Uneven tire pressure is the first suspect

The 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual is direct about it: unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right or left, and unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems that could make you lose control.

It adds that both underinflation and overinflation affect the stability of the vehicle and can produce a feeling of sluggish response or over-responsiveness in the steering. The fix is to drive with each tire inflated to the recommended cold tire inflation pressure. See our guide on what to do when the tire pressure light comes on.

From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (publication 104308_26_DT, edition E2; Tire Inflation Pressures, page 353), read November 4, 2026.

Uneven tire wear

Look at the tread itself. The 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual recommends examining tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear patterns, and checking for stones, nails or other objects in the tread, cuts, cracks and sidewall bulges. The 2026 Toyota Corolla Owner's Manual similarly says to check the tires for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one side of the tread.

Pressure and wear are linked: the Ram manual says improper cold tire inflation pressures can cause uneven wear patterns to develop across the tread. It also says tires, including the spare, should be replaced after six years regardless of the remaining tread. See our guides to tire tread depth and how often to rotate tires.

From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Periodic Safety Checks, page 304; Life Of Tire, page 355) and the 2026 Toyota Corolla Owner's Manual (publication OM12W27U; tire checks, page 307), read November 4, 2026.

Road surface and traction

Not every pull means something is wrong with the car. On a slippery road, the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual warns that rapid acceleration is dangerous because unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the rear wheels, and it advises accelerating slowly and carefully whenever traction is likely to be poor, such as on ice, snow, wet pavement, mud or loose sand.

If the car only pulls on one stretch of road, or only when accelerating on a slick surface, note it and see whether it happens on dry, level pavement too.

From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (Driving On Slippery Surfaces, page 231), read November 4, 2026.

What you can check yourself

These quick checks rule out the most common causes before a service visit:

Based on the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (pages 304, 353 and 355) and the 2026 Toyota Corolla Owner's Manual (page 307), read November 4, 2026. See also when to replace tires.

When to see a technician

If the pressures are equal and the tires look even but the car still pulls, have it inspected. A pull that gets worse when you brake, a steering wheel that sits off center, or a pull that started after hitting a pothole or curb are all worth a professional look at the alignment, suspension and brakes.

Alignment also matters for newer safety features. The 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual lists an incorrect suspension alignment among the conditions that can affect its driver assistance cameras and sensors.

From the 2026 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual (driver assistance system notes, pages 275 and 281), read November 4, 2026.

Alignment and tire service at Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center

Our service department works on all makes and models. Our service request form lists front-end alignment, tire balancing and tire rotation among the services you can ask for. Tell us which way the car pulls and when it happens, and our technicians will take a look.

Our service department at 1200 E. Chicago St. in Elgin is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is closed Sunday. Schedule service, see our service specials or get directions.