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Steering wheel vibrates


Kajo999
12-11-2010, 01:21 PM
My steering wheel vibrates when Im driving and I stop and hold the brakes. But when I put it in neutral. The vibration lessing. I put a new strut, brakes, rotors, inner tie rod, axle, and wheel bearing. Even got an wheel alignment. It's an 1999 Pontiac grand am SE. It anybody know what can be wrong, please help me.

danielsatur
12-11-2010, 03:02 PM
Have front tires checked and speed balanced.

Kajo999
12-11-2010, 04:03 PM
I had the mechanic check that when they was doing the wheel alignment.

Scrapper
12-11-2010, 04:28 PM
sure it's not the moter vibraiting as if you may have a vaccum leak or when is last time you tuned it up? because your saying under power it does it and when you put it in neutral it's not under power so it may be a plug or plug wire?

thephantom1492
12-11-2010, 06:35 PM
What kind of steering vibration? as the steering turn left-right? or just shake but do not try to turn?

Kajo999
12-12-2010, 12:01 AM
It's an vibrate that shakes you feel from your foot to your hand on the steering wheel. But only when your on the brakes. In neutral it's you don't feel the vibration. Last time I got an tune up was last year. How often are you suppose to get an tune up. I just got an oil change. Do they change your transmission fluid in a oil change.

thephantom1492
12-12-2010, 01:22 AM
So to sum up.
When the car don't move, no vibration.
When you accelerate, no vibration.
When the speed is steady, no vibration.
When you release the gas, but do not touch the brake, no vibration.
But when you press the brake, thing start shaking, and you might feel the brake pedal pulsing too.

Am I right?

If so, you have probably a wrapped disk brake.


As for the transmission fluid change, it is not part of an engine oil change, and basically never need to be replaced. The most common reason to touch the transmission oil is due to a leak. The next one is transmission repair.

Kajo999
12-15-2010, 04:49 AM
When the not moving it's vibrate
When it's in neutral the vibration go away
You feel a pulse in the pedal

And what do you mean a wrapped disk brake. Can you explain that for me?
How often u get an tune up?

thephantom1492
12-15-2010, 09:41 AM
When the not moving it's vibrate
When it's in neutral the vibration go away
You feel a pulse in the pedal

And what do you mean a wrapped disk brake. Can you explain that for me?
How often u get an tune up?

I have some issue understanding your poor english. I usually do not comment on poor english, but since it's hard to understand you....

"when the not moving" you mean in park?
when in neutral... yeah but is the car moving?
feelse a pulse in the pedal... Which one and in what circumstance?

If you can not be precise, we can't help you.

I'm trying to see exactly when the problem happend.
You seems to describe 2 possible problems, from rought idle to wrapped disk brakes

As for the tune up interval, it's basically at every oil change. A good garage will also do a quick inspection of the car and they will see the main issues.

The oil change interval is 5000km usually, which under normal usage is about every 3 months. If you don't do much mileage it should be max every 6 months. The reason is that the oil ends up contaminated for many reasons (gas additive get in the oil, exaust also get there, condensation make some sludge at the bottom of the oil pan, ....) and can detoriate the oil, hence why they say to replace it every 6 months.

As to what is a wrapped disk brake. Your car have a disk brake at the front, that's it, a disk. The brake pads then squeeze it on each side to stop the wheels. If the disk isn't flat anymore the brake pedal will pulse and it could be felt in the steering while breaking. It can be twisted (cause: excessive wear, emergency breaking can sometime warp it due to the heat, uneven cooling (hit a good water poodle, and more). It could be a rusted disk (car did not moved for a while, rust eat the surface and make it rought and uneven). Could be other brake issues.

But those brake issues only show up when you brake,

Kajo999
12-15-2010, 04:25 PM
The car is on and it's in neutral. There is no vibration.
Now when I'm driving and I stop at a light. The steering wheel starts to vibrate.
When the light turn green. I start might again, the vibration stop.

thephantom1492
12-15-2010, 09:58 PM
What about in park?

Scrapper
12-16-2010, 11:45 AM
still sounds like your problem is in the moter if you are in park or neutral it don't vibrate until you put a load on it like putting it in gear then vibrates don't sound like brake's to me. i'd check plugs and plug wires like i said earlier maybe even vaccum leak. look at the hose from brake power booster to moter see if you have a leak there if you got brakes on your mind.

Kajo999
12-16-2010, 05:48 PM
It's vibrates will Its in park. Only in neutral is when it not vibrating.
It's like the vibration is moves thur the car. Like an pulse.

thephantom1492
12-16-2010, 05:59 PM
while the car is not moving, park or neutral should have no difference. if it does, bring your car to a mechanics.

Park and neutral is the same, except the park position also activate a lock in the transmission. Beside that lock, park is neutral...

So if it differ, you have a real issue, possibly with the transmission or the ECU...

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