Why Is My Steering Wheel Shaking?

If your steering wheel is shaking as you drive through Long Branch, the most common cause is misaligned wheels. When your tires are misaligned, they can make your steering wheel or sometimes your entire car vibrate. However, your steering wheel could also be shaking from bad bearings, unbalanced wheels, bad brakes, or issues with your vehicle’s suspension. Learn more about why your steering wheel may be shaking with Galaxy Toyota below, then read our other DIY service tips for more information on your vehicle!

Vibrating Steering Wheel: Five Common Causes

While misaligned wheels are the most common cause for why your steering wheel may be shaking, there are some other factors that may lead to a shaky ride in Toms River. Read below with Galaxy Toyota to determine why your steering wheel may be shaking on your daily commute:

• Unbalanced wheels: Your vehicle’s tires are heavy, and if they’re not placed correctly it could cause uneven weight distribution on your suspension system. While this is more common with a lightweight suspension, you could have future issues with your shocks, struts, and other steering components if it is not addressed. Luckily, having your tires balanced is an easy task. Simply bring your vehicle to the Galaxy Toyota service center to be repositioned.
• Misalignment: Similar to unbalanced wheels, the improper positioning of your vehicle’s wheels can cause them to be misaligned. If you avoid obstacles like potholes and you drive over railroad tracks slowly to avoid damage, then misalignment is less likely to be the issue. An easy to tell when your wheels are misaligned is to check to see if your tire tread is worn unevenly.
• Bad bearings: If there is damage or not enough lubrication for your vehicle’s bearings to work properly, there will be unnecessary friction and shaking in your steering wheel. However, this will only cause your steering wheel to shake when turning. Most of the time simply cleaning the bearings will resolve this issue. However, if there is damage, you’ll need to have them replaced. This can typically cost up to $430 including labor.
• Suspension issues: If parts of your vehicle’s suspension are worn, loose, or the driveshaft is imbalanced, this could be the cause of a shaking steering wheel. Though these are easy to repair, they shouldn’t be ignored. Waiting to have these parts fixed could cause more damage to the suspension and risk your safety on Freehold roads.
• Brake issues: If you notice your steering wheel shakes when you brake, the issue lies within your brake system. Worn out brake pads, defective brake discs, and even worn shocks can cause your steering wheel to shake. Brake pads are easy to replace but can cost up to $300 per axle depending on where you have your vehicle serviced.

Have Your Car Repaired at Galaxy Toyota

Now that you know some of the common causes of why your steering wheel may be shaking, schedule an appointment with our service team to have your vehicle inspected and repaired. While you’re here you can read our other DIY service tips on how to do a tire rotation and how to make your tires last longer. Visit our Eatontown service center today, we look forward to meeting you!