2011 Nissan Sentra pulled to left we took it in shop they replaced left front bearing and aligned it.. 5 days later it still pull

ANSWER : Hi there. A pull to the left can be caused by a few different things: tires and bent/broken suspension components, brake calipers sticking, and/or wheel bearings. I would have to have to know a few things like was the bearing that was replaced truly faulty, were there any bent/broken suspension components, and if so, why wasn’t this addressed during the repair?

Lastly, and most likely the cause of your pull to the left, was the tire pressure checked and set properly; were the front tires cross rotated to see if the pull changes direction? Cross rotating tires, after verifying proper tire inflation of all tires, can reveal what is called a "radial pull". This happens when a steel belt inside the rubber of the tire bends/shifts. If you cross rotate the front tires the pull should change direction and the tire that is pulling will need to be replaced as there is no repair for this. If the pull does not change then cross rotate the rear and move them to the front. In some rare instances I have seen a radial pull severe enough to cause a pull from the rear of the vehicle. YourMechanic has several technicians available to assist you with a vehicle pulling concern and tire rotation to determine the cause.

ANSWER : I would need to know if the ABS or Check Engine Light is on? If it is, then it needs to be addressed to see if anything is causing the ABS control to engage and cause the pull for some reason.

If no lights are on, then I would say to check when you drive slow and lightly touch the brakes to see if it is pulling to the left. If it pulling during light braking, then you need to have the right front brake caliper and rubber hose checked and the left rear brakes checked for the same thing.

The rubber hose may be damaged internally and little or no pressure can pass to the caliper. This can be checked by bleeding the brakes and if little or no pressure gets through the right caliper then suspect a bad brake line on the passenger side front. A certified mechanic from YourMechanic can diagnose why your car is pulling to the left and make sure that the correct repairs are made.

ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. It is possible that your left front wheel bearing is dried out. Often times, wheel bearing noise can transfer through suspension parts and it can be difficult to determine which side they are coming from. I would recommend using a mechanic’s stethoscope against the left front steering knuckle while the vehicle is jacked up, on jack stands, running, and in forward gear. This should be able to help you find out if the left front bearing is faulty. If you continue to experience issues or would like a mechanic to look at this for you, consider having one of our certified automotive technicians come to your home or office to diagnose, inspect, and repair this issue for you.

ANSWER : Hey there, thanks for writing in about your 2006 Audi A4 Quattro. As the bearing gets noisy, you will notice the noise get louder and you may get to a point of the wheel seizing or wobbling on the highway. Of course, this can lead to very dangerous driving situations, so you will want to have the wheel bearing replacement done sooner than later.

ANSWER : Hello. If this is still occurring then you have an issue with something that is not spinning true or is out of round on the vehicle. If the vehicle is this new then it is usually caused by a wheel hub that is defective or a CV axle that is bad. From what you are explaining, it sounds like there is an issue with one of the axles. It may have lost a weight of its own or it may have too much play in the axle joint. I would usually get the vehicle in the air to inspect these areas for issues. I would also loosen the engine mounts to allow the engine and transmission to align themselves as there may be some binding there also. Since the vehicle is still under warranty you need to take it back to the dealer to have these issues checked.

ANSWER : Hi there. When it comes to alignments, check the Caster and Camber to your vehicle. These two angles are pulling angles. Keep in mind, most shops will set the Caster to allow the vehicle to drift to the left to accommodate for road crown (when roads are rounded). I suggest setting the Caster to a slight pull to the left and set the Camber to the vehicle specs. This will correct the alignment and make the vehicle steer correctly and not pull. If the vehicle is still pulling to the left all the time, then check the transmission mounts. If a mount is broken or loose it will cause the transmission to move and make the CV axle pull on the wheel forcing it to change angles. If you need further assistance with your vehicles pulling to the left, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : As is the case with most vehicles, the preferred camber setting on the front wheels of the 2007 Prius is slightly negative, that is the top of the tire is tilted inward as you are observing and describing. However, the amount of PREFERRED (i.e., factory recommended by Toyota) inward tilt, measured in degrees, is small, at only -0.58°. According to the Toyota Factory Service Manual for your car, as long as the camber measures within the range of -1.33° to +0.17°, that is considered acceptable but only so long as the DIFFERENCE in camber, from left to right, does not exceed 0.75°. That is very important…ideally the difference should be closer to zero but if it is too large, that is if the difference exceeds 0.75°, the car will pull to the side with more "positive" camber and not be fun to drive. The preferred setting of -0.58° is the best, though.

It is really hard to eyeball camber settings unless camber is obviously way out (big visible tilt). Consequently, if you suspect a problem, the value should simply be measured using a camber gauge (there are DIY techniques that are perfectly acceptable and, in fact, I align all of my own cars using fairly readily available tools…not easy, but doable). If camber is out on the Prius, there is a detailed factory specified protocol, using special bolts, that is used to bring camber within specification or to the preferred setting. Of course, if camber on your vehicle is presently way outside the range set forth by Toyota there may be damage to frame and/or suspension components of the vehicle.

If you desire an inspection of the vehicle to determine if there is damage, or if you need more detailed information regarding vehicle wheel alignments, please schedule an inspection through YourMechanic and/or let us know of any follow up questions.

ANSWER : Hello. The issue you are describing could be the sound of a worn strut, worn strut mount, or noisy axle. There is also a possibility that the sway bar end links are causing the noise. I suggest that you have the vehicle evaluated by a technician, like one from YourMechanic, whom will be able to diagnose the noise and perform any needed repairs.