If your car is smooth around town but starts shaking at 100 km/h or more on the expressway, the cause is usually something that rotates: a wheel, a tyre or a drive shaft.
Check these first
- Wheel balance. A lost balance weight is the most common cause and the cheapest fix.
- Tyre damage. Bulges, flat spots or separated belts, often after hitting a pothole or kerb.
- Bent rim from an impact.
- Wheel alignment. Poor alignment more often causes pulling and uneven wear than vibration, but it is checked at the same time.
If the wheels are fine
- Worn CV joints or drive shafts, especially if the vibration changes when accelerating or coasting.
- Worn suspension bushes or tie-rod ends.
- Worn engine mountings, which make vibration more noticeable.
Heat and tyres
High road-surface temperatures in summer make correct tyre pressures especially important. Check pressures when the tyres are cold and inspect the sidewalls for cracks, since tyres age even with plenty of tread left.
Related: suspension services