Your car’s engine vibrates a little bit as the crankshaft, transmission gears, and other moving parts rotate when you drive. It’s time to investigate what’s causing these light vibrations to feel like shaking.
How to check your car for vibrations
Tyres, wheels, brakes, steering, suspension, axles and engines are the most common causes of excessive vibration in cars. It seems like there are many reasons to do so, doesn’t it? You don’t need to worry. The potential problems for each will be discussed in turn.
Identify the source of the vibrations and the time when they occurred. Is it only noticeable when the car is started and accelerated that the vibrations occur? When you turn or brake, do they only occur? Is it only when you drive fast that they occur? Perhaps they become more intense as you accelerate?
We’ll examine the possible causes for the shaking now that you know when the vibrations begin.
Tyres
In most cases, your car shakes because of a problem with its tyres. The following are some of these problems:
Out of balance tyres
A good chance this is due to your tyres being out of balance if the shaking is minimal at low speeds and increases as you accelerate to 90km/h. Look for flat spots on your tyres to determine if this is the cause of excessive vibrations. It may be possible to simply rebalance your tyres to solve the problem, depending on the amount of damage. The tyres may need to be replaced if there is too much damage.
Underinflated tyres
When you drive at higher speeds, your car may vibrate excessively due to underinflated tyres. To make sure your air pressure matches your owners’ manual, check your tyres for flat spots if you don’t find any. Blown tyres can be caused by underinflated tyres.
Uneven tyre wear
Many road hazards can cause a tyre to become misaligned. Consequently, they wear unevenly, resulting in cupping (a wavy surface on the tyre thread) and excessive wear on one side. Tyres can be replaced or realigned (depending on the amount of damage on the tyres) if they are damaged.
Tyre defects
Your car can vibrate at low speeds (under 30 km/h) if your tyres are out-of-round (i.e. misshapen) or if the tread or internal belts have separated from the tyre body. A manufacturing defect could cause these types of problems, but severe road hazards can also cause them.
Worn-out or bald tyres
You will lose traction, stop more slowly, and lose cornering power if you use tyres with little or no tread. Poor weather conditions will also result in you skidding around. Tyres that shake are another sign that they need to be replaced.
Car rims
There is also a possibility that your rims are related to your tyres. Rough driving or hitting potholes or large bumps can cause the rims to bend, damaging your tyres.
Low rolling resistance tyres
They’re also called low profile tyres, and are increasingly used on hybrids and EVs because they reduce drag and resistance, boosting their environmental credentials. The hardness of these tires, however, makes them less comfortable to drive, as they do not absorb as many imperfections on the road. It is best to check other potential causes before assuming your car has low rolling resistance tyres.
Wheels
You should check your wheels after you have checked your tyres. There are several possible causes of vibrations:
Unbalanced wheels
Despite not damaging your tyres, hitting a deep pothole or low curb may still damage your wheels, causing them to become unbalanced. A qualified mechanic should be consulted if you suspect this is causing your car’s vibrations.
Bent or damaged wheels
Your car may vibrate excessively when hit by deep potholes or other road hazards. If you want to diagnose this properly, you must use a wheel balancing machine, which will determine if the wheel can be repaired or if it must be replaced.
Wheel runout
Whenever it is spun, it shows a deviation from a perfectly circular rotation, which is measured with a dial indicator. A new wheel is often the easiest solution, depending on the measurements.
Wheel bearings
You may have worn or damaged wheel bearings if you feel vibrations through your steering wheel. Wheel bearings are generally designed to last the lifetime of your car, but this isn’t always the case, especially if you drive off-road frequently or have high mileage.
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