# Car changes lanes on its own

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** escape, ford\
**Created:** [February 10, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875 "2012-02-10T05:31:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875/21 "2012-02-11T22:24:32Z")

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So do you now have mis-matched (not identical) tires on the front?

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**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875/22 "2012-02-12T03:19:18Z")

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Red flag, Caddyman caught it first. You have to replace the front tires in pairs, unless this is a 4wd, then all 4 have to be replaced.

Another red flag to me anyway is the cross rotation. I have seen too many times when this causes a belt in the tire to delaminate. That can also cause your problems.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875/23 "2012-02-13T23:29:04Z")

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So far we’re dealilng with four basic categories of possible causes;

1. a bad rack (specifically the spool valve bleeding into one side of the rack when it should be in neutral)
2. a serious alignment problem
3. mismatched tires
4. a dragging brake (including a parking brake)

With the added knowledge about the steering wheel sometomes shaking and the brake work having been done, I’m inclined to suspect a dragging caliper.

However, the OP knowing nothing about cars, I think a good shop is in order and should be able to diagnose the problem definitively. I’m puzzled as to why a problem this dramatic cannot be diagnosed.

[Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-changes-lanes-on-its-own/70875.md?page=1)