# Vibrating steering wheel

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibrating-steering-wheel/21446>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [October 31, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibrating-steering-wheel/21446 "2008-10-31T12:58:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Melenhorst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Melenhorst](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Melenhorst)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibrating-steering-wheel/21446/1 "2008-10-31T12:58:22Z")

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Dear Car Talk,  
  
  
  
 I have a 10 year old Corolla with 62,000 miles on the meter and it’s been running fine, but lately I’ve been having problems with the steering wheel: It vibrates (badly!) when I drive around 20-30 miles an hour. This problem goes away when I drive 40-60 mph or at really low speed. Any idea what the problem might be? Is my car falling apart?

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibrating-steering-wheel/21446/2 "2008-10-31T15:58:52Z")

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It could be several things, some of them could be dangerous.

My guess is you have one or more out of balance (may have lost a wheel weight). However there are a number of other possibilities including bad tyres and suspension parts. There are not many things you can check yourself, so I would suggest taking it into an alignment shop and let them check it out.

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**Author:** ![admitted\_amateur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@admitted\_amateur](https://community.cartalk.com/u/admitted_amateur)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibrating-steering-wheel/21446/3 "2008-10-31T16:03:19Z")

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You need to take it to a good front end shop (not a corporate chain) and ask them to look everything over.

Is it the speed itself - riding steady at 20-30mph? Or is it more associated with acceleration? If it is acceleration you may be looking at an axle and/or engine/transmission mount problem. If it isn’t so much in the steering wheel you might be having a problem with the engine itself - e.g. plugs, wires, filters, etc. How well do you keep up on the basic “tune-up” maintenance?