Why steering wheel shakes while driving

Especially if you are driving on bad or bumpy roads. The reason why this could be happening might be due to a damaged or worn out component in the car or it could be an issue with your tires or car engine. The only way to know is to have it checked up. Ignoring the issue could lead to further damage of the steering, the car tires, and possibly even your car engine. Here are five of the most common reasons:.

One of the most common reasons for the steering wheel to shake is when you drive on unbalanced tires. The best way to ascertain where the problem lies is to have a professional car technician examine your car. Any kind of damage to the axle can lead to the steering of a car vibrating or shaking. This is most prominent if the car has sustained damage in an accident.

Now, if the axle is either bent or damaged it could lead to the steering wheel shaking while driving at both low speeds as well as high speeds.

This will help get to the root of the problem quickly and efficiently. Or, you can download a form we developed specifically for this problem by clicking the button below. Either of these can be taken to your auto shop to help in correctly identifying the problem. Had tires changed and struts changed in front, still car shaking. Was told i need brakes getting that done tomorrow. Mechanic said it might be loose motor mounts causing car to shake.

Is that possible? My wife and I were on a road trip last week, and I almost drove off the road when the car started shaking when we reached a specific speed. It seems like it would be a good thing for us to get some new tires on our vehicle. Got tires balanced, alignment, new cv axles, new tie rods, new drive shaft with u joints, new sway bar and sway bar links, and still shakes at 30 mph. My alignment is off a little but on Friday after almost bogging down in on muddy ground, my van started pulling HARD to the right and shaking vibrations can definitely be felt through the van.

Hi Veronica, It sounds like one of the brakes has locked up, check to see if one wheel is getting hotter, the mud could of aggravated an existing issue. Certainly get it check right away! I got a vehicle brought to my town by sea recently. Hi Nick, What is the year make and model of the vehicle?

My first thoughts is there a brake hanging on, drive the car 5 miles theN stop and feel each wheel. If one is hotter than the rest you have your answer.

All the best. It seems to be worse when the road is bending left or right. Also, when I gently press on the breaks, it gets even worse. Even if I travel on the same road and same speeds every day, sometimes none of these issues appear. I will have the mechanic inspect the car next week. Because the problem comes and goes, there is some intermittent issue.

Check to see if one wheel is warmer than the others after a five mile drive. Hi I am driving opel corsa model, once I start the ignition the steering wheel start shaking even when I am driving.

What could be the cause here? Hi Starla, To eliminate it being the brakes drive the car for five miles, stop and feel all the wheels if one is hotter than the rest then it could be a brake caliper issue. If you go to the BA website then you can download the NVH diagnostic form, this will help you or a technician zero in on the cause. I just had new brakes and rotors put on, so what could be my issue? Hi I have a GMC journey.

We bought all new tires and had them spin balanced and put on. It shakes in the front as well as the steering wheel when you do 55 and 0ver. We have had them rebalanced 3 times by different places but still dose the same thing.

We replaced the inner and outer tiered and both ball joints. What else could be cuaseing the front to shake so? The back shakes some also. Hi Penny, There are many things that could cause these symptoms and a systematic approach is needed. Fill this out and take it to a skilled technician who should test drive the vehicle and confirm the issue then go through a step process.

One final thing were the tires balanced with a Road Force Balancer? Hope this helps. Thank you so much for your advice. Yes, the tires were balanced each time with Road Force Balancers. Last night my husband took off the front left tire and discovered a 3oz weight that was in between the tire and the front wheel cover. What are the odds of that! Ha ha. Even stranger was the fact we never heard any noise coming from the tire, ect. He had a heck of a time but was able to remove it. Still shakes but we will have that one tire rebalanced and hope for the best.

Thanks again. I have a Mitsubishi galant, at low speeds the steering wheel shakes, it gets worse at higher speeds feeling like the whole car is shaking. My shaking is intermitant. I have civic. It feels like the brake is catching and releasing almost like a train chugging as it leaves the station. Any advice to what may be the cause? I cant afford to go to a mechanic shop and cant afford to trade it in for another bill.

Please help. Hi Shane, Is there a possibility that the other front brake caliper is holding on? Drive vehicle for five miles then make sure both front wheels are the same temperature, or you could wait until you experience the problem then check that the wheel temperatures are the same on the same axle.

They will vary back to front. Hi Kailee, It sounds like the engine is miss firing. Is the Check Engine Light on or flashing? Check out the NVH diagnosis form on the BA Auto Care website it will give you an idea of what sort of questions need to be answered to get to the bottom of this. Hi Brian, I use a Toyota Corolla ie a model. Please can you advise me on what to do because I just changed my tyres four month ago.

Here are a few questions. Does the vibration start to go away when you go faster? Also use a shop that understands how to diagnose a vibration, independently owned full service and repair facilities have the highest customer ratings. Tell the service writer what the symptoms are and say if everything is ok that you are interested in new tires then asked for recommendations. Put all the responsibility on the shop to fix the problem.

I have a Toyota Highlander. All 4 brakes and rotors have been replaced in the last 3 months with the rear being done just last week. It has a slight shake at mph, but when you hit the freeway it feels as though my poor car is going to fall apart, and is pretty scary The shop I generally use is a small rural facility and no where close for them to check it at these speeds.

Is there a way for them to diagnose it without driving it, or should I try to find a garage closer to a freeway so that they can experience what it is doing? Thanks in advance! A brake caliper not releasing can cause the symptoms your experiencing.

Start by driving for 5 miles then check to see if one of the wheels is getting hotter then the rest. Also it could be related to the tires and wheels they could of been put back in different position. Tell the repair shop all the symptoms your experiencing they should be able to get to the bottom of this. Hope this helps Brian. I have a Jeep Wrangler and when I brake around mph my steering wheel as well as my whole car shakes like crazy!

Do you know what could be the cause of that? Ive a Toyota Corolla le. Its my vehicle begun shaking 60mph and itll stopped as it accelerates when i did my last tire rotation. I webt back and told them, and they redis the rotation and balance of my car, problem remains. I went to toyota to diagnose the problem and tol me its possible cv axle of either driver or passenger. I replaced the driver side cv axle, my car still shaking. Im planning to replace the passenger side until i browse to your website.

Hi James, Before replacing anymore parts double check all the basics…. If the problem started after the tires were rotated then one of the rims or tire would be the problem. Make sure the tires are balanced using a Road Force wheel balancer. Put the best to rear. Hey Brian I have Cadillac. My tires run smooth up to 45 Then at 45 they bounce like a pogo stick then at 50 mph on the are smooth again. Any suggestions. If in doubt remove shaft and check that they are free.

Hello I drive a Dodge Journey and it shaking when stepping on gas on highway I have new tires rotors breaks inner and outer tie rods sway bar links and also new stunts and ball joints and still shakes my mechanic is unable to diagnose. Hi Meggan, It sounds more like an engine misfire than a tire issue. Are there any warning lights on?

Is the Check Engine Light flashing when you put your foot on the gas? More info please, check out the diagnostic forms on the BA Auto Care website to see the type of questions that need to be answered. I drive a Volkswagen Passat and today while accelerating on the interstate, it started violently shaking. The shaking starts when you start to accelerate close to 30mph, is the worst at 70mph and then can hardly be felt at faster speeds.

My truck shudders in the rear on my initial acceleration but only from mph, then the shuddering stops. I really appreciate your assistance. Hi John, It sounds like the brakes might be hanging on, e-brake?

Perform a careful examination of all the brake components and make sure they are all working as they should. I have a pontaic aztek when I start brakeing at 60 to 70 miles the car shakes what could be the problem. Hi Glenda, Shaking while braking is mostly caused by distorted brake rotors. There are a whole range of engine problems that can shake the entire vehicle, but you may just be noticing the shake through the steering wheel.

These problems could be with the spark, air introduction, or fuel delivery systems, among other things. We only work with Japanese makes and models, so you can count on our specialized experience whenever you have a shaking steering wheel. Our knowledgeable staff will be able to diagnose your issue quickly then take corrective action to extend the life of your vehicle. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

Tired of auto repair shops that don't understand your car? Want a car mechanic who does? Come to Greg's Japanese Auto. We only work on Japanese makes and models, and we have the experience and knowhow to give your car the service it deserves. Call us today to schedule your appointment. Always ensure that the hub and disc mounting faces and brake caliper carriers are clean, the slider pins are lubricated and moving freely, and the wheel fasteners and disc positioning screws are correctly torqued.

During times of repetitive, hard braking, brake discs sometimes do not have time to cool down and will overheat. When a disc overheats, it tends to warp, causing vibration in the steering wheel and brake pedal when braking. If there are any dark blue spots on the brake disc, this is a good sign the disc has overheated.

Likewise, poor quality brake pads can overheat, and cause distortion when the overheated pads apply pressure to the brake disc. If there is any distortion that is out of tolerance in the brake disc or damage to the brake pads, they will need to be replaced immediately due to the risk of brake fade.

Brake fade is when there is a temporary decrease or full loss of braking power due to overheating, but it can be easily avoided with the right brake parts. If your vehicle is prone to extreme braking from anything to towing on mountain roads or racing, be sure to purchase OEM brake pads and brake discs that are specifically designed to handle a lot of heat.

This can result in the EPS Electric Power Steering being activated by the ADAS related system to either keep the vehicle within the lane or at least alert the driver via a vibrating seat, audible alarm or vibrating steering wheel.

The fix for this problem is simply remembering to use your turn signals when changing lanes. Steering wheel shake can be caused by any one or more, of these, and other issues.

For example, a worn joint leading to excessive tire wear. This can complicate diagnosis somewhat. While vibration issues can be caused by something as simple as a loose bolt or a deflated tire, they can also signal a much bigger problem. By following these steps, you can rule out any such issues in a logical order, saving valuable time, money and frustration.

Technical tip. Related Resources How-to. Here are some suggestions for your steering and suspension replacements -- specifically control arms and ball joints: Be prepared You will need a ball joint press tool and Click here to learn more. Suspect a possible bad ball joint?