Have you ever experienced your car steering wheel shaking? You may wonder what to do when your steering wheel is shaking and what it implies if you notice that it rattles when you stop or drive at high speeds. Unbalanced or mismatched wheels are often to blame for a wobbly steering wheel. However, several other problems might be at fault.
I am aware that shaking in the steering wheel is unpleasant for drivers. This may make driving needlessly uncomfortable and frightening, indicating something is wrong with your automobile. There is no one else to blame except the car if the road is smooth, yet your ride still seems choppy. We highly advise you to act as soon as your steering wheel is shaking. If you wait for the issue to go away, the situation will only worsen.
You may be surprised by some of the possible reasons for a shaking steering wheel, which are many. Your car’s shaking may provide hints about the problem to a mechanic, depending on how it shakes. When the issue first arises, observe when it starts to grow worse. For instance, does it become worse at high or low speeds? Does it become worse as you brake? A technician can identify the root cause of your unsteady steering wheel using all of this information.
Importance of Checking Car Steering Wheel Before Driving
Pre-driving inspection of the steering wheel is essential for several reasons. The principal point of contact between the driver and the direction of the vehicle is the steering wheel. It must be in good shape and functioning for both safety and control when driving. Here are some factors emphasizing the significance of inspecting the steering wheel of the automobile before taking the wheel:
🚗Safety
Driving safely depends on the steering wheel working correctly. It enables you to keep direction under control, negotiate bends, and react to unforeseen circumstances on the road. Any problems with the steering wheel, such as too much play, stiffness, or misalignment, make it difficult for you to steer precisely, which results in accidents.
🚗Avoiding Mechanical Breakdowns
The steering column, tie rods, rack and pinion, and other connections are some parts of the steering system attached to the steering wheel. Regular steering wheel inspections may aid in spotting possible mechanical issues, including worn-out or loose parts, broken joints, or power steering fluid leaks. Early detection of these problems may save more serious failures while driving.
🚗Balance and Alignment
A pleasant and controlled driving experience is ensured by the steering wheel’s proper alignment and balance. Driving may reveal misalignment or tire balance concerns if the steering wheel is out of position or rattles excessively. Fixing these issues may increase stability, decrease tire wear, and drive more effectively overall.
🚗Comfort When Driving and Ergonomics
The location of the steering wheel should be ideal for the driver’s comfort & reach. Adjusting the steering wheel’s height, angle, and distance makes long-distance driving more pleasant and less tiring. Ensure the steering wheel is correctly set to your preference before driving.
🚗Airbag Functionality
The steering wheel of many contemporary automobiles has airbags built into it. By inspecting the steering wheel, you can ensure the airbag system is in place and working properly. To prevent possible airbag failures after an accident, any indicators of damage and wear on the steering wheel must be rectified immediately.
It is crucial to inspect the steering wheel of a car before you start driving for safety, technical dependability, driving comfort, & overall vehicle control. You can reduce the danger of collisions, spot possible mechanical problems, and improve your driving experience by ensuring the steering wheel is in excellent shape and set correctly. It is advised to get your steering wheel checked out and fixed by a trained automotive technician if you discover any issues.
Reasons Why Car Steering Wheel Is Shaking
Here are the causes of your steering wheel shaking and some solutions. Even on less-than-ideal road conditions, modern automobiles are designed to travel smoothly. Even while some road vibrations should be expected, if your car steering wheel is shaking, there is a problem.
A trembling steering wheel might have many different causes. Determining if the shaking happens when traveling at the low, substrate, or high speeds; while stopping, turning, or accelerating; and a combination of these actions. Get your car to the experts if the vibration returns under the same conditions or worsens. The common reasons for a shaking steering wheel are bend brake rotors, unbalance tires, and worn or broken suspension system components.
➠Warped Brake Rotors
Have you ever slowed down or stopped your car and felt the steering wheel tremble? This can indicate that the brake rotors are deformed. To slow or halt your movement, your brake pads make contact with the smooth, flat area of your braking rotors. The heat produced by the contact of the brake pads against the braking rotors makes the metal of the rotors bendable. Your rotors may eventually buckle under this strain, particularly if you don’t maintain regular brake pad changes.
The steering wheel will shake when your rotors are twisted because the brake pads must stop against an uneven surface. Thankfully, a set of brake rotor replacements can rectify this. Your technician may even be capable of resurfacing the rotors and making them smooth & even again if you notice this problem in time. However, this fix is improbable if you already see bending signs, such as the steering wheel shudder.
➠Tire Balancing Problems
It is intended for all four of your tires to spin at the same rate, which is made possible by maintaining their balance. But tires may go out of balance because of seasonal variations, erratic driving habits, bad road conditions, variations in inflation pressure, and other factors. Unbalanced tires might affect your axle and suspension, which causes vibrations in the steering wheel. This problem may be fixed (or avoided) with a regular tire balancing service. Every 10,000–12,000 miles, on average, your car tires need to be balanced.
➠Tire Alignment Problems
Your car’s suspension system is designed to align the tires so that they contact the road’s surface equally. Road roughness, erratic driving, and other dangers may eventually distort this alignment, resulting in one or more of the wheels coming to rest at an awkward angle. Even minor alignment difficulties may bring on vibrations or shaking of the steering wheel.
In addition to steering wheel trembling, wheel alignment issues may result in uneven and hastened tire wear. This problem, as well as its signs, may be quickly corrected with wheel alignment services. Bring your car in for a free alignment examination if you need clarification on whether you require an alignment service.
➠Suspension Problems
What are the more normal issues if the bottom half of our list includes the unusual items we discovered online and not the regular causes of a wobbly steering wheel? The suspension is a more frequent cause of a wobbly steering wheel. This is particularly true for cars without routine maintenance at an authorized dealer service facility. Because suspension issues develop gradually over time, you probably will notice them once they are severe enough to cause the steering wheel to shake.
When traveling over bumps, objects like loosened tie rod ends & ball joints will first make strange, undetectable sounds. These parts may lead to several problems, such as a wobbly steering wheel, unbalanced tire wear, and even a complete loss of steering since they are in charge of linking the suspension to the wheels & the wheels to the automobile. Fortunately, a multi-point inspection is part of every visit to an authorized repair shop like ours, so we can identify faults before they cause trouble.
➠Sticking Brake Caliper
Stuck brake calipers are one unique reason for the shaking of the steering wheel. Each time you slow down or stop your car, your brake calipers drop the brake pads they hold. Although it seldom happens, brake calipers may seize (also known as “sticky” or “stuck”). Stuck Brake Calipers may affect the handling, often causing the steering wheel to jerk or shake. You will notice this issue during driving as opposed to when you use the brakes, unlike warped rotors.
A jammed brake caliper is what? This occurs when your caliper “sticks” to your rotor, as the name implies. Your brake won’t lift when you let off the pedal; instead, it will remain softly pushed on the rotor, almost as if you kept your foot on the brake all the time. Naturally, driving while your calipers are stuck may be difficult—not to mention detrimental to your car’s engine, braking system, fuel efficiency, tires, and other components.
Wearing hoses, dirt accumulation, and do-it-yourself brake installation are probable causes of sticking brake calipers. If you believe you have a jammed brake caliper, bring your car to repair as soon as possible.
➠Spotted Flat Tires
Anti-lock brakes have long been a mandated feature in automobiles. Thus, this is another uncommon reason why the steering wheel shakes. Because when antilock brakes are functioning correctly, your tires won’t lock up and develop a flat spot. However, the tires may have flat patches if a brake caliper is jammed and a wheel stops moving while you are driving or if you have an older car and an emergency stop locks the wheels. As you would expect, the steering wheel and the rest of the automobile will vibrate due to a flat spot on at least one of your tires.
➠The Axles Have A Problem
Another one that sometimes appears on the internet as being more prevalent than it is is this one. The axles are half shafts since most modern automobiles are front-wheel drives. You’re considerably more likely to hear a steady ticking sound as you turn when they break. Despite the possibility that you may feel this in the steering wheel, most problems are audible long before they manifest themselves as a shaking of the car or a difficulty with the steering.
The steering wheel may sometimes shake and, in rare cases, the whole car due to an axle issue. Did you realize that your wheels and your axle are both balanced? Although rear-wheel drive cars are more likely to have an uneven axle shaft, it may make your steering wheel shake with the rest of the car.
➠Wheel Bearing Issues
There’s a significant probability that you’ll come across this justification online. The failure of vehicle wheel bearings is simply uncommon. There are, of course, exceptions. That wheel bearing is considerably more likely to fail if you just bounced the truck’s right front tire over the curb each time you do a U-turn. If this is the problem, the steering wheel may shake, and the shaking could spread to other parts of the car.
This is not a problem our authorized repair facility encounters very often since the wheel bearings in most cars will comfortably outlive the rest of the automobile. Instead, one of the above causes is more likely to cause the issue.
Car Steering Wheel Shakes When Braking
Here are various reasons why braking systems might cause steering wheels to shake. This issue will occur while using brakes.
🚘Rotor Discs
When braking, the steering wheel shakes violently, which suggests that the rotors are likely bent or worn out. Replace them all if skimming the rotor doesn’t work. It may indicate that your braking rotors are failing if you push down on the brake pedal and the steering wheel begins to wobble. Naturally, there are a variety of causes for a shaking steering wheel, particularly if it only occurs while traveling at a certain pace. However, if it only occurs while applying brake pressure, it is certainly the result of a brake rotor issue.
The brake pads clasp together and enter the spinning rotors each time you push down on the brakes with your foot, slowing the car down. However, if the rotors are damaged or improperly placed, the calipers of a braking system may rattle. When it occurs, the vibration passes via the caliper-connected parts and eventually enters the steering wheel. The result is a steering wheel that vibrates each time the brake pedal is depressed.
🚘Calipers
The brake caliper may also cause some vibrations, although this is more common in older vehicles. In this case, the steering wheel’s vibration and the burning rubber smell will occur around 50 mph. At this time, it is preferable to stop the vehicle and refrain from using it until the problem has been resolved.
🚘Brake Pads
As is well known, the front braking systems are linked to the knuckle arm, which is then linked to the end of the steering rack and the steering column and steering wheel. Therefore, brake pads may be to blame for the shaking of the steering wheel while braking if the rotor disc is still in excellent condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I stop the shaking in my steering wheel?
A wobbly steering wheel may result from friction from worn bearings or insufficient lubrication. You’ll note that the shaking only happens when you move the wheel if the bearings are to blame. You may fix this issue by lubricating the bearings or, if there is damage, by making a service appointment to replace them.
Can shaking be caused by inadequate power steering?
When driving, does your power steering twitch or tremble in your hands? Low levels of power steering fluid may be to blame. When your vehicle shakes a lot while idling, there is another indication that the power steering is malfunctioning. Make sure you have a qualified mechanic examine it.
How much does it cost to repair a steering wheel that is vibrating?
Bearings will likely be at blame if your steering wheel only trembles as you turn. Usually, a simple cleaning would take care of this issue, but replacement expenses, including labor, might reach $430 if they are broken.
Is it safe to drive a vehicle when it is shaky?
It is advisable to address the issue immediately before continuing to drive if your automobile shakes often. Driving through the shaking can damage the vehicle, break the tires, and cause other expensive issues that prevented with a short visit to the repair.
Is it possible to refill my power steering fluid?
You may refill the container if the fluid is clear, amber, or pink. But if it appears brown or black, rubber from sealing hoses, O-rings, or connecting hoses has tainted it. This implies you’ll need to get it serviced so the technician determine which PAS components and fluid are worn out.
Final Words
Upon noticing shaking in your steering wheel, Although the reasons I’ve listed above for a shaky steering wheel are the most frequent, there are more possibilities. Numerous engine issues may cause the whole car to shake, but you might only be able to feel the tremor via the steering wheel. These issues could be fuel supply, air introduction, or spark systems. Take your automobile to a qualified repair as soon as possible if you’re still unsure of the cause of your steering wheel shaking after reading the list above.
You’re fine with a refill if the fluid is clear, amber, or pink. However, if it appears dark or black, rubber from connected hoses, seals, or O-rings has polluted it. That implies you must take it to a technician to determine which PAS components and fluid need replacement.
