Type S Lady

I know this may sound like a dumb question going 100mph. But on my way back from ATL this past weekend, at speeds of 100-110mph I felt an uneasy vibration in the steering wheel. This was WITHOUT touching the brake. I mean purely coasting and I was wondering if anyone else has had that feeling? I know a car isn't going to ride perfect at those speeds but it's not an old car. Could it be my tires? Their decent and have 22k on them. Could it be the springs? I haven't had any problems with them. Can't be the rotors because I would only feel that shimming effect after applying the brake right?

jcgsr830

Check the wear on your tires and also you might need to get them balanced

Type S Lady

Thanks Jcgsr830!

r10apple

If it is only at those speeds, it is likely either a single tire that is over/underinflated or a slightly offbalance tire. You could have a busted belt on the sidewall of a tire....You could have a bent wheel, but check the obvious first...It shouldn't have a thing to do with the brakes.

Your symptoms are how I always could tell I have a bad tire/wheel. Mine has no vibrations well over 120mph...

dlpickering

Typically, if the steering wheel is vibrating, it's a front wheel balance issue. Vibration in the seat points to a rear wheel balance problem. That may sound like an old-school diagnosis but it has worked for me. If the car is smooth at your typical driving speed, you may want to leave things alone. Work out the balance problem at 100 - 110 and it may appear at another speed. My experience has been, it is virtually impossible to have a perfect balance at all speeds.

steveinathens

i also experienced this exact problem on my way home from Fernandina Beach (JAX) yesterday as i was going up I95.

i had just checked the air in the front tires before i left and i *thought* they were both the same at 33psi.

the vibration kicked in just as i approached 100....

fsttyms1

i agree!, it could be the brakes if they are warped fairly bad, at those speeds it is possible to have a vibration due to warped brakes, but its most likely a tire as described above! try doing 120 to see if it goes away! j/k!
i have a vibration at 120ish and its due to my bad rotors. it will go away as soon as i purchase new ones

maxx96

My oh my girl, 100 to 110................nice.
I think and have to agree with the out of balance theory, but becareful what you wish for because it is true that if you get the balance in check for the 100 to 120 sprints, it might mess up your normal speeds 65-75. If you can live with it, don't touch it.
Not to change subject but whatever happen to the race that you were supposed to have up there if I remember correctly?

Southern

I agree with the tire balance theory.

Whenever I feel a vibration problem, I have all four wheels balanced. A good tire shop can also detect if you have a tire defect problem or a bent rim.

Before I have the wheels balanced I check the tires for the proper pressure and wash the rims. A glob of tar on the rim can through off the balance.

Ianbiz3

its those damn cheap tires they gave use stock, put sum bridgestnes when done with the stocks, they ride smooter.


i had the same prob when i bought mmy TL, i was dont 100-105 i was like WTF?? and they "tryed" to fix the prob but nuttin happened, then my freind told me it was meant 2 be that way 2 fell like a BMW.

yield2s

I'm not jumping on the wheel balance bandwagon just yet. Are your rotors warped? It sounds to me like they are just by the way you worded the post.
remember with a final drive ratio of about 1.3:1 (?) those wheels/rotor are turning about 4k rpm at 100mph. wow!

Of coarse this dosnt prove my theory at all just food for thought

BEIKAY

Tire balance is usually a transissional balance issue with the imbalance occurring at different speeds. Generally these speed are 15, 30,60, 90, and 120 MPH. Its a simular situation as an engine, in that there are various forces that efect the dynamic balance of the wheel/tire and these change in a pattern of the aforementioned speeds. To bad someone hasn't come up with a harminic balancer for wheels.
As some of you may have experienced it is not uncommon to have a balance issue at some speed but speed up and or slow down and it goes away. I never worked on Asian cars, but as I understand front wheel drive cars are more sentitive to wheel balance. I have heard there is a new balance method that actually loads the tire/wheel for more accurate balancing. So at any rate, there should be a balance problem at the other speeds mentioned, just not as pronounced. Yea, I go with the balance theory. If the rest of the drive line is ok.

Caprirooster

Have you consider trying either a high-speed balance or on-the-car balance? I have done that to my Civic a few years back when the dealers could not do anything to the balance once I was past 90 mph and vibrating.

You will need to find a place up in NYC for this. If you are stil in ATL I would have suggested Butler Tires (expensive but worth it).

Cap

Type S Lady

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to go with the balance. As far as the race between me and my brother, it wasn't one. He was not willing, and you know what that means, he did not have enough to get with it!!!!!!!!!!!! I did drive it and I'm sorry but it is not up to par with the TLS. I kept thinking there is something missing. It was it's a 4-speed automatic tisk, tisk. Nice inside but inside and out I love my alot better.

Tom Blasing

This may not be the problem but just a little pointing out that the brake pads DO ride against the rotors just a little at all times. It's not much pressure but cuts down on the distance the brake pedal has to go before the pads can apply a decent amount pressure on the rotor.

Type S Lady

My rotors are warped AGAIN, but I only feel that shimming when applying the brakes. I feel the vibration when not even touching the brakes. I have new rotors and pads that are just sitting waiting to completely wear out my stock ones. Maybe I'll get them done and check it out from there. We'll see. Thanks everyone!

yield2s

$ to a doughnut that's your vibration. (yes even when your not using the brakes. those out of round pieces of metal are turning at aboud 4k rpm)

VTEC11

my 2000TL does the same thing. A little vibration in the steering wheel aroudn 90+.

Could an alignment also cause this? The tires are fairly new, only 5k on the new dunlops...

Southern

Yes a car out of alignment can also cause this. I usually get a wheel balance whenever I have a vibration issue because it is less expensive to have done. If a wheel balance doesn't cure the problem then I would have the alignment checked.

BEIKAY

By the way yeild2S regarding RPM of the tires if you tires are turning 4000 rpm, your speed would be 360 mph or so. At 100 mph tire speed is about 1200 rpm. I didnt do the math just aprox.

yield2s

mine was just appox also but here's what i was thinking. at 100mph in 5th gear your turning about 3k rpm on the tach. True? OK with a final gear ratio of about 1.3:1 in 5th gear(wheel turns 1.3 times per every 1 rev. of engine) doest that = 3300 wheel rpm???

BEIKAY

No. Final drive ratio is some where around 4.11 but 3,4,5 are overdrives top gear ?? .6 so may be, giving a 2.10 overall ratio, which at 7000 rpms would give 3500 rpm, a lttle less, at the tires, I think you right about the 100mph at 3k rpm so at 7k rpm 200 plus a sixth, 33 for 233 mph. At 100 about 1500 tire rpm. But the mass ot the wheel/tire, the unpredictable flexibility of rubber, the changing weight load around corners and bumps, creates quite a balance challege. I'm suprised they work as well as they do.