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Can worn tires cause steering wheel vibration? This is a question that car owners constantly ask. There’re several causes of steering wheel vibration, but what car users fail to realize is that the most common and obvious of all is worn tires.
The steering wheel is used to direct the tires or wheels, so it is only normal for the problems to be as a result of the wheels, especially when the tire is worn.
We believe, that is the answer to the above question. However, in this article, we’ll be treating the topic properly by examining all the possibilities as to what makes worn tires cause steering wheel vibration.
What Does it Mean For a Tire To Be Worn?
When a tire is said to be worn out, it means that it is undergoing a gradual deterioration and becoming impaired as a result of constant/overdue.
A tire can also wear out due to likely exposure to unwanted hard driving or continued straining on rough surface. All these will clearly affect the steering wheel which has a common connection to the tire.
Can Worn Tires Cause Steering Wheel Vibration?
Yes, worn tires can cause steering wheel vibration. Basically, if your tires are worn out, damaged, or out of balance, they may send shakes from your vehicle to the steering wheel while you’re driving.
Sometimes, you may not notice the steering wheel vibration at lower speeds as you are when you speed higher.
Wheel vibration from tires that are out of shape is likely to start when you’re going at 60 miles per hour or faster. The signs may also become less noticeable again at higher speeds.
What Are The Symptoms of a Worn Tire?
If you’re driving on a highway someday, and you happen to feel a vibration in your steering wheel, it is a sign of damage that can come from worn or even damaged tires.
And when you notice this and still ignores it, overtime, it can cause wear and tear on other parts, which can be drastic.
Also, the symptom of this problem can also be the shaking of wheels at around 50-50 mph, and getting worse at around 60 mph. However, the problem reduces when you speed up.
What Are The Causes of Worn Tires?
Like we earlier mentioned, worn out tires is the most obvious and common cause of steering wheel vibration.
Therefore, that is required of you to do, shouldn’t be neglected to avoid subsequent problems it can cause.
If you notice that one side of your tire is more worn out, try rotating the tires to even out the tire wear. If the tire tread is too bad or the tire rotation didn’t work, then you possibly need new tires.
If you see a bulge on the sidewall, you must hurry to replace the tire, as it could cause a high speed blow out.
Most times, what causes the bulge is when you hit the tire on a deep pothole. There’re good and affordable tires you can buy to replace the worn existing ones for safety purpose.
Also, how you care for your tires is also essential. If you have underinflated or overinflated tires, it can cause uneven tread wear, which can, in turn, cause steering wheel vibration.
To solve this problem, you can swap the tires to different wheels, but be careful to always check the pressures to prevent problems. An experienced car mechanic can help you fix that.
Misalignment can also cause worn tires. If you continue to drive on incorrect alignment of tires, the tire will wear out due to the pressure it gets from trying to cope or manage itself while using it, because it’s not at the right spot it’s supposed to be, thus causing steering wheel vibration.
Misalignment is mostly caused by time, but is also dependent on how you drive and where you drive.
Whenever you hit big potholes, curbs, railroad tracks, or always fly over speed bumps, then it’s possible to cause misalignment in your tires, hence needs to be realigned.
Meanwhile, it’s easy to notice a misaligned tire, by just looking at the tread. If you notice areas that’re showing significant wear and tear than others, then your tires or wheels are out of alignment and need to be realigned. If your car also pulls while driving, rather when braking, then tire alignment is due.
If your car has been parked for a long time without use, the tires can develop flat spots, it can cause wheel vibration also, although, it’s something that can correct itself, after you drive for a few miles.
However, whenever you plan on leaving your car unused for a while, it’s advisable that you should inflate the tires to a higher pressure, to prevent them from developing flat spots, hence, leaving them fresh till whenever you feel like using the car again.
Potential Dangers of Steering Wheel Vibration
Steering wheel vibration is not only annoying, it can also be dangerous, hence, it is advisable for you to rather channel the annoyance into correcting the tire problems that caused the vibration.
This can help to protect you from various potential damages, which may include; shocks, struts, suspension, further car damages, and most dangerous of all, accidents. High-speed blowout is also a product of worn tires.
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Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has proved to you beyond doubt that worn tires can cause steering wheel vibration. However, taking prompt action will ensure your safety and will protect your vehicle from damage.
Whenever you notice this car wheel vibration, and you are puzzled on what to do, you can take the safest measure by simply pulling over, and contacting your car mechanic.