Why does the car shake at low speeds?
2 Answers
There are several main reasons why a car may shake at low speeds: 1. Toe-in: Due to collisions during driving, the steering tie rod and steering cross rod may deform, various ball joints may wear out and become loose, or tire wear may become irregular, causing the toe-in to increase or decrease. 2. Wheel dynamic balance: After driving a certain distance, the original wheel dynamic balance weights may be lost, or the wheel hub may deform, causing the front of the car to sway and the steering wheel to shake at high speeds. 3. The lateral push rod ball joint may be loose or the bracket may be loose, leading to unstable driving. 4. The wheel hub bearings may be loose, and the left and right steering knuckle ball joints may be severely worn, causing inaccurate front wheel alignment.
The car shakes badly at low speeds when driving, and I've discussed this issue with my neighbor, a car mechanic, several times. The most common cause is tire problems. Like last time when my tire pressure was low, the car body swayed left and right like being on a boat. If the tire is bulging or the wheel rim is deformed, you can feel the steering wheel shaking while driving. Additionally, a damaged CV joint can cause regular shaking, especially with a clunking sound when turning. It's recommended to first check the tire pressure. If the wheel rim is deformed, you can usually see slight dents with the naked eye. If that doesn't solve the problem, have the shop lift the car to inspect the chassis bushings—old cars with cracked bushings make a clunking sound when going over bumps.
