Why Is My Steering Wheel Shaking?

The most common reason your steering wheel is shaking is because of the alignment of your tires. When the tires are unbalanced, this can cause the wheels to make your steering wheel vibrate, and sometimes even the whole car. Other issues can cause the wheel to shake as well. Learn more about these causes and be sure to bring your vehicle into our service center to have it checked out should this issue arise.

Five Causes of a Vibrating Steering Wheel

There are five common reasons why you feel shaking in your steering wheel. Each of them alludes to different problems your vehicle could be having. Pay close attention to them and be sure to have your vehicle checked out to make sure these problems don’t get any worse:

• Unbalanced wheels: The weight placement of your tires is important. If the weight isn’t distributed evenly when the tire is put on, you’ll feel the vehicle vibrating. This is more likely the case in vehicles with lightweight suspension systems. If this isn’t resolved, you could have future issues with the shocks, struts, and other steering components. Simply bring your vehicle into the dealership and have the wheels checked and repositioned.
• Misalignment: Like with unbalanced wheels, improper positioning of your vehicle’s wheels can cause this issue. If you avoid obstacles like potholes and you drive over railroad tracks slowly to avoid damage, then misalignment is less likely to be the issue. It’s easy to tell when it is as you’ll notice the tread on the tires is uneven.
• Bad bearings: If there is damage or not enough lubrication to keep these bearings working properly, they will cause friction which explains the shaking of your steering wheel. However, this only causes the wheel to shake when turning. Most times a simple cleaning of the bearings can help, but if there’s damage, they’ll need to be replaced and that can typically cost up to $430 including labor costs.
• Suspension issues: If parts are worn, loose, or the driveshaft is imbalanced, this could be the cause. Though these are simple fixes, they aren’t fixes to hold off on. Waiting to have these parts fixed could cause more damage.
• Brake issues: If you notice your steering wheel shakes when slowing down, the issue lies within your brakes. Worn brake pads, defective brake discs, and even worn shocks can be the cause. Brake pads are also an easy replacement but can cost up to $300 per axle depending on where you have your vehicle serviced.

Bring Your BMW Into Our Service Center at BMW of Loveland

After looking over the multiple reasons that cause shaking, you can bring your new or used vehicle into our service center at BMW of Loveland near Denver to have it looked at. When you tell us, “my steering wheel shakes,” we look into all of the aspects mentioned above to ensure we find the issue and resolve it the right way, getting you back to the Boulder roads in no time. Contact us today to set up an appointment or if you have any questions.