Why Is My Steering Wheel Shaking?

The main reason your steering wheel shakes is due to your tire’s alignment. When they are unbalanced, this often causes the wheels to make your steering wheel vibrate, and sometimes even the entire car. Other issues can cause this to happen. Learn more as we answer why “my steering wheel shakes” in this handy guide from the service experts at Land Rover Richfield at Eden Prairie.

Five Causes of a Vibrating Steering Wheel

There are five main reasons why your steering wheel is shaking, with each of them alluding to different problems your vehicle may be having. Pay attention to them, and make sure you have your vehicle inspected by our certified technicians at our Richfield service center to ensure these problems don’t get any worse:

• Unbalanced wheels: The weight placement of your tires is essential because if it’s not distributed evenly when the tire is put on, you will feel the vehicle vibrating. This is more often the case with vehicles that have lightweight suspension systems. If this problem doesn’t get resolved, you can face future issues with the shocks, struts, and other steering components. Bring your vehicle to our Minneapolis-area service center and have the wheels checked and repositioned.
• Misalignment: Like with unbalanced wheels, improper positioning of your vehicle’s wheels can also cause this issue. Avoiding obstacles like potholes and slowly driving over railroad tracks helps avoid misalignment issues. It’s easy to tell when it is because you’ll see that the tread on the tires is uneven.
• Bad bearings: If there is damage or not enough lubrication to keep these bearings working properly, they can cause friction, which will explain the shaking of your steering wheel. However, the wheel will only shake when turning. Typically, cleaning the bearings can help, but if there’s damage, they’ll have to get replaced and that can cost up to $430 including labor costs. 
• Suspension issues: Any worn or loose parts or an imbalanced driveshaft can be the cause. While these are simple fixes, don’t hold off on fixing them. Waiting to have these parts fixed could cause more damage.
• Brake issues: If your steering wheel shakes when slowing down, the brakes can be the issue. Worn brake pads, defective brake discs, and even worn shocks can be the cause. Brake pads are an easy replacement at our dealership but can cost up to $300 per axle.

Bring Your Vehicle to Our Service Center at Land Rover Richfield

Now that you know more about why “my steering wheel shakes,” our team is standing by if you have any questions or need to have your vehicle inspected and fixed. Contact our service center to schedule your service appointment near Edina! Be sure to explore our service specials before stopping by.