Shaking and vibration at high speeds

[TDiBoraSam]

Could anyone offer any advice for the following please?

At speeds of 60mph and over, the car starts shaking, which can be felt through the floor, pedals and base of the seat. The steering wheel also shakes. I have rotated the wheels front to rear, and the shaking persists, including the steering wheel.

All tyres and wheels are in good condition and have been balanced. The make and age of tyre is the same on each axle. Wheel alignment has also been checked.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[Crasher]

Hello Sam!

Did this just start or did you buy it like this?

How bad is it? I remember you being extremely sensitive to vibrations.

[TDiBoraSam]

Hi!

I inherited the car from my Dad a few weeks ago. The car was rarely driven on motorways before I had it, so he probably didn't notice the vibration.

It's pretty bad. It feels like someone is kicking the seat, you can see the steering wheel shaking, and at times my keys are rattling in the ignition in time with the vibration. Sometimes I can drive on a motorway and it won't really shake at first, then it gradually builds, starting in the floor and seat, then the steering wheel starts shaking.

I have noticed that the car is pretty jolty when going on/off the accelerator, particularly at low speeds when crawling in traffic, so it makes me wonder if it's drivetrain related? Overall, it just isn't running smoothly.

[Crasher]

If the wheels have been balanced and are original VW wheels with good brand tyres I would take a look at the consul bushes but it's a bit young for that.

[TDiBoraSam]

Yes, it has original VW alloys with Michelin on the front and Goodyear on the rear.

OK, thanks for the advice. I've never heard of consul bushes. Where and what are they?

[Horizon]

I had bad vibration over 60 MPH in an E60 5 series, turned out to be buckled wheels due to being low profile with Runflats on, maybe a pothole or a kerb ing has buckled a wheel. Mine balanced ok off the car but caused problems when on the car.
they put it up on a 2 post ramp and spun the wheels by hand as I stood behind the car.
changed the rims and it was spot on afterwards, especially without the runflat tyres.

[TDiBoraSam]

All sorted now!

I took the car to a different garage, and they found a slightly buckled wheel, which was also out of balance by 70g, and another wheel was out of balance by 50g. No wonder it was shaking!

Smooth as silk now and a pleasure to drive.

Thanks for the help and advice.

[Crasher]

I went out for a drive into Derbyshire today and there were horrendous pot holes all over the place, at one point there were four in a row that a small child would have drowned in! I seem to spend more time looking at the road surface than where I am actually going...

[TDiBoraSam]

Same around Cheshire! Some of the potholes around here are awful, and so are all the wretched speedhumps - all breaking up and all the local authority does is chuck a bit of stone in the holes, which typically lasts until the next time it rains!

Garages must be doing a roaring trade in wheel alignment, balancing and suspension repairs!

[Crasher]

Garages must be doing a roaring trade

So are Orthopaedic surgeons......

I took a customers lowered Audi coupe home the other night, after negotiating the 11 speed bumps on the road to my home, I decided that next day I would take the long way around where there are only two speed humps. My back is still hurting more because of that car.

Incidentally the 13 speed humps on this particular road were installed due to a "perceived risk" of death or serious injury even though there had been no notable accidents. Within a few weeks of completion, two young people were killed on a motorbike which hit a lamp post when the rider lost control after hitting.....a speed bump.......