Steering Wheel Shaking/vibrates

[Avendator]

I have a nice Fiesta 1.4 2003 with 30000km on it. :)

When getting over 60mph (110km/h) the steering wheel starts to shake like mad.

I can drive on a straight good motor way and most of the time the shaking is there and after some km it disappears and gets back again.

The wheels are stock, with almost new tyres, and newly balanced. Same issue with winter wheels so I don't think it's the wheels.

I've been to Ford and they had a fast look at it, no play in arms or anything, brakes discs and the calipers are in great condition.

The mechanic guy just stood there like a question mark.

This issue started this winter.

Has anyone had the same issue, what can be wrong, standard fault on fiesta?

Thank you in advance! :D

[Nico.]

depends how much is 'like mad' mine does it to some extent, but its expected a little at speed

[fordpartsman]

it could be down to something like an unbalanced driveshaft, anything that rotates at high rpm will vibrate if not correctly balanced. unfortunatly you will have a huge problem in getting your dealer to change something like this under warranty

[fully focused]

I would have thought its wheels out of balanced.

Just because it's been recently balanced, doesn't mean it's not the issue.

The balancing weights could have come off the rim.

Have you inspected the wheels and tyres for any irregularities?

[Avendator]

Booked time ad Ford to change both drive shafts. Has anyone done this before?

[mintalkin]

does the shaking stop if you go faster, i too would say its a balance problem on the front wheels,try to get them on a balancing machine with the weights as they are to check if they are balanced ok.

[Avendator]

does the shaking stop if you go faster, i too would say its a balance problem on the front wheels,try to get them on a balancing machine with the weights as they are to check if they are balanced ok.

No, I can drive 60-70mph on a straight motor way and under that time see how the shaking starts and disappears etc. If I go faster same thing accrues but stronger, the shaking becomes stronger if I go 100mph.

I dont think it's the wheels, same issue with winter and summer wheels.

[harweyko]

I`ve had the same problem with both summer and winter set of tires, what I`ve done - all wheels newly balances and you have to ask your dealer so set up the geometry/wheel alignment of front wheels. There could be some problem if you`ve hit a pothole or something simillar.

My problem was also that when driving on a motorway shaking slowly started, shaked badly for 500-700 metres and than slowly stopped, reappearing every 5 kilometres. After 200km of highway driving a felt pain in my arms.But when driving over 160kmh there was no shaking at all :D

[Avendator]

I`ve had the same problem with both summer and winter set of tires, what I`ve done - all wheels newly balances and you have to ask your dealer so set up the geometry/wheel alignment of front wheels. There could be some problem if you`ve hit a pothole or something simillar.

My problem was also that when driving on a motorway shaking slowly started, shaked badly for 500-700 metres and than slowly stopped, reappearing every 5 kilometres. After 200km of highway driving a felt pain in my arms.But when driving over 160kmh there was no shaking at all :D

Sound like my problem.

A full alignment could be the answer, the car is a 2003 but with low mileage. This winter was really though, with packed snow and ice one the road could have ruined the alignment.

[Luke72]

I know this post is old but had a similar issue as described above - hub centric rings were to blame. Fixed the issue with aluminium rings from eBay. My wheels are aftermarket from CSA.  CSA supplied junk plastic centric rings with the wheels.