kika8806

i feel like i may already know the answer to this question..i just wanted some input cause most of you guys blow me out of the water when it comes to having this sort of knowledge.

i did search around and couldn't really find an answer to my specific question.

i have an '02 tl-s and it currently has about 110,000miles on it. for the past few days or so when i'm driving faster than 40mph (like on the highway) the whole front end of the car feels like its shaking, mainly on the passenger side. it feels exactly like it's driving on a flat tire...but i've pulled off the highway and checked all 4 tires and none of them are even low. also, my passenger headlight seems to be throwing off a light that looks like its almost vibrating..i can't explain it really, its definitely not the bulb and it's not flickering, its just sort of "wavering."
i just had the mounts replaced back in may of this year when i got my transmission replaced, because one of them was shot so the mechanic just replaced them both since the tranny was out of the car and out of the way anyways.
i know i may not drive as gently as i probably should but i definitely don't drive at crazy stop-and-go speeds or anything like that..but i know what i'm describing probably sounds like its the motor mounts... can they really be shot again after only 2 1/2 months??

01tl4tl

go back to the trans shop or your guy and have things ckd out

could be anything from a bad mount--the normal failure ones are front of car and passenger side
to a cv bearing or a bad coil~

Mr. Maker

iTrader: (4)

Doesn't sound like a bad mount...have you had an alignment
recently..? how many miles on your tires...sounds like the inner belt
in the tire may of slipped...

but like 01tl4tl said...it could be a number of things..

thelastaspec

on a different note,
I think im going ahead with the torque damper - in an attempt to save the mounts and prevent spending more $ down the road when my car has the extra power... it was driven hardish (but under good care) by the prev owner.
For the mounts do i:
To check them, put the car in P, rev, then D; rev to 2k, then let go and see if she moves more than an inch?
ill look for oil too, as i clean the engine bay by hand - and it would show up

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

Could be a number of things. Alignment, tires, axles.

My money would be on axles though. Have them checked out.

kika8806

thanks everyone. i definitely need an alignment, if i let go of the wheel for a tenth of a second it jerks over to the right... i know i need to get on that. i feel so stupid now (feel free to agree ). hopefully that'll fix the problem. while i'm at it i'll get the axles and tires looked at too. my back tires only have about 1000miles or so on them, they're brand new. i'm not sure about the front but i'm guessing its a LOT because they're the originals i got when i got the car 7 months ago. when i got the 2 new tires they rotated the old ones from the back and put them on the front.

i also forgot to mention i noticed it seems worse when the AC is on. but thats probably just a coincidence...

rcb2000

if it didn't vibrate before the transmission was pulled and the mounts replaced, then they screwed up the half shaft assemblies when they removed them so i woudl be going back and have them replace them. A bad tire will do it all of the time unless it's a balance issue, shifted belt will get progressivly worse the faster you go, so if it wasn't there prior to going to the shop it's the half shafts and the CV joint causing the issue.

kika8806

thanks for your help...i guess i'll be taking it back monday and letting them troubleshoot it :shakehead

i'll post what happens after, just in case anyone else reading has any similar symptoms

01tl4tl

you have to look at the front/rear mounts from under the car to see the leaking oil

note: in general,, 2 NEW tires, or the best tires, go on the REAR of car-
keep the back end planted in the rain and on corners or you get an exciting few seconds on the merry go round
in the summer not as big an issue, but come winter...

01tl4tl

if it started right after the trans install I would suspect cv shaft is not in the same position as when removed- rotated 90 degrees or something and the balance is off

Until this new bit of info with ac at idle problem- I am back to thinking coil failure

take it to a parts store and ask for a free code reading- let us now if any pop

01tl4tl

jerks out of lane? is there an accident = curb shot,, we are not hearing about?
pretty hard to have a TL get that far out of whack on just potholes-
that would bring us back to cv~

kika8806

nope, no accidents or driving over curbs.
i took it today and got two new tires and had them rotated to the back and had the older ones put on the front, as you said... and it turns out it was the belt in the tire causing all of the trouble. my alignment was a little off but they said it was just the front passenger tire causing the shaking and pulling. i didn't know a tire could cause all that trouble, but i'm glad thats all it ended up being.

thanks for your help!

kika8806

oh and no codes came up.

totaledTL

Good news- (easy fix) is great to hear.