Car Shaking Causes and Resolutions

This is a popular customer enquiry in the tire business and again there can be a shroud of mystery about what exactly makes a car shake. The first thing that a tire professional should do is to ask you a series of questions which will help make an accurate diagnosis of the issue.

Is it shaking at high speed?
If the steering wheel is shaking at high speed only this is normally a wheel balance problem (not a wheel alignment problem) probably one of the front tires.

If the whole car is shaking then the chances are it is the balance of one of the rear wheels that is causing the issue. Make sure you ask the technician if they actually found a problem when re balancing the wheels.

Is the steering wheel moving side to side at low speeds?
This is normally caused by a separated tire at the front of the vehicle. A tire's tread starts to go out of shape when it separates and this causes such a wobble. Remember it is only going to get worse and then blow to bits so get onto this ASAP.

Does the whole car wobble at low speed?
A low speed wobble is generally caused by a separated tire on the rear of the vehicle, again get it looked at ASAP.

Now these are some of the more common causes of wobbles and shakes, however there can be other things that cause it as well, head along to your local tire or automotive professional for a full diagnosis.