What causes steering wheel vibration at 80 km/h?
2 Answers
When driving at 80 km/h, steering wheel vibration can be caused by the following reasons: 1. Chassis: There is play in the chassis ball joints. When the vehicle is moving at high speed, this play can cause vibration. Inspect all ball joints and replace any damaged ones. 2. Steering wheel: Loose steering wheel shaft. Check the steering wheel system and replace any damaged components. 3. Wheel balance: Incorrect wheel balance. Perform wheel balancing for the tires. Precautions: Do not touch the tires while they are rotating as it can be dangerous. Clean the inner side of the tires thoroughly; otherwise, the balancing weights may fall off.
My car also had the issue of steering wheel shaking at 80 km/h before, which scared me so much that I immediately pulled over. Later, the mechanic told me that the most common cause is wheel imbalance—especially after changing new tires or patching tires without rebalancing, they become unstable at high speeds. Another possibility is wheel rim deformation, particularly for alloy wheels that have hit curbs, which are prone to this problem. If the front wheel alignment is off and the tires wear unevenly, they can shake like a phone vibration at certain speeds. Don’t take it lightly—I’ve personally seen cases where long-term neglect led to premature failure of the steering tie rod ball joints. Take it to a professional shop; spending around a hundred bucks on wheel balancing can fix most situations.
