Is it normal for an AWD car to pull to the left and right? I bought a Lincoln MKX 2012 (used) from Ford and told them about how I was having a difficult time driving striaght in this car. They did an alignment, but it still happens. If I look away for a split second, the car is creeping into the next lane. I've never had this happen before, but I've also never driven an AWD, so maybe that's the reason?
3 Answers
Although not quite the same vehicle our 2014 MKZ AWD drives straight with a slight drift to the right which is desirable. It might be the tires or the road conditions.
When the alignment was done, did the shop also inspect for worn out parts? Sometimes worn parts can cause similar issues. If all parts are ok, then try rotating the tires to see if that helps, if the shop that aligned didn't rotate. If the tires are worn due to alignment issues, they may still cause wandering after aligning the front end. Usually the rear tires wear much less than the fronts. Regular rotating will help keep the wearing to a minimum, and extend tire life. If the tires are worn considerably, then new tires may be required. With an AWD vehicle, all 4 tires must be replaced AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Do NOT replace only 2 and say you'll replace the other 2 at your next payday. You can cause severe drivetrain damage if you only replace 2 on an AWD. Don't go cheap here. Spend the money for all 4 tires. I can't stress that enough.
My MKS did the same thing after an alignment and if the tires are unevenly worn or the tires on the car are not the same manufacturer with the same tread wear the car pulls .. I had a mismatched tire and that was the issue