There are quite a few different issues that can cause your car’s steering wheel to vibrate or to shake while you’re driving. Small vibrations might not be an issue, but if the steering wheel is shaking badly, that can really affect your ability to control your car. Here’s what Lakelands Tire & Auto wants you to know about shaky steering.
Tire Issues
When your tires are worn unevenly or there are other problems with either proper tire inflation or the tread, that’s going to affect how your car handles. You’ll feel those differences through the steering wheel primarily. Any time that you feel something odd in your steering wheel, it’s a good idea to check the tires first to see if that’s causing the problem you’re feeling.
Alignment Issues
Beyond the tires, there can also be an issue with your wheel alignment in one or more wheels. Wheel alignments are far more important than most car owners realize because that’s what keeps your tires pointed in the right direction to drive safely. When your wheels aren’t aligned properly, that affects how the tires connect with the road and that can cause differences in how the steering feels.
Brake Problems
If you’re having issues with your car’s brakes, your steering wheel is more likely to shake when you’re trying to stop. Often this is an issue with either the rotors or the brake pads. One part or both may be wearing unevenly or, in the case of the rotors, may even be warped. This causes shaking in your steering wheel as the car vibrates.
Suspension Issues
There can also be problems elsewhere in the car’s suspension that cause the steering wheel to shake. These might not be as obvious as some of the other causes of steering wheel vibration, but they’re just as important to address. Eventually, the problems in the suspension system may make handling difficult beyond just vibrations in the steering wheel. The suspension system can cause you to fight with the car while you’re driving, which can very quickly become a hazard on the road.
Let Lakelands Tire & Auto in Greenwood, SC help you to figure out what’s causing the shaking in your car’s steering wheel. Figuring out what’s making your steering wheel shake as soon as possible makes a huge difference in both what else that affects and in your ability to stay safe on the road.