How to Tell If Tires Are Causing Car Vibration
by Joshua Kinser
Tires often cause car vibration. When tire tread is too low or unevenly distributed on a tire, it can cause a car to vibrate at high and low speeds. An unbalanced tire can be the cause of vibration for a car as well. A vibrating car can be a signal to the owner that a tire is defective or about to come apart. To avoid costly repairs and dangerous accidents, it is important to consistently monitor and repair tires that are causing a car to vibrate.
Step 1
Check the balance of your tires. Tires must be balanced to keep them from vibrating. Balancing tires is done by applying weights to the inner and outer rim of each tire on a car. Turn the steering wheel of the car as far as it can go to one side and look to see if there are weights on both sides of each rim. A weight can fall off the rim of the tire and cause vibration. If there is a weight on both sides of the rim, then the balance may need to be adjusted. This is the most likely reason your tires are causing vibration and is the proper place to start your inspection.
Step 2
Look for damage on the rims. Any breaks, bends or cracks in the rim of a tire can cause the car to vibrate. This should be fixed immediately. Don’t try to drive on a damaged rim. This can only cause further damage to the tire, wheel assembly and body of the car.
Step 3
Check the tires for defects or damage. Inspect the tires carefully and look for any bubbles and bulging. This can cause a car to vibrate. Make sure to roll the car forward slightly so you can examine the full surface of each tire.
Step 4
Inspect the tread on your tires. Tires must be rotated regularly to keep the tread from wearing unevenly. Check the tread of your tires and see if it is worn down more on one side than the other. This causes car vibration and can cause a car to pull to one side of the road as well. On a properly rotated tire, the tread will be worn evenly. In the event that you do not properly rotate your tires, the tread will be worn more on one edge of the tire than the other.
References
Tips
- Vibration sometimes occurs at high speeds only. Don’t rule out the tires as the cause of the vibration simply because there is no vibration when you are driving slow.
Writer Bio
Joshua Kinser began writing professionally in 1999. He has worked as a staff writer for the "Pensacola News Journal" and is the author of Moon Handbook's "Guide to the Florida Gulf Coast." Kinser earned an Associate of Arts in journalism with an emphasis in biology from Pensacola State College.
