# Car won’t stay aligned **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 31, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341 "2019-05-31T00:35:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/1 "2019-05-31T00:35:29Z")
My Nissan Rogue 08 has had new ball joints and tie rods replaced on the front end. I had it aligned after and it went out after only 2 times of driving. Had it aligned again under the warranty and the same thing happened after 3 times driving. What could be the issue? Only driving maybe 10 miles each trip. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/2 "2019-05-31T00:42:40Z")
Anyone look at the control arm bushings? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/3 "2019-05-31T00:48:23Z")
Oops! When you replace the ball joints, you replace the control arm bushings because the control arm is replaced. Tester ---
**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:** [May 31, 2019, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/4 "2019-05-31T01:04:24Z")
How do you know it’s out of alignment? What is it doing? ---
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/5 "2019-05-31T01:16:37Z")
I know typically when a car is out of alignment the steering should pull to one of the other sides but in my car is case when it’s out of alignment you can tell when you turn the steering wheel, it either turns ahead of the tires or the tires are too far turned. That last time I got it aligned my front tires were pigeon toed. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/6 "2019-05-31T01:17:54Z")
Were the inner tie rods replaced? Tester ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/7 "2019-05-31T01:24:01Z")
Is the frame/unibody in good shape? If it is broken or badly rusted it could be shifting around, no way for it to hold alignment ---
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/8 "2019-05-31T02:54:51Z")
As far as I know it is. Axels were replaced maybe 4 years ago ---
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/9 "2019-05-31T02:55:31Z")
Just the outers were bad ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/10 "2019-05-31T03:00:11Z")
> [@Brandie\_Rogers](#): > > That last time I got it aligned my front tires were pigeon toed. That would be the toe alignment. Have them go back and make sure the inner tie rods aren’t the problem. Tie rods effect the toe adjustment. Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/11 "2019-05-31T03:00:36Z")
This is a good question. Hard to answer though. Sort of like asking “why doesn’t my watch keep good time”. Many problems can cause this. An experienced shop with Nissan Rogue expertise, service data, and required tooling and diagnostic equipment will just have to go through all the possibilities in the wheel and suspension and steering systems one by one. Control arms, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, steering rack, struts, sway-control assemblies, frame alignment, wheels, hubs, tires, etc etc … If there’s any play in the steering/suspension/bearings it will be impossible to align the wheels and expect them to remain that way, so that’s where I’d be looking first ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/12 "2019-05-31T03:41:15Z")
> [@Brandie\_Rogers](#): > > I know typically when a car is out of alignment the steering should pull to one of the other sides That is one of many symptoms but a “pull” may not necessarily be caused by a misalignment. > [@Brandie\_Rogers](#): > > in my car is case when it’s out of alignment you can tell when you turn the steering wheel, it either turns ahead of the tires or the tires are too far turned. I have no idea what your complaint is or what your goal is, I suspect that your alignment tech may not understand what is bothering you. ---
**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 11:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/13 "2019-05-31T11:43:36Z")
> [@Brandie\_Rogers](#): > > but in my car is case when it’s out of alignment you can tell when you turn the steering wheel, it either turns ahead of the tires or the tires are too far turned. Yes, that is the complaint, but I don’t know what that means. Could it mean that the steering feels overly responsive? If so, sounds like the tire pressures are too high Could it mean that the steering feels overly boosted? I don’t know how to handle that, but perhaps someone here knows… Perhaps some more description would be helpful. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/14 "2019-05-31T19:23:17Z")
Were you having these problems before the initial work was done? What prompted you to have this work done in the first place? Is the same alignment rack being used each time or are there multiple alignment racks in your shop? Are you getting a four wheel alignment or just the front wheels? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/15 "2019-05-31T20:20:04Z")
new control arms has new bushings and ball joints. new ball joints alone wont get you new bushings. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/16 "2019-06-01T00:55:54Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > new control arms has new bushings and ball joints. new ball joints alone wont get you new bushings. I believe a prior poster claimed that on this vehicle the control arm must be replaced in order to replace the ball joints. ---
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/17 "2019-06-01T01:26:29Z")
Yes the new ball joints included new control arms ---
**Author:** ![Brandie\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Brandie\_Rogers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brandie_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 1:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/18 "2019-06-01T01:29:05Z")
No only after the work was done. Went to have new tires put on and was told by two shops that I needed new ball joints and tie rods. I also had my wheel bearing changed about a year ago. I have gone to two different Goodyear shops to have the alignments done and they do all four wheels even though the front is the only part that’s misaligned ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 5:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/19 "2019-06-01T05:03:06Z")
Could this be the first t\*me a broken rack has been discovered? Sounds unlikely but if you can push the tires so that the left one points right and the right one points left it could be a first. A free spinning steering wheel would be kind of obvious so maybe the rack and pinion is half falling off. I wish I had more imaginary stuff to present. Broken strut is more likely. Broken bolt on upper control arm maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341/20 "2019-06-01T13:47:45Z")
“Yes the new ball joints included new control arms”. spoken as a non mechanic. ![BA1027046-2__ra_p](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/4/242eadf28403506dd9aeb0b423a928f639484a4e.jpeg) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-won-t-stay-aligned/141341.md?page=2)