When you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, driving across town for your commute and errands, you develop a feel for what your vehicle should normally feel like. When it starts to feel a bit off, such as a shaking feeling from your steering wheel, it can be a worrying situation as you know your vehicle has an issue affecting its drivability.
In this article, we’ll go over the common reasons behind a shaking steering wheel, how it can affect your vehicle, and how to prevent these issues from occurring in the future!
Common Causes of a Shaking Steering Wheel
Warped Rotors
One of the most frequently seen issues behind a shaking steering wheel is warped brake rotors. This occurs when the large metal rotors your brake pads press against to produce friction become warped, causing the brake assembly to “skip” along the uneven rotor surface and leading to an unusual vibration or shaking as you press the brakes.
Rotors can become warped due to high heat, which causes the metal to deform. Warped brakes can also cause issues with braking performance, as the pads may have a harder time producing friction against the uneven surface.
If your wheel’s shaking feeling occurs when you’re not braking the vehicle, it’s likely not an issue with the brake system.
Bad Alignment
Wheel alignment services ensure that each of the suspension components is at the precise angle needed to keep each of your wheels pointing perfectly straight. Over time, your vehicle slowly falls out of alignment as these components shift, which can be accelerated due to hard impacts or driving on rough road surfaces.
When the alignment is off, it may cause the misaligned wheels to vibrate the chassis of the vehicle, which can be transferred through the steering wheel. Wheel alignments provide a number of benefits in efficiency and drivability, so keeping up with this maintenance service is the best way to prevent any vibrations or control issues from your suspension.
Unbalanced Wheels
As wheels rotate so quickly when driving, the precise balancing of the wheel setup is crucial. Even slight imbalances in the wheel can cause massive vibrations as the wheel spins, which can cause the steering wheel to shake along with it.
When new wheels or tires are installed, small metal weights are placed in the inner drum of the wheel, which allows technicians to accurately balance the wheels down to a precise weight. Over time, these weights can detach from the wheel and lead to slight imbalances that make the wheel wobble and vibrate.
Faulty Wheel Bearings
Wheel bearings connect the wheel to the hub, and allow for smooth rotation of the wheel as you drive. When these bearings experience damage or wear, it can lead to a lack of lubrication or other failures that prevent the bearings from rotating smoothly.
This issue is most noticeable as you make turns, which may feel like the steering wheel is shaking throughout the corner. If you notice this issue, it’s vital to have your vehicle inspected by a trusted local repair facility, as wheel bearing issues can quickly become dangerous if not addressed.
Bad Motor Mounts
The engine’s mounts consist of rubber that softens the vibrations of the motor and prevents any mechanical imbalance from transferring to the chassis. However, the soft material that make up these motor mounts will gradually wear down over time as a result of old age, allowing the engine’s vibrations to shake the entire vehicle along with it.
Bad motor mounts will of course lead to a shaking steering wheel, which may change with the speed of the engine. While bad motor mounts aren’t an immediate safety concern, it’s best to have them replaced to avoid any further damage to other components and keep your drive comfortable.
Steering System Diagnostics & Repair in Florissant, MO
If you’re experiencing vibrations from your steering wheel and are in need of diagnostics or repair to alleviate it, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Gary’s Auto Service in Florissant, Missouri. Our team has extensive experience in providing maintenance and repair services on the steering systems, suspension systems, and otherwise and all kinds of makes and models.
Don’t allow these issues to linger and potentially lead to further issues or dangerous circumstances, give us a call or schedule online today to secure your appointment at the premier service facility in Florissant!