80mph+ steering vibration

[Argetni]

2:50PM

I just got back from a SECOND high end tire shop.

They rebalanced all four again and found 3 were off at least on their machine.

One tire had some run out in the tread but they said 95 out of 100 tires do.

Verdict - Still some vibration over 80 but it is better.

I still have not gone to the dealer and now am out $140 and still have an issue.

I called another dealer and they said they cannot do warranty work on tires unless they can confirm the issue with road testing.

I think I am skunked unless I want to buy new tires in which case I might as well get rims too.

Anyone in NJ want to let me use there front wheels and tires for a few minutes?

 

[AvalancheSVT]

i recommend telling your dealer that you're taking your business elsewhere in the future. $140 bucks? out of the question.

they sold you a broken car and now they dont want to make it right. i'd raise hell on the showroom floor in front of other potential customers.

 

[Argetni]

Update - I have kind of good news, as of today there is now shake even at 55mph at certain times.

I guess now I can finally bring it to the dealer.

 

[galaxygrey13]

Dont tires have a warranty as well? Get a letter from one of the tire shops and call the tire company. There should be some warranty info for the tires in the package they gave you at the dealer.

 

[Argetni]

The car is at the dealer today.



The 2008 Stang V6 loaner they gave me with 32k on it drives PERFECT on the highway 80 feels the same as 60 just as a car should.



I will update with what they have to say.

 

[larrendeuce]

I would guess its a defective tire. The runout might have been enough to cause your vibration, and since you said it has been getting worse it leads me further to believe its the tires. Also possible that a wheel is out of spec, but unlikely.

The other case is the driveshaft could be unbalanced or improperly mounted.

I would like to know what they found the problem to be.

 

[Argetni]

UPDATE -

"unable to reproduce" They said they took it to 85 twice and it was smooth. Total BS.

I am going to try another set of wheels/tires another local club member graciously offered to let me use as a test.

 

[Argetni]

Yet another update.

I spent another $100 today (Toal $240 on this shimmy) at an exotic car shop today that deals in Ferraris and Lambos.

They balanced the tires on a brand new Hunter GSP9700 roadforce balancer.

Roadforce was as follows 29,26,9,6, the machine said up to 40 was within limits but 29 is a hell of a lot more than 6 and I think those two tires are causing the issue.

Some wheels took 3oz to balance.

STILL A VIBRATION!

Tomorrow morning I am driving 150 miles round trip to try out a take off set of 19"s from a 2010 GT that the owner said drove perfect over 80mph.

IF my cars drives fine with them I will buy them and be done with it.

IF my car still has vibes with them I think I will have to be trading it in I am sorry to say as I do not think it will ever get fixed though I will try another dealer or two first and maybe call corporate.

 

[Argetni]

Today with my road forced balanced tires the car shook like a leaf on the way to get my new wheels, at times I could not exceed 55mph.

I now have new (used 2k miles) 19" painted luster nickel wheels from a 2010 GT, still factory balanced.

My car now rides much better, however there is still some vibration over 80mph, much better than it was but not perfect. The previous owner stated that these wheels had no vibration on his car at 80
+mph. On the bright side the 19”s look outstanding on the car!

So I have now spent $1165 ($925 wheels, $240 on 3 balances on old wheels/tires)on this vibration and still the car is not perfect. I am never going to get any help from the dealer unless they can "duplicate" the issue.

I drove the guys 2010 GT that I bought the wheels from and it had a similar vibration at high speed as did the brand new 2011 GT I drove at the dealer. I am starting to think it is a ”feature” of these cars and maybe I am too sensitive. I do know that my wife’s 2010 Honda CR-V is MUCH more smooth at 90mph than my GT.

I do not think it is drive shaft or trans/engine related as putting the AUTO trans into neutral at 80mph makes no change.

I guess the next step will be to try another dealer.

 

[larrendeuce]

Shifting into neutral does not stop the driveshaft from spinning. The driveshaft will spin relative to the speed of the rear wheels. Neutral disconnects the engine from the process. To a much lesser extent Brake rotors can cause an imbalance. Also although a different feeling, the rear axle gears can cause a vibration/grinding/whine. Happened on one of my work trucks, a brand new then 2008 Chevy 2500 Box van. It took until some 38,000 miles for it to get addressed and fixed.

 

[Argetni]

Interesting tidbit, the shimmy is MUCH STRONGER when SPORT MODE is enabled. The sport mode must change the EPS settings.

 

[vapoor8]

I would document all of your visits to the dealer, and all other sources. You can call Ford direct. I did that with the problem I was having. You can request that a Rep from Ford meet you at the dealership and go over your problem. I spoke with Ford directly myself. you can find the number in your manual. I had a similiar vibration problem. I had a rim on my 2008 GT replaced, due to road damage to the rim. The dummies at the rim and tire shop, that replaced the wheel, did not install the low tire pressure monitor correctly, and it broke loose inside the tire, and the small monitor box was flopping around inside the tire . The next day, When I got up to 60MPH, the steering wheel started to shimmy, bad. I knew it had to be something to do with the tire, for I just had that work done, and I did not have the shimmy before. I then had my dealer look at the tire, and they found the chewed up box loose between the tire and the rim. They replaced the band and monitor box, and it was fine, the shimmy was gone. I don't think this is your problem, for you have changed the wheels and tires on your car, and you must have replaced all the tire pressure monitors on the rims.
Like I said before, get a Rep from the company to come to the dealership and go over the problem, if you have not done this. As a last resort, before you sell your car and lose a lot of money, Have a lawyer send a letter to Ford, advising them of the problem, and that you are advising them that if you have an accident with the car, and you, or anyone else is injured as a result of this manufacturing defect, you will hold Ford directly responsible. I'm not a lawyer, but I think this would wake them up. This should not cost you that much with a lawyer, and a lot cheaper than selling your car at a big loss. Now that you have this problem at 55 MPH, you should be able to get a rep from the company to take a test ride with you. Make sure you document everything as you go along. I would like to know how you make out. Good Luck, TC

 

[053vstang]

When you go to the dealership, have your tried taking them on a test drive with you? That way you can show them exactly when and what your are feeling.

Take the service manager for a drive. If you can duplicate it with him in the car, they cant say they couldnt find anything.

Also if your getting vibrations over the speed limit, I would just tell them at "highway speeds". That way they dont spin you on the "over the speed limit" crap.

Regarding your road force balance:

1. Does the dealership your taking it to have a roadforce balancer? If they dont, they cant really fix the issue if it is a wheel/tire issue. Hell, they cant even diagnois properly for that matter.

2. If I remember correctly specs in the high 20's for a passenger tire are excessive. The lower the number the better. I would focus on the two wheel & tire assemblies that spec'd at 29 and 26. They need to be either re-indexed, or something needs to be replaced, either a wheel or a tire.

Hope this helps.

 

[vtdave]

borrow a set of wheels/tires ...

Setting aside the moral issue of how the dealer is treating you, let's focus on fixing your problem ASAP. The best diagnostic tool is another set of wheels/tires to confirm that the problem is in fact your wheels/tires.

I say this because:

1. Road force balancing is only as good as the machine operator and the calibration of the machine. (I've had a wheel tested at 25lbs of force at one shop and 9lbs at another shop)

2. Some tires could have internal glue or tread separation issues that aren't visually apparent and don't show up as high/low spots. But they still cause vibration.

3. If the swapped wheels and tires don't solve the vibration, then you know it's time to look at the driveshaft, tie rod ends, steering rack, wheel bearings, etc...

So...you need to find a guy to swap wheels with. Or rent/test drive a Mustang for the day and swap the wheels.

Good luck
Dave

 

[Benny]

I would try to find a shop (they would of had to be around for a while) that is capable of balancing the front wheels on the car.

 

[helpmebuyan11v6]

interesting thread

NO the mechanic doesn't have to drive it at 80mph. who is to say what is slow and what is fast? maybe if they fix the problem you'll encounter it again at 120mph, then at 140mph does the mechanic have to drive (say a zr-1/GT-R) at 200mph if the guy who owns it has a death wish?

it must not be easy to drive a car at high speeds or else everyone could be a race car driver. Im not saying 80 is a high speed but they have to make the cut off somewhere (65mph) is a good place to start not at track speeds.

also if you go to the track and damage the car, how can they prove if you abused it or drove it up to specification.

a $30,000 car isn't a race car and shouldn't be treated as one. If you took the car to the track every day and pushed 120mph out of it for several hours each day red lining it, I doubt it would last a long time.

this is why i never buy used cars, i wouldn't want to own a car after the way some of you drive

 

[vtdave]

interesting thread
a $30,000 car isn't a race car and shouldn't be treated as one. If you took the car to the track every day and pushed 120mph out of it for several hours each day red lining it, I doubt it would last a long time.

this is why i never buy used cars, i wouldn't want to own a car after the way some of you drive

Good thing you're not in the market for a used car in Germany. Most BMWs there have made the roundtrip to Auntie Hilde's house in the Alps at 100+ mph and are advertised as gently used.

As for OP's problem: he probably needs to borrow a set of wheels, figure out the problem himself, and then tell the dealer to fix it under warranty