I have a 99 Subaru Forester. Recently after getting 6+ inches of snow, I found myself attempting to enter my driveway, getting stuck temporarly. I got myself out but the next morning, my steering wheel was vibrating excessively. I checked to see if my tires were loose but didn’t feel like they were. Could it be snow and ice built up in the wheels and parts?
Yes, very likely snow and ice are stuck to the inside of your wheel. If you have a car wash nearby with a high-pressure spray wand, that should be able to knock it out of there.
Yes. It is quite common. If you have trim covers, take them off and check for snow/ice. Otherwise, it is likely packed in from the backside of the wheel. You’ll have to lay down and reach behind to sweep out the snow/ice or take them off. If you prefer not to remove them, you’ll have to rotate the wheels to access the entire inside circumference of the wheel.
Basically wheels are out of balance due to ice/snow build up. It will likely melt off within the day and not much worry besides annoyance.