The passenger side tire wears much faster than the driver side?

JEFF WAHLQUIST

MEMBER
2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU
2.4L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
215,000 MILES

This car is in good condition. The passenger side tire wears much faster than the driver side and more wear is seen on the outside of that tire. What could be the cause of this? I had it in for alignment and was told everything looked good though they did make a slight adjustment to the toe-in. This is the second set of tires this has occurred on.
Thank you

1 Reply

CANNON1349

MECHANIC
581 POSTS

Hello and thanks for your question!

It is well known that alignment issues can cause abnormal tire wear. Did the shop give you a print-out of the alignment? I would be very curious to see the values. Likewise, an adequate shop would hopefully alert you of any suspension issues that could cause abnormal tire wear. If this is the second set of tires, would it be the exact same model and brand of tire? Low quality tires also wear abnormally. If you're feeling confident to check the suspension, I will be glad to walk you through checking everything. Lastly, if the tire begins to wear abnormally and then the alignment is corrected, the damage is still done. The alignment will just slow down the wear but not reverse it.

Let us know,
William