A mechanic explains why you shouldn't park with the wheel turned.

For many drivers, parking is a maneuver that is carried out almost automatically . We look for a space, turn the steering wheel, correct it if necessary, and once in place, we often forget to return the wheels to their original position . However, this seemingly harmless gesture can have negative consequences for our vehicle . This is what Juan José, a mechanic from Seville, warned about on his TikTok account, where he explained in detail "why we shouldn't leave our car parked with the steering wheel turned to one side at all."

The technician's warning may surprise many, as most of us are unaware of the impact this habit can have on a car's mechanics . According to the expert, "it's mainly due to the stress we create on the vehicle." However, he explains that the issue "has several nuances," as it's not a serious problem if it occurs occasionally , but it can become harmful if it's repeated regularly or if the vehicle is going to be parked for a long period of time .

"If we turn the wheel to one side, what we're doing is causing the car's suspension and steering to move in certain directions. That is, we have a ball joint, a silent block, and the shock absorbers rotate. Depending on the car, one movement or another will occur," explains the mechanics expert. The key is understanding how the car's suspension and steering work. When we turn the steering wheel to the limit, we change the way these components are aligned and tensioned . "If we turn the steering wheel, we're changing the car's inclination and the position and tension of these components and silent blocks," explains the mechanic, noting that these elements are designed to absorb shocks and allow for a certain degree of flexibility while driving, but not to maintain a forced position for hours or days.

Furthermore, the expert highlights that there are certain brands in which this problem can be aggravated . "And let's not even mention that in some vehicles when we turn the steering wheel, especially those in the Mercedes or BMW groups, the wheel tilts to help with the turning angle. That wheel that tilts is putting more support on a very small part of that wheel, because it's not designed for traction; it's designed to make the turn shorter and more comfortable," he explains. In other words, in some high-end cars , the suspension design causes the wheel to tilt in a special way when turning, which, when parking, leaves a very small part of the tire supporting the entire weight of the vehicle .

"Therefore, if we have the steering wheel turned to one side on a downhill slope, we will have a greater inclination and greater weight on certain points of the silentblock, suspension and ball joints of the car and, in addition, in a much smaller area of ​​the tire that is not prepared to support so much weight and can deform it," he points out. In this sense, tire deformation not only shortens their useful life , but can also compromise road safety , since a deformed tire has less grip and can generate vibrations or imbalances when driving.

However, the expert clarifies that there's no need to panic . "You shouldn't leave your car with the wheels completely turned, but nothing will happen to you if you do," he clarifies. That is, if, for example, we park overnight with the wheels turned, we have nothing to worry about. The problem arises when this becomes a common practice or when the car is going to be stopped for a long time . In this sense, the mechanic issues an especially important warning for those who park their car this way for weeks or months. "But if you're generally going to leave the car stopped for two, three, five months, don't even think about leaving it with the steering wheels bent, tilted, or under tension, because that can distort the vehicle's normal resting position," he concludes.