The Environmental Impact of Misalignment: Reducing CO2 with a Straight Drive

Your Misaligned Car Is Polluting More Than It Should

Every mile you drive on misaligned wheels, your car works harder. Wheels scrub sideways. Friction increases. Engine burns more fuel. More fuel burned means more CO2 released into the air. Over a year, misalignment can add hundreds of pounds of unnecessary CO2 to the atmosphere. A simple $150 alignment reduces emissions. It's one of the easiest environmental improvements you can make.

How Misalignment Increases Emissions

• Misaligned wheels create rolling resistance against the road
• Engine must work harder to overcome this resistance
• Harder engine work burns more fuel per mile
• More fuel consumption means more CO2 emissions
• Tire wear accelerates, creating more tire waste
• Tire manufacturing and disposal has environmental cost
• Premature tire replacement increases resource consumption
• Compounding effect over vehicle lifetime

The Math: Alignment and Environmental Impact

Average car burns 1 gallon per 25 miles. Misalignment reduces this to 1 gallon per 21-22 miles. That's 4 extra gallons per 100 miles. Over 15,000 annual miles, that's 600 extra gallons burned yearly. Each gallon of gasoline produces 20 pounds of CO2 when burned. 600 gallons produces 12,000 pounds or 6 tons of CO2. Over a vehicle's 10-year life, that's 60 tons of unnecessary CO2. A $150 alignment prevents this.

Environmental Benefits of Proper Alignment

• Reduced fuel consumption per mile
• Lower CO2 emissions from driving
• Extended tire lifespan reduces replacement frequency
• Less tire waste in landfills
• Reduced manufacturing impact from fewer new tires
• Lower resource consumption for vehicle maintenance
• Reduced brake wear from pulling and dragging
• Cumulative environmental benefit over vehicle lifetime

Why This Matters for the Climate

Individual vehicles seem small. But collectively, millions of misaligned cars waste billions of gallons of fuel annually. That's billions of tons of unnecessary CO2. It's a problem we can solve. Alignment checks are cheap and easy. They're one of the highest-impact environmental improvements available to drivers. Getting your alignment checked isn't just good for your wallet. It's good for the planet.

How to Drive More Sustainably Starting Today

• Get an alignment check this month
• Fix alignment if it's out of spec
• Check tire pressure weekly
• Replace tires before they wear unevenly
• Maintain suspension components to prevent alignment drift
• Drive smoothly without harsh acceleration or braking
• Reduce unnecessary weight in your vehicle
• Combine trips to reduce total miles driven

Frequently Asked Questions