Car troubles

[Ensign Steve]

Anyone know anything about cars? I need a quick and dirty diagnostic on my problem.

When I take my car over sixty, it shakes up and down real bad like I am driving over a washboard. I know I need new tires, and I am going to get some this weekend, but do you think old bald tires could cause a problem like that? Or do I have something bigger to worry about it. :shrug:

[viscousmemories]

The only purpose of this response is to indicate that I have taken the time to read your post.

[Skep]

Wheel out of balance...

Bad CV joint(s)... if front wheel drive

Bad U-joint(s)... if rear wheel drive

Loose or badly worn suspension components...

Bad shock absorbers...

[Ensign Steve]

Bah! I was afraid of that. Is the CV joint usually considered part of the power train, for warranty purposes?

ETA: The Hyunday warranty FAQ says: 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty that covers most engine and transaxle components.

How geeky am I? Now I am wiki-ing "transaxle". *sigh*

[pescifish]

I know I need new tires, and I am going to get some this weekend, but do you think old bald tires could cause a problem like that? Yes, absolutely I think that could be the case. I say this because bad tires was what caused my car to shake. The speed at which the car would start shaking changed**, but the shaking did not go away after the suspension was fully checked out, the car aligned, the wheels balanced and rotated.

A few months later, I finally couldn't stand it any more and took the car back. The cause of the problem was that the steel belted radials layers were separating. This should have been noticed the first time I went in and they had the wheels off, but, oops, they didn't. They replaced my tires under prorated warranty and I have not had a problem since.

** Change to structural dynamics meant a change in the frequency of the dynamic mode that was being excited by the tire rotation against the pavement.

[Shake]

Could be the tires. I had a similar problem once, but it even occured at lower speeds. I'd just say to get thee to the mechanic soon!

[pescifish]

Yeah, before the tires were moved around on the car, the speed it shook was up in the 80-100 mph range. After the service, the shaking was between 40-55 mph and was smooth above that range.

[Dingfod]

Did the car just start doing this all of the sudden?

Up and down shaking sounds like an out-of-round tire or bad shock absorbers or struts. A slipped belt in a tire is a possible cause. Bald tires plus bad shock absorbers and/or struts is even more likely a cause.

I don't know if CV joints are covered under the powertrain warranty or not. I would think they should be, but they might be considered a normal wear item. I don't think it's the CV joint or joints because bad CV joints usually manifest themselves first as repetitive clicking noises when you turn corners, long before they start vibrating.

[Ensign Steve]

Thanks for the new info, warrenly.

Here is the plan:
Tomorrow I'm going to go to Sears and buy new tires. Then I'm going to open her up on the highway and see how she does. If I still have the problem I'm going to take her to the dealer on Monday (closed on Sunday) and pray to god that whatever the fuck is wrong is covered by the warranty.

Wish me luck.

[ceptimus]

It doesn't sound like CV problems to me. They more often make a noise when a lot of steering lock is wound on (which necessarily happens at low speed).

Simplest explanation is out of balance wheel or wheels. This can appear suddenly if one of the small lead balance weights gets thrown off a wheel (or slips around to a different position). It can also appear suddenly if (more worryingly) a tyre develops cracks or a bulge. Again if you have clipped a kerb or similar, it can put wheels out of balance.

I'd inspect the old tyres for obvious damage - cuts and bulges - if there are any, drive slowly till you have the new tyres fitted.

When the new tyres are fitted, part of the procedure is to rebalance the wheels. If some of your tyres don't need replacing, then if the shaking persists after the new tyres are fitted, get the wheels that still have the old tyres balanced too. This costs about $10 or $20.

[Ensign Steve]

Thank you, cep! :bow:

I'll let you all know how it goes.

[JoeP]

At the risk of displaying my little-knowledge-dangerous-thing, if it's not wheel balance it could be wheel alignment. Wheel balance can be fixed per wheel, off your car, with those little lead thingies. Wheel alignment relates to the axles themselves and requires that your car be hoisted up or driven over one of those pits. Alignment can go if you've hit a pothole or something. As well as causing the vibration you mention, it causes rapid (uneven) wear on the tyres, even perfectly balanced new ones. Get it checked (it shouldn't be very expensive) when you get the new tyres fitted.

[pescifish]

It's always a good idea to get your car aligned (or at least have it checked) when getting new tires.

[John Carter]

Thanks for the new info, warrenly.

Here is the plan:
Tomorrow I'm going to go to Sears and buy new tires. Then I'm going to open her up on the highway and see how she does. If I still have the problem I'm going to take her to the dealer on Monday (closed on Sunday) and pray to god that whatever the fuck is wrong is covered by the warranty.

Wish me luck.

Luck. But I doubt the service department will be open on Monday. It's Memorial Day.

[Dingfod]

I would have suggested wheel alignment but that doesn't normally show as an up and down vibration, more of a wobble or a pull to one side or the other in the steering wheel.

Most all of the car dealerships around here plan to be open Monday, big sales day on holidays this time of year.

[Ensign Steve]

The service department is open tomorrow, I checked. Way to give me the benefit of the doubt.

But the good news is, I won't have to go! Four new tires and wheel-balances and an alignment later, and my car seems to be okay. I took it up to 75 on the interstate for a test drive, and aside from the usual Hyundai lack of power, everything seems to be in order. Hooray!

Thanks for your help, guys.

[Skep]

:woohoo:

[JoeP]

:woohoo:
:woohoo: hoo!

[JoeP]

It's always a good idea to get your car aligned when getting new tires.
Yeah, I hate it when they put them tyres on sideways.

[pescifish]

But it's easier for tightly packed parallel parking.

[JoeP]

True, and yet...

[BracesForImpact]

I know I need new tires, and I am going to get some this weekend, but do you think old bald tires could cause a problem like that? Yes, absolutely I think that could be the case. I say this because bad tires was what caused my car to shake. The speed at which the car would start shaking changed**, but the shaking did not go away after the suspension was fully checked out, the car aligned, the wheels balanced and rotated.

A few months later, I finally couldn't stand it any more and took the car back. The cause of the problem was that the steel belted radials layers were separating. This should have been noticed the first time I went in and they had the wheels off, but, oops, they didn't. They replaced my tires under prorated warranty and I have not had a problem since.

** Change to structural dynamics meant a change in the frequency of the dynamic mode that was being excited by the tire rotation against the pavement.

This is exactly what happened to me, and I was relieved that was the problem. I'd check your tires first, you'll need them replaced anyway-bald tires aren't safe.

Oops. looks like you got the problem solved. Glad it worked out for ya. :)

[Dingfod]

My motorcycle had developed a hands-off wobble at speeds over 40 mph, sufficiently severe to require at least one hand on the handlebars at all time to prevent it from going out of control. Many of my internet club members have had tapered bearings installed in an attempt to solve this very common malady. A new front tire cured mine, no more wobble.

[Gurdur]

Once on the autobahn, the car started to develop a kind of judder, pulled into a garage -- luckiest thing I ever did.
One front wheel was working free of the axle, and had literally ground its way through 50% of each locking nut, and the nuts were just about to come off --- if that had happened at normal speed of 180 Km on the autobahn, no doubt some of you would be spared my mordancy forever, kind of.

And that incident was the fault of the other garage that had changed the tyres from winter to summer tyres; they had left one locking nut slightly loose, and the problem developed from there.