will take it to the alignment shop one more time and post back.

Hard to beat MichelinDefenders~~~ 80,000/6year warranty~~~ good investment

 

[Douger]

Thank you all very much! I'll try to respond to all as I don't know how to respond idividually

Montana- It's not horrible, just annoying, a slight, but definite pull when I let go of the steering wheel.

Oscarcat - Thank you, I'll call the dealer, good info!

23minimav-Chuck's in Carlsbad, they have good reviews & seem to know there stuff

Jorl-The specs would be great if you don't mind. I showed them rear end specs & they said that the rear isn't adjustable

HoiToid-Looks like Discount Tire is the best price for these, gonna go that route if I can straighten this out (no pun intended).

 

[trumpet77]

If I understand the original post
A: pulled right
B: rotated tires
C: then it pulled left

If so, then I’ll guess it’s the tires, assuming the rotation swapped left and right.
An Easy/free way to confirm: rotate them right back and see if the pull goes back to the right!

cheaper than going after the alignment again.

 

[James K]

My '23 hybrid with 15,000 miles started wandering left to right a few thousand miles ago, most noticeable on the freeway at higher speeds. It didn't pull one way or the other.
I had an alignment done & all was well for a day, then it pulled to the right.
The alignment shop first checked tire pressure, which was fine, then swapped the front tires and said it appears to be fixed. It now wanders left to right & pulls slightly left
Any ideas? Bad tire, poor alignment job or needs balancing? I pointed out rear alignment specs to the shop and they said that the rear isn't adjustable, I'm ignorant here.
The 2023 XLT wheels & tires are STOCK BTW.

I'd appreciate any and all input!

I've also seen a bad CV joint cause pulling but rotating tires only switch the direction it pulls really indicates a strong possibility of tire problem.

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