Brakes and steering
Steering wheel shakes at a certain speed: what it could be
If the steering wheel shakes at a particular speed, often on the highway, and calms down above or below it, the usual cause is an unbalanced front wheel. It can also be a bent rim, a deformed tire or a steering part with play.
See a garage soonBrakes and steering
Reviewed by Daniel Morales, founder of Reprorace SL, on
Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Carefully, and only as far as the garage. You can drive carefully to a shop, avoiding that speed. If the vibration started suddenly after an impact, a tire has a bulge or the shaking gets worse, stop and check the wheel: it could blow out.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- Unbalanced wheels: a weight fell off or the tire wore unevenly.
- Bent rim: after hitting a curb or a pothole.
- Deformed tire or bulge: the casing is damaged and can fail.
- Play in the steering or suspension: worn ball joints or arms.
- Mud or snow in the rim: goes away once cleaned.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: How often should you run diagnostics on your car? Can I diagnose my car myself?
Car system: Steering and suspension
What you can check yourself
Look at the front and rear tires for bulges, cuts or uneven wear.
Clean the inside of the rims if there is mud or snow.
Notice whether the steering wheel shakes (front wheels) or the seat (rear wheels).
Check the pressures.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
Related fault codes
This symptom is usually mechanical and does not always store a generic fault code. Even so, reading the faults of every control unit helps to rule out other problems and to reach the garage with data.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: this symptom is mechanical; a scan helps rule out ABS or power steering warnings.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it only shake at a certain speed?
The imbalance resonates at a particular speed. Above or below it, you feel it less.
Is it the same as shaking when braking?
No: shaking that only appears when braking usually comes from the rotors.
How often should wheels be balanced?
When new tires are fitted and whenever vibration appears. After a hard impact, have it checked.
Keep reading
- Steering and suspension: how they work and what fails
- Vibration when braking: why the steering wheel or pedal shakes
- Car pulls to one side: causes and what to do
- Humming noise that rises with speed: wheel bearing or tires
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means