steering problem (random pulling on highway and vibration)

flyingmachine · #1 02-04-2008, 10:55 PM

I noticed today that my X is sometimes pulling to left and sometimes to right while driving it at higher speed (70-80mph). No such feeling while driving under about 50mph. And I also felt some vibration on steering wheel while driving on highway. It's not terrible vibration but you can feel it if you're picky. Is it related? Are my control arms shot?

How do you check control arms? Last time I jacked car up and tried to push and pull on the sides. It felt pretty solid though.

Can someone with similar experience chime in?

flyingmachine · #2 02-06-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingmachine

I noticed today that my X is sometimes pulling to left and sometimes to right while driving it at higher speed (70-80mph). No such feeling while driving under about 50mph. And I also felt some vibration on steering wheel while driving on highway. It's not terrible vibration but you can feel it if you're picky. Is it related? Are my control arms shot?

How do you check control arms? Last time I jacked car up and tried to push and pull on the sides. It felt pretty solid though.

Can someone with similar experience chime in?

hmm... anyone?

X5HogTown · #3 02-06-2008, 01:38 PM

I've had the same problem twice. I re-balanced the front wheels and it disappeared. I guess one of them threw a weight. Try this cheap fix first before taking to a dealer.

X5Dawg · #4 02-06-2008, 01:57 PM

Check wheel balance and alignment. I have had to get an alignment at least once a year since buying the X.

gwinder · #5 02-06-2008, 02:10 PM

Could also be the control arm which is what I think has happened to mine. I did the wheel balance an alignment on Sat...drove 200 miles on Sunday...no problem...vibration started again on Monday. GW

acitydweller · #6 02-06-2008, 03:09 PM

i suggest checking your alignment and balancing all four tires (which is part of the alignment process at a proper shop). minor misalignment and imbalance will always be magnified at higher speeds.

flyingmachine · #7 02-07-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acitydweller

i suggest checking your alignment and balancing all four tires (which is part of the alignment process at a proper shop). minor misalignment and imbalance will always be magnified at higher speeds.

Thank you all for the replies. If the balance is off, it should just contribute the vibration. Random pulling to either left and right at higher speed is what worries me. If alignment is off, shouldn't it always pull to one side? That's why I thought the control arms are shot.

But how do you really check control arms?