Do you need a wheel alignment before ADAS calibration?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
Not always, but a car that pulls or has had alignment or suspension work should be aligned first. The camera is aimed relative to the direction the vehicle travels, so if the wheels point one way and the car goes another, the calibration lands off. Skyview does glass and calibration, not alignments — general guidance only.
Does a wheel alignment require ADAS calibration
The two are linked because the camera is aimed relative to the vehicle’s direction of travel. A wheel alignment sets the angle of the wheels; the camera calibration sets where the camera looks. When the wheels are off, the car travels slightly off-center even though the wheel is straight, and a camera calibrated to that skewed travel reads the road at the wrong angle.
So the order matters. If the vehicle pulls, drifts, or has just had alignment or suspension work, the alignment should be correct before the camera is calibrated. Calibrating a camera on a misaligned car bakes the misalignment into the aim, and the systems read wrong from then on.
Skyview does glass and calibration, not alignments
Skyview handles the windshield replacement and the camera calibration. A wheel alignment is separate work — if the vehicle needs one, have it done before the calibration so the camera is aimed to a straight-tracking car.
Does suspension work affect ADAS
Align first
- When the car pulls to one side or the steering wheel sits off-centre on a straight road.
- When suspension or ride-height work was just done, shifting the vehicle’s direction of travel relative to the camera.
- Calibration should follow these changes, or the aim lands off and the misalignment is baked into it.
Calibrate without an alignment
- When the car tracks straight and the steering wheel is centred with nothing changed in the suspension.
- Tire pressure and ride height are at normal settings, so the camera’s angle is unchanged.
- Routine tire rotation or replacement usually does not affect ADAS — only a change in tire size would.
Alignment or suspension changes shift the vehicle’s direction of travel relative to the camera, so calibration should follow them; a straight-tracking car with nothing changed can be calibrated as-is.
More questions about alignment and calibration
Alignment before or after calibration?
Before, when the vehicle pulls or has had alignment or suspension work. The camera is aimed to the direction of travel, so the car should track straight first.
Does a wheel alignment require ADAS calibration?
It can. If the alignment changes the vehicle’s direction of travel, the camera’s aim may need verifying afterward — especially on vehicles with a forward camera.
Do I need an alignment with my windshield replacement?
Only if the car was already pulling or drifting. A windshield replacement alone does not require an alignment; it requires calibration when a camera is behind the glass.
Related guides
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