Fairburn Auto Repair

A crooked steering wheel while driving straight can be more than just annoying. It usually means the front wheels are not pointed exactly where the steering wheel thinks they are. Sometimes the car still tracks straight, but the wheel sits a few degrees off center. Other times, you also notice a pull, wandering, or uneven tire wear starting to appear. This is one of those issues that is easy to live with until it starts costing you tires. Getting it corrected early is usually simpler than waiting until the tread is worn unevenly and the vehicle feels unstable on the highway. How A Steering Wheel Gets Off-Center A steering wheel can end up crooked any time alignment angles shift. That shift can happen after a pothole hit, a curb tap, or even after normal suspension wear changes the geometry slightly. Once toe settings drift, the wheels can still roll forward, but the ... read more

A grinding noise from the power windows is one of those sounds that makes you freeze with your finger still on the switch. The window might still move a little, or it might not move at all. Either way, it feels like something inside the door is getting chewed up. The tricky part is that power windows can make a few different bad noises, and each one points to a different failure. If you catch it early, you can often prevent a simple repair from turning into a broken regulator, a burned-out motor, or a window that drops into the door. Why A Grinding Noise Is Different From A Squeak Or Rattle A squeak usually comes from dry tracks, dirty guides, or weatherstrip drag. A rattle often points to a loose fastener, a clip, or a door panel issue. Grinding is different because it usually suggests gears, cables, or moving parts slipping against each other. Grinding also tends to get worse quickly. Once a cable frays, a plastic spool cracks, or a gear starts skipping teeth, ev ... read more