If your vehicle is showing car feels unusually susceptible to swaying in crosswinds, here are the most likely causes and the parts you'll need to fix each one.
Shocks and struts control the vehicle's body movement and dampen suspension travel. When they wear out, the vehicle loses its ability to resist lateral forces, leading to excessive body roll and swaying in crosswinds.
The sway bar connects the left and right sides of the suspension to minimize body lean. Worn bushings or broken links (sometimes left disconnected after recent suspension work) allow the car to lean heavily when hit by wind gusts.
Incorrect toe or caster angles make the steering feel loose and prone to wandering, making the car highly sensitive to wind. This is a very common issue if an alignment was skipped after recent suspension or steering repairs.
Underinflated tires have soft, flexing sidewalls that allow the vehicle to drift easily. Similarly, tires with excessively worn tread lack the grip needed to maintain directional stability in crosswinds.
Tie rods connect the steering rack to the wheels. If the ball joints on the tie rod ends are loose, the wheels can shift independently of the steering wheel, causing instability and wandering in the wind.
Degraded rubber bushings allow the control arms to shift under lateral loads. This dynamically changes the wheel alignment while driving, causing the car to steer itself slightly when pushed by crosswinds.