What is the most likely cause of a steering pull?

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Study for the ASE Suspension and Steering (A4) Test. Enhance your automotive skills with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with insightful explanations. Boost your confidence and excel in your exam!

A steering pull typically occurs when there is an imbalance or misalignment in the suspension or steering components that affects the vehicle's tracking. Worn control arm bushings can lead to excessive movement in the control arms during driving, which can cause one wheel to steer slightly off from the other, resulting in a pull to one side.

Control arm bushings are critical for keeping the control arms and wheels properly aligned. When these bushings wear out, they lose their ability to adequately stabilize the wheels, leading to an improper geometry of the front suspension. This misalignment can directly cause the steering wheel to pull to one side or the other, depending on the degree of wear and the specific effects on the control arms.

The other issues listed, such as broken sway bar end links and worn shock absorber bushings, do not typically lead to steering pull. Instead, they may contribute to other handling problems like body roll or instability during cornering but are less likely to affect the straight-line tracking of the vehicle. Incorrect front toe settings, although a possible cause of steering pull, specifically pertains to alignment settings, whereas control arm bushings affect general suspension behavior, making the latter a more common and likely cause in the context of this question.

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