My Steering Wheel is Shaking at 55 MPH?

Question

It started this morning. I suspect it is from hitting a pothole a few weeks ago and throwing the alignment off significantly. Does this sound like a plausible theory? After riding the subways for years, my knowledge of cars is miniscule. I'm the perfect bait for one of those 20/20 episodes where they get the mechanics to rip a correspondent off. I drive a 2001 Nissan Sentra. What say you?

Answer 1

Forget the alignment for the moment. Vibration is caused by the wheel being unbalanced, possibly as a result of the impact causing it to become out-of-round (dented), or shaking a balance weight off the rim. Have them balanced, first. THEN get the alignment checked, if it still feels kinda weird.

At least wheel balancing is cheap - always look at the cheap stuff first.

Answer 2

It is very unlikely that it is the alignment. As someone else suggested, the first thing to check would be the tire balance. It is probably the cheapest thing to start with and if you take it to a proper shop, they will check for bent wheels, bad tires, and bad suspension parts all at the same time.

As for checking the balljoints, unlike a previous poster mentioned, you cannot check the balljoints on a front-wheel drive car by shaking the wheel up and down. You would have to shake the wheel at 10 and 4 as opposed to 12 and 6.

Also, a wheel balance shouldn't cost you 250 dollars unless you are paying for gold weights. In your case, you will be using coated lead weights, so I would suspect it to cost you less than 40 dollars, depending on where you live. Anyhow, all the best luck to you.

Answer 3

It is possible that you have an alignment problem but it could be bigger than that. When you hit that pothole, you could have damaged the transmission, the axle, the boots, the block/engine. I think those little cars are pretty close to the ground and there is not alot of distance between the bottom of your car and the pavement. Make sure you have the proper amount of air in your tires and if it still does it, have it lifted so you can see underneath. Most break and muffler shops like Midas and Meneike give free estimates and they put them on a lift. I always watch them a closely as I can because you can't trust them very well but it is an inexpensive way to diagnose the problem. Hope that helps.

Answer 4

you've money for gas - so as that already solutions one question and that is - you've money. you basically ought to reallocate it(shrink back on using for slightly) because there's a lot less gas in the tank. the priority may nicely be a lost wheel weight. It occurs. in spite of the undeniable fact that, if you're easily a kind of those that use the dimensions down as a quit mechanism for the motorcar...then you definately've damaged a tire or the rim(or both). Or once you've been barrelling by pot-holes at severe % - nicely then that's like you taking a sledge hammer to the motorcar. you'll not do this, may you? this kind of driviing is problematical on ball joints and steerage couplers. so that you're causing the damage. Will it worsen? sure. do you should revive it now? sure. Why? because that's donning out different elements beforehand, which may ought to get replaced besides, costing you more beneficial the longer you wait. as well the protection issue. easily a kind of jiggles is going to emphasize you into oncoming site visitors or a tree (or its subtle cousin-the phone pole that "basically jumped out onto the line" for a 2d. A wheel alignment is a ingredient and parcel to doing an finished job at the same time as the steerage geometry is touched. Doing this will provide you stress loose using after that's finished.

Answer 5

check to see if you still have a lead weight still on your wheel rim. then take it to a tire place and tell them to check the tie rod ends on the front. then give it a front end alignment and high speed wheel balancing. also have them check your ball joints for looseness. you are driving an old car with a lot of banging on the front end steering knuckles. imagine being in that cars place,
they take a awful beating and when parts go to heck , you know they,ve went as far as they can with you. i hit a pothole and the A frame snapped and the entire tire went up into the fender wheel well, lucky i was going 10 miles an hr.write this stuff down and show it to a tire place mechanic. safety first!!

Answer 6

screw taking it to a shop to many people think everything has to go to the shop.here are some things you can check yourself and then if you cant find problem or fix yourself then take to shop. (1)tire air pressure(2)tire balance(3)tire roundness,broken belts.and now parts that can be the problem(1)tie-rod ends inner&outter,cv-joints,ball joints. OK! here is how to check tire roundness remove tire roll on ground as if looking for a nail in tire,look for out of shape lumps.tierod ends connect your steering which wear out try to wiggle back and fourth w/ hand ifit does so doesnt mean its bad yet now just hold inbetween fingers&thumb and just try to roll it in your fingers if they move easily that could be your vibration. ball joints jack tire off ground grasp top and bottom of tire and try to move back and fourth should be stable not moving. cv.s the only thing you can really check w/ no training is torn boots and just because not torn doesnt mean not bad just a visual inspection.hope helps a little!

Answer 7

Your pothole theory is likely correct. You may need just a simple alignment, or.......... you may have caused substantial damage!
Either way you should at least get it checked out by a reputable shop.

Answer 8

You might have a bent rim or knocked the weights off the rim. Rim is what the tire is mounted too. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Might be cause it's out of alignment. mine does the same thing as well, cause it too, is out of alignment.


Um, wheel balancing is not cheap. Atleast not here. $250.00 for a wheel balance and rotate. But I'm from America, so it may be cheaper in other countries.

Answer 10

I say...... YES, that pothole probably did do the trick.

Its either your tri-rod or the idling arm......no doubt.

Be very careful..... Thats dangerous driving it like that.

Carol in OHIO.......... Take care.