Steering wheel vibration at speeds of 90-100 km/h. Causes and solutions

A fairly common car malfunction is vibration of the steering wheel at a speed of 90-100 km per hour. At low speed everything may be fine. But as it increases, the steering wheel begins to “come to life” in your hands. And even when driving on a flat road. It often happens that this phenomenon appears gradually, from a small, barely noticeable vibration to real trembling, when not only the steering wheel, but also the column shakes. Following this, the instrument panel and interior trim rattle so much that it becomes impossible to drive. It is worth noting that this problem appears not only on domestic cars, but also on many foreign cars. Commercial vehicles, for example, Gazelle, are no exception. When steering wheel vibration appears at a speed of 90-100, the main reasons can be very different. So let's look at them in detail.

Incorrect balancing

Poorly balanced wheels are the main reason why the steering wheel vibrates at speeds of 90-100 km/h.

Dirt or icy snow may stick to the disc, often on the inner side, invisible to the eye. At low speeds, this additional load does not manifest itself in any way. But as it increases, the centrifugal force from the center of the wheel also increases. The imbalance will be significant, so the wheel begins to jerk, causing vibration to reverberate through the steering wheel. This malfunction can be eliminated by simply cleaning the wheel disk from the outside and inside.

Self-diagnosis

Determining, using a visual inspection, the exact cause of vibration of the steering wheel when driving is not immediately possible, even for professionals. To facilitate diagnostics when identifying a defect, you must:

Drive onto a section of flat and dry road that allows your car to reach a speed of up to 100 km/h.
Accelerate smoothly to the maximum permitted speed.
Drive 1-2 km without acceleration in this mode.
Reduce speed to minimum.

You should pay attention to what mode of movement vibration appears, how strong it is, whether longitudinal or transverse vibrations predominate and at what moment it disappears. These are the questions that specialists will ask you when you contact a professional service center.

It should be taken into account that on some models of the domestic and Chinese automobile industry, a slight vibration on the steering wheel is acceptable by the manufacturer and only with increasing amplitudes, it is necessary to take measures to identify the causes of the occurrence.

Tire imbalance

The reason for this phenomenon may also be defects in the rubber itself as a result of hitting an obstacle or falling into a hole (often at high speed), which causes the carcass elements on the tire to deteriorate and it takes on an irregular shape. This defect is called a “hernia.” It is almost impossible to correct it, but you can try to correct it by balancing the wheel. But even in this case, the steering wheel will vibrate at speeds of 90-100. What to do in this situation? Such a tire will still no longer work as it should, and it will soon have to be changed.

Braking system malfunction

The appearance of “beating” of the steering wheel during braking is a sign of a malfunction of parts of the brake system. In this case, you need to check:

Disks.
Drums.
Degree of wear and reliability of installation of linings.

Premature failure of these components indicates a manufacturing defect, installation of uncertified spare parts or improper operation (overheating after prolonged braking). In this case, it is necessary to replace unusable parts with new ones and check the reliability of the brakes.

Incorrect wheel alignment angles

The front wheels of the car are not parallel to each other. This is done to compensate for uneven wear under and without load. If the installation angles are incorrect, the rubber will “eat up”, which can also lead to vibration.

This is especially evident when one wheel is not aligned properly. In such situations, the vibration of the steering wheel at a speed of 90-100 km/h is especially noticeable. It is simply impossible to drive such a car.

Consequences of imbalance

Driving with unbalanced wheels means putting yourself and other road users in danger. If there is a strong impact on the steering wheel, the driver may lose control of the car, drive into the oncoming lane, or be unable to cope with the braking speed. The result is a traffic accident.

For a car, the most obvious consequences are increased tire wear. The protectors wear off unevenly, which leads to a sharp decrease in the performance properties of tires. Tires may wear unevenly on different axles. In this case, you will have to install a full set of new tires. For example, when replacing the front wheel, the rear wheels are replaced. All this is very expensive for the driver. It is cheaper to regularly check the balancing at a service station.

A less obvious effect of imbalance is deformation of the steering, damage to the suspension. There are other possible factors here. But with strong impacts from the front and rear wheels, the chassis elements fail faster.

Wear or damage to suspension components

The wheel suspension includes many articulated elements, each of which has its own specific service life. These are oil seals, silent blocks, ball joints, bearings.

All of them operate within the permissible backlash, if exceeded, vibration of the steering wheel may occur at speeds of 90-100. There are a variety of ways to solve this problem: from diagnosing the chassis to troubleshooting the problem yourself. They are often complex and seriously damage the vehicle's chassis. Since the suspension is in constant motion, excess play (for example, a ball joint) leads to rapid loosening of the silent block of the lower suspension arm.

Steering wheel vibrations when accelerating

Many car owners are faced with the problem that during acceleration strong vibrations appear in the steering wheel, which only intensify. There may be several reasons for this. The most common include:

wheel imbalance;
disc or tire deformation;
unreliable wheel fastening;
incorrect tire pressure;
wheel alignment.

Every driver knows that tires and wheels are not absolutely identical. They have different shapes and slight variations in weight. When picking up speed, these small differences can lead to the described vibrations. High-quality wheel balancing will help eliminate this effect. As a rule, it is performed immediately after tire fitting in specialized car services. It is recommended to balance four wheels at once.

Modern workshops also have specialized stands that will help identify disk damage. Violation of the form can lead to kickback in the steering wheel. There are frequent cases of damage to the tire, for example, the formation of a hernia. In most cases, removing it is extremely problematic, so it is recommended to purchase a new set of tires.

Loosening even one fastener poses a particular danger. If you notice vibration in the steering wheel, first check the security of the bolts, as loosening them can lead to the wheel losing its grip on the move. This poses a great danger to both your life and other road users.

It is also recommended to carry out a wheel alignment, which will eliminate the incorrect angle of the wheels. A bad wheel alignment can cause vibration throughout the entire body, and will also lead to uneven tire wear and increased fuel consumption.

If inspection of all the components described above does not produce results, then the problem must be looked for in the chassis. Elementary wear of shock absorbers or bearings can cause this problem.

Wheel bearing wear

This element ensures smooth rotation of the wheel on the axle. Its long-term operation is ensured by the correct tightening torque, at which it should rotate freely, but without play. An undertightened bearing, like an overtightened one, quickly wears out and begins to jam. This is quite easy to check. With the wheel removed, you need to release the pads and turn the brake disc by hand. If, when the latter rotates, the resistance to rotation increases from time to time and an extraneous sound appears, it means that the bearing is jammed. It should also disappear when the nut holding the bearing is slightly loosened. It won't last long in this condition.

Worn or faulty suspension or steering components

Excessively worn suspension components can affect how your car handles the road. This is because if any component (ball joint, tie rod, wheel bearing, etc.) has play, it will result in virtually the same imbalance in rotation as if the same wheels were unbalanced . But it can also cause other problems other than wheel balancing and excessive wear.

However, it should be borne in mind that play in the suspension components cannot directly affect and cause vehicle vibration or steering wheel wobble - in this case, the loose suspension part serves only as a catalyst, and the symptoms for this reason depend precisely on the main problem.

Cardan shaft as a cause of increased vibration

Sometimes it happens that in cars with all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, steering wheel vibration appears at speeds of 90-100. The main problems here are related to the driveshaft. It must be balanced, just like the wheels.

When the car is moving, the driveshaft rotates faster than the wheels. Therefore, its imbalance is felt much more strongly. In addition to the shaft itself, hinges can contribute to vibration. These are the cardan mechanism and the outboard bearing (shaft support). The unit itself can be balanced. And individual hinges will most likely need to be replaced.

Vibration when cornering

When the wheels are turned out, the behavior of faulty steering wheel drive joints begins to affect. The wear of the cages in a position near zero angle of operation of the drive with a change in the position of the balls will cause local jamming and vibration in time with the rotation of the shaft.

This will be transmitted to the steering wheel through the steering mechanism, and twitching of the wheels will intensify the effect. The greater the angle of rotation and the degree of throttle opening, the higher the amplitude of vibrations and acoustic accompaniment in the form of crunching and ringing knocks. The situation is fraught with destruction of the hinge and the impossibility of further movement.

When turning, steering defects also appear. The joints may jam briefly and cause cyclic twitching of the steering wheel.

A heavily worn bearing on a wheel external to the turn will manifest itself in a similar way. It will be subject to increased load, which may cause vibrations. But first the bearing will manifest itself as a hum, whistle or crackling sound.

Tire features

Steering wheel vibration at speeds of 90-100 km/h occurs due to the use of special, highly specialized tires. A striking example is tires for SUVs. These tires are soft, but the tread pattern elements are hard and large.

Off-road this gives amazing traction. But when driving at high speeds, this softness can lead to imbalance and vibration, as well as increased noise. Large holes when driving at speed with such tires are very dangerous.

Wheels are loose

This problem is easy to identify and fix, as it causes vibration at speeds of 100-120. The VAZ-2110 will make a characteristic dull sound. The problem is the loose nuts and bolts securing one wheel or several. Do not neglect checking, it can be dangerous. The wheel may simply unscrew while driving.

The beating itself is very reminiscent of vibrations on the steering wheel and body when the reason was in the wheels and tires. The difference here is that this shaking begins at low speeds. This phenomenon can be observed at different speeds.

So, we found out for what reasons vibration occurs on the body when driving at speeds of more than 100 kilometers per hour.

When accelerating and braking, as well as just rolling at speeds of 100-120 km/h, the steering wheel hits. I changed the wheels, brake discs are fine, naturally balanced the wheels. The car is completely factory, mileage is 16,000 km, it’s been like this since new, I don’t know how cure, I repeat, the chassis is intact.

Comments 50

Greetings. The same problem occurs exactly at 110 - 120 km per hour and on a certain section of the road. I don’t worry anymore)

The reason for the beating at speeds of 100-120 is definitely a problem with the wheels (rims or tires), and all because the rack is attached to the shield, which is a snot anyway. Therefore, in order to get rid of runout, you need to be sure that the disk is not even, the tires must also be of high quality, this will be visible when balancing, there are some wheels that do not require weights at all. The balancing machine may also be poorly calibrated or worn out.

I agreed with my brother to change the wheels from his 12th, at these speeds everything is smooth, if it goes wrong I don’t know what to do, all the chassis are waving their arms

I have this too, and so do many of my friends, and new ones at that, so this is probably the norm for these cars.

and after 120 km it goes away? if everything is so good with you?! then this is just some kind of miracle) maybe there is some kind of jamb in the rack that only appears at high speed?! Also look at the steering column! and stretch the entire chassis...

It was from 100-120 and back, when braking harder, that the Hodovka was pulled 10 tons km back,

If it's a new car, what should I think? to the official!

I’m not under warranty, I changed the oil myself 2 times, although according to the regulations it was necessary once, I don’t want to do that))

It was such crap. The suspension was all perfect, the brake discs too, the tires were fine, the discs too, the hubs - in general everything was fine, but the vibration remained at 110 km/h +-10 km. I accidentally came across a forum where a guy calculated all the vibration and came to the conclusion that a 0.5mm misalignment of the disk relative to the hub leads to vibration at a speed of 110 km/h +/-. I decided to center the disk relative to the hub. I took an aluminum beer can (I couldn’t think of anything else, a turner won’t make such thin centering rings) and cut out a strip 2 cm wide and a length equal to the circumference of the hub seat. He put the wheel on, baited it and, rotating the wheel, inserted an aluminum strip into the gap between the central hole of the disk and the centering lug of the hub. I inserted it tightly, with effort - it didn’t fit well, I helped with a screwdriver (pushed the strip). After inserting the strip, tightened the wheel. I didn’t go to the track right away, but at the end, because... I didn’t believe that it would help, but did it more for the sake of reassurance. And... I didn’t believe it - the vibration was completely gone. And I, a fool, searched for the reason for 3 years, and in the end, not finding it, I gave up on it and drove for several years like this, thinking that it was a design feature. So it might come in handy.

Wheels do not comply with factory recommendations

A car rim has its own parameters - width, tire mounting diameter, offset, as well as the diameter of the drill, i.e. the circle on which holes are drilled for mounting bolts or studs. For each wheel model, the number of these holes and their diameter are indicated. If the disk parameters are incorrectly selected, the mount will not screw in completely and will not press the wheel tightly to the hub. As a result, the disk has play. If the diameter of the holes drilled does not match, the wheel will also not sit in its place. Of course, it can be planted using physical force. However, the plane of the disk will not coincide with the parameters of the hub. This is not good for the car.

Steering wheel vibrations when accelerating

wheel imbalance;
disc or tire deformation;
unreliable wheel fastening;
incorrect tire pressure;
wheel alignment.

Steering faults

Increased vibration of the steering wheel at speeds of 90-100 km/h can be caused not only by malfunctions of the suspension and wheels, but also by the control itself.

Broken tips, the steering mechanism itself and play in the universal joints of the column can also affect the appearance of vibration. This is also facilitated by worn support bearings of the steering column and the rack itself.

Although the reason may be trivial - loosening of the steering wheel fastening nut. The solution to the problem is to tighten the bolt.

Steering wobbles when cornering or on bumpy roads

Everything gets more interesting here. If steering wheel beating is observed at high or low speeds, you need to check the rims, fasteners, and also balance the wheels. But if the problem occurs when turning or while driving on a poor-quality road, you need to check several elements of the chassis and steering mechanism:

Tie rod ends . If driving on bumpy roads gives a lot of feedback to the steering wheel, you need to check the tips. In a good way, this should be done in the inspection hole and with an assistant who will turn the steering wheel while you monitor the operation of the tips. In the tips, the liners and anthers wear out first;
Steering rack . If on bad roads the driver feels vibration that turns into clearly noticeable shocks, it is worth checking the steering rack fastening. Also check the bushing - it wears out relatively quickly;
CV joint Everything is simple here: if the driver hears a “crunch” in the wheel area, you need to change the corresponding hinge;
Shock absorbers . The purpose of shock absorbers is to soften shocks and increase driving safety and comfort. Sometimes drivers get used to hard shock absorbers and even begin to drive more carefully, but if the steering wheel begins to vibrate, the shock absorbers should be checked and, if necessary, replaced;
Silent blocks . The simplest diagnosis of silent blocks on a raised car includes a visual inspection, studying the behavior of the levers when swinging, as well as listening to detect knocking noises. Experts advise immediately changing silent blocks that do not inspire confidence;
Steering gear bearings . They often cause steering wheel vibration. If the steering gear knocks when entering a turn, and the steering wheel itself begins to vibrate noticeably, it is worth checking the thrust bearings.

As you can see, you can diagnose the suspension and steering mechanism yourself. An inspection hole or a jack, as well as the help of a second person, will be very useful here. However, we recommend contacting a service station - specialists will carry out diagnostics much faster and with better quality. As for the choice of spare parts for repairs, here it is worth giving preference either to the originals or to those manufacturers who supply their goods to automakers.

Worn or warped brake discs

These elements are installed on the hub and are clamped by pads when the speed decreases. There is practically no gap between the disc and pads. Therefore, the surface of the assembly must be perfectly flat. The slightest distortion of the disc causes the steering wheel to vibrate at speeds of 90-100 km/h. Warping of brake elements most often occurs due to frequent and intense braking, as well as when driving through deep puddles. The heated disk bends due to sudden cooling. This element cannot be repaired - only replaced.

What are the consequences of ignoring the problem?

If you regularly hit the steering wheel while driving and you are even used to it, you should not think that the problem will not have consequences. Experienced car enthusiasts probably know that even the most wear-resistant mechanisms cannot tolerate frequent and strong vibration. It can damage almost any mechanism. It also does not have a positive effect on the driver. Please note that steering wheel vibration may increase over time. For example:

For some reason, the steering wheel began to shake slightly. The problem is ignored;
Tires wear out more. The beating becomes stronger;
Bearings, suspension components, and individual elements of the steering mechanism wear out greatly. Driving a vehicle becomes much more difficult.

Experts are confident that the main problem with vibrations is the wheels, and in some cases, the brakes. The suspension of a car with a constantly vibrating steering wheel simply becomes weaker over time and its individual element may fail much earlier than expected. The danger here is that the driver of a problematic car becomes less attentive and more irritable, which, coupled with the technical shortcomings of the vehicle, can cause an accident.