Phaeton :: 2004 V8 AWD Pulsing Vibration On Highway Speed
Jun 27, 2015
Ever since the day I bought the car, it has had a highway speed pulsing vibration. This vibration manifests once you cross about 90kph, and pulses like a sine wave.
Think of it like this - OOOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOO - where big O's are vibration and little o's are absence of vibration.
I have had the wheels and tires rebalanced several times on various machines over the years in attempts to rid myself of it. The original owner had theorized that the car was so heavy and had sat on its aftermarket rims in one spot for so long that the wheels had bent, which does not appear to be the case. The dealer has experienced the symptoms but cannot find a cause...though I fear they are less knowledgeable about the car than I am. I note that several people on the forum have had vibration issues due to drive shaft bushing failures...but in skimming the relevant threads, none of those people characterized it as a pulsation OR a constant issue that I saw.
I wouldn't say the pulsing was fast...think 4-5 seconds of vibration and then 4-5 seconds of peace.
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When I apply the brakes moderately at speeds between 60 mph and 80 mph, the brakes pulses and the car shakes. If I press harder, the intensity gets worse shortly and then disappears the harder I press. The front steering wheel does not shake so I believe it is the rear brake or wheels. This problem started after I changed the rear VW brakes rotors and rear VW pads and changed all four wheels with remanufactured VW Phaeton wheels. The issue must be with the wheels,brakes, or lug nuts. The tires have not been changed but they are fairly new from what I can tell. The front rotor and pads was changed by the prior owner and I've never had issue with them, they are fairly new and look to be OEM.
Prior to reinstalling the new wheels, I cleaned the rust off of the front rotor surface that makes contact with the wheel and applied high temperature paint. One of the wheels I had a run in the paint (and there is no way I can make the paint 100% the same thickness) so perhaps this has slightly misaligned the front wheels to the rotors.
When I did the brake job, I cleaned the driver side rear hub of surface rust prior to installation of the rotor. I did not clean the hub on the rear passenger side because the hub and wheel bearing was changed a few months prior. I did snap the plastic for the speed sensor for the abs on the rear passenger side. I epoxied the plastic back together and have no ABS errors when the car is scanned. Everything was torqued per VW recommendations. I also checked the calibers sliding mechanism (for left to right movement if rotor slightly warped or out of true) and they moved freely and was not locked up. The only part of the job that was not 100% by the book is I used a hand made tool to push the pistons in on the calipers so I could install the pads (I had to push and turn the piston roughly at the same time but was not 100% at the same time because the tool was hand made).
I've had the wheels professionally rebalanced balanced at a tire shop with a fairly modern balancing machine (digital computer flat screen readout). Originally the wheels was balanced with an older balancing machine and when they rebalanced it it was noted the wheels was way out of balance. I had a bad steering wheel shake and the car vibrated significantly prior to the new balance. The shaking improved greatly with the rebalancing but I could still feel a subdued shake in the seat of my pants (steering wheel shake is gone). Yesterday, I retorqued all of the lug nuts and found the driver side rear and passenger side front had one loose lug nut. Also it appeared that the lug nuts may have been installed with an impact driver and probably not torqued because some were very tight. I used a dial gauge to check both the rear tires and I have about 15-20 thousands of movement in each wheel when rocked side to side and top to bottom. Prior to tightening the lug nut on the driver rear, I had 100 thousands of side to side movement. Car now runs much smoother (maybe not as good with the original wheels and brakes but pretty good) after retorquing all the lug nuts, but the same 60-80 mph pulsing / shaking happens when apply the brakes at speed, perhaps even worse.
I've also checked the rear rotor and wheel runout with the dial gauge and I didn't have anything over 4 thousands on the rotor or wheel when rotated. My jig for the dial gauge was not the best since it was hand made and was attached to the ground instead of the car, so any dial gauge measurements could be off, but I would think they tolerances would be even better if I had a proper jig mounted to the car (not floor). The only thing that I haven't replaced is the lug nuts. Tightening them did seam to change the brake pulse behavior for the worse but did make the car run smoother. Could it be possible that the lug nuts are stretched and this is producing the behavior I'm seeing? I've head the ABS can cause a shake if the speed sensor is damaged.
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I have a problem with the front rotors on my '01 Impala warping. The pulsing is really bad when decelerating from highway speed. They will last maybe a month after installing before they start to warp again. I purchase my parts at the local NAPA store. Is there something I could be doing wrong during installation or it bad parts (cheap material)?. Could it be an issue with other front end components?. The car has 173,000 miles on it.
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Some of you might remember I've pondered here before about the strange pulsing that occurs on my steering (on the V10) when maneuvering at low speed. It's always done it. Well, for the 18 months and 15k miles I've had the car.
Nobody (including Phaeton technicians) who have heard it/felt it have had any useful advice or insight (save offering to take the engine out to check on various bits).
I had always assumed that it was something like the load when the car is being parked etc was sufficient such that some relief valve was lifting momentarily and repeatedly. However I've come to realize that it is not just the slow vehicle speed, but engine speed too. Of course, nearly all parking maneuvering is done at tick over. But if I raise the revs just a little, the phenomenon seems to go away. Not easy to isolate maneuvering speed from engine speed... which is why I'd not really noticed before.
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I bought a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7L AWD about 5-6 months ago. It has close to 120,000 miles and has a terrible vibration at highway speeds. It starts around 55-60mph and gets increasingly worse as speed increases. The steering wheel originally vibrated quite violently, but after changing the "front axles" it resolved only the vibration in the steering wheel
I took it to a local shop we trust, they changed the "front axles", all spark plugs, ignition coils, timing belt, transmission fluid change, and a o2 sensor.
I changed out a serpentine belt, tensioner, and idler pulley (due to a squeak), another o2 sensor, and tried to change the transfer case + rear differentials fluid. I couldn't change them because the fill plug was very stuck... we used a propane torch and a large socket wrench.
Anyways, after the front axles were replaced, the steering wheel got significantly better, there is however some vibration through it. After they were replaced it did not fix the vibration shaking the whole car. I've noticed that when you let your foot off the accelerator all the way, the vibration stops. When you step on the accelerator again it starts shaking very bad, and then begins to get slightly better. The vibration has a rhythmic timing to it. It seems like it pulsates stronger, then softer every 1/2 second or so
Also I have had the wheels balanced 3 times. I doubt it's the tires, unless a tire is out of round. My rotors also do not seem to be warped. When I brake, there is no shaking/shimmying. I was wondering if it could be the engine mounts? This vibration is very annoying, since I have to drive long trips sometimes. Other than this problem I like this car and would love to see it fixed.
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Trying TSB 05-13-1 on f150 ? Mine is a 2004 xlt 4x4 and it shakes and vib really bad from 55 to 60 mph ,had tires balanced 3 different times brakes replaced and rotors turned ...
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This is on an 04 Excursion, 4x4, 6.0 SPD. I have started experiencing a vibration at highway speed, 60-70 mph. After 70 it smooths out a little but still noticeable. I've replaced both rear tires and still have the issue. When I put my foot on the accelerator I can feel it more but as soon as I let off it drops off dramatically. I am thinking u-joints, which will be replaced this evening...
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I have a 2004 2.7L V6 GLS Hyundai Santa Fe AWD that I purchased about a year ago. The car has about 114,000 miles on it I believe. My problem is that I have an annoying vibration at idle and at highway speeds of 60-65 mph. The vibration decreases somewhat towards 70 mph. The vibration at idle is usually present, but sometimes vanishes for no apparent reason. The car is very smooth below 55 mph, but when around 60-65 mph becomes quite violent at times. The side view mirrors shake very badly and the vibration can become tiresome.
Originally the shop believed that the front axles were the culprit and replaced them – this mitigated some vibration felt through the steering wheel, but not much of the vibration throughout the cabin. The wheels have been balanced 3 times, alignment checked, and wheels do not seem to be bent/dented. (The tires were road force balanced)
In addition I have also had the following work done:
-2 oxygen sensors replaced (both post-catalytic converter)
- 2 Catalytic converters (replaced to pass emissions)
-Timing Belt Replaced
-Serpentine Belt Replaced
-Idler Pulley and Auto-Tensioner Replaced
-Ignition Coils Replaced
-Spark Plugs Replaced
-Transmission Fluid Change
-Oil Changes
-1 Tire Replaced (Sidewall Blew Out) (Michelin LTX M/S2 Tire)
-Air Filter Changed
-Crankshaft Position Sensor Replaced (It was Corroded Away)
Why the car is vibrating so that the mechanics can check it out. One idea I have could be the engine mounts – this would explain the vibration at idle (in park). I drive about 10 hours a week on the highway at the speeds that cause this vibration.
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Today I caught a deal on a 06 F-150 with the 5.4l. I noticed a slight vibration that comes and goes at highway speed (65-75), when I got home I jacked the front end up and checked everything out. The right front CV axle is still engaged with the tire when it is out of 4 wheel drive, I can engage the 4wd and everything locks in and works as it should. My understanding is that the axle should spin free and independent of the wheels when in 2wd? How would I go about troubleshooting this?
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My Prius v has 1300 miles. I didn't notice at first but now I notice a constant high frequency vibration in the car, especially at highway speeds. Took car to a tire shop and had tires dynamically balanced, same problem. I think it must be the toyo low profile tires or its in the drive train and just inherent to the hybrid system. Seems to be the same whether in eco mode or ev. Vibration is the same on smooth or rough roads. Dealer service manager says he is not aware of any problems. Suggests bring car in for a test drive and compare with another new one.
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Last week I posted about dropping my car off for service and the dealer finding that all four of my wheels were bent, causing vibration at highway speeds. So I spent a couple hundred dollars and had them fixed.
Car still vibrates at highway speeds...
I feel the vibration in my seat and throughout the car at about 60+mph. The faster I go, the more noticeable it is. I can even hear it.
Dropped off at the shop. Shop called me back stating that the vibrations are being caused by the two tires that need to be replaced.
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Our FWD Santa Fe Limited had a very noticeable vibration that started around 60mph. Oddly, the vibration will sometimes come and go while cruising at a constant speed on the highway. We went about 30k miles before we had time to get it into the shop.
I asked them to rotate and balance the tires and the vibration was noticeably reduced...initially. Now it's back!
The car has ~65k miles. All 4 Kumho tires match and I believe are original from the factory. I have kept all tires inflated properly.
Our car has the optional 18" wheels. Is it common for these to bend? What else could be the cause here?
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I wanted to believe I had rid the car of the steering wheel vibration when I lowered the Psi in the tires from 46-50Psi to the 35Psi it should have. However, the car still has a vibration in the steering wheel when going highway speeds accelerating up gradual hills or when accelerating out of a sweeping turn at highway speeds. It is very noticeable, you can see the hands on the wheel shake. Passengers don't notice it. I had my brother in law drive it without mentioning to him and he noticed it as well.
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I have an 03 Camry LE I4 with about just under 100k miles. Recently, under semi hard braking at highway speeds, the steering wheel will shake quite a bit to the point that I don't feel safe braking hard. I initially thought the brake rotors were warped, but those were replaced less than 2 years ago somewhere around 80k miles. I've taken it to many shops and here are the verdicts they've given me:
1. Rear drums are warped which is the problem (I don't think so...)
2. Control arm bushings need replacement (coming from shop who did brake work before)
3. Ball joints need to be replaced
4. All rotors should be resurfaced
What should I do?
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My 2001 Prelude (not SH) develops a vibration felt throughout the car and particularly the steering wheel after several minutes of constant highway (60 - 75 MPH) speed travel. Thought it might be a brake caliper sticking, but the car does not pull left or right. After 7 or 8 minutes of vibration, it stops and the ride is smooth as glass.
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2003 Toyota RAV4, approx 130K.
A month ago I put a new set of Goodyear tires on my RAV. I drive on the highway 35-40 miles each way to and from work every day. Immediately after the new tires go on, I notice a vibration from the steering wheel at highway speed, above 60 mph. I took the car back to the tire shop (an independent tire shop, not a chain) and asked them to rebalance the tires. They did, and I took the car home. Drive to work the next day, vibration is worse. Next day, my dad and I switch cars so he can take it in. The tire shop says the front end alignment is off, and adjusts it. Small improvement, but vibration is still there.
I took it in for the 3rd time this weekend, and they swap the front and back tires at my request, thinking this might isolate the problem. The shop also checks my struts and says they are ok. (I don't even know what struts are, but apparently they are ok.) Now the vibration has moved out of the steering wheel and is coming from the rear and the floor. It does not happen when I apply the brakes or am on city streets. What this would be? Bad tire or tires? Something else going on altogether? What should I ask them to do?
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I've got a 2000 Suburban 1500 4WD with the Auto 4WD. I'm running into a vibration at highway speeds along with a clicking sound at idle speed which speeds up and slows down with speed. I've discovered the u-joint on the front drive shaft where it connects with the transfer case is worn and has play in it. Could this cause the vibration?
Also, The front drive train spins any time the vehicle is motion, which is to say the front drive shaft spins as the truck goes down the road, correct?
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2002 Camry LE 4cyl. automatic. I bought this car with 7500 miles on it in 2010. It had been involved in a low speed parking lot collision and apparently the left front corner and front took the hit. It'd been repaired and looked like new when I bought it. It still had the factory tires on it, but they were 8 years old, so I put a set of new Kumho Solus' on it. This was a friend's mothers car, so I know the history of it.
The left front suspension has always felt odd to me. Nothing serious, but just "off." When backing up and turning it has a sort of wobbly feel on that corner at times. I've been assured by several mechanics that they can find no problems. It feels to me like maybe sometimes the strut piston sticks on that corner. Don't know if that ever happens or not, but that's the best description I can come up with!
It has always vibrated from 45 on up. It's not a hard shudder, but just a constant vibration at highway speed that you can feel in your feet and the steering wheel. I've had it balanced and re-balanced to no avail. Sometimes it gets a little better, sometimes worse, but it's never gone away. Recently it seems to be getting worse.
I put it up on jackstands and accelerated to 60, and it vibrates like the wheels are out of balance. Yesterday I replaced the Kumhos (they had bad road noise anyway) with Michelins. The Michelins cured the road noise problems and have a much better overall feel, but I've still got the balance problem.
Just put it up on jackstands again and spun it up, and I still have the same vibration!
What to look for? The car has just now turned over 35k miles. I'm wondering if the CV joint on that left side was damaged and is causing the vibration. I've got new wheels as well instead of the factory steel rims. Also, with the car up on stands, the wheels spin true. No bent hub, etc.
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Since I got my car back from the dealership after changing the rear shock this summer, I can feel a vibration in the car at highway speed. After the shock were replaced the car steering wheel was out of balance and pulling one side. After they attempt to align the car about 5 times it got a little bit better. Then I found out that they had an accident with my car and tried to hide it: [URL] ....
I suspect the tie rod may have been damaged so that could explain the steering issue. It also seems to have gotten worse over time. I'm trying to figure out the possible cause, if directly related to the tie rod damage or indirectly as if the tie rod damage could have caused uneven tire wear and then causing the vibration over time. I've attached some pictures, the 2 first are from the front passenger side, the 2 last from the front driver side. My tire are the Michelin pilot and this thread seems to suggest those tire might be hard to align properly: [URL] ....
I'm due for my winter tire change soon and see if thing gets better, I'll get them balanced too. I'll check at the same time for control arms/shock damage. But still, I would like some feedback and see if those tread wear are normal and hopefully get to the root of the problem (the outer edge on the tire in the back are much less damaged).
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I ask because my father's 08 Avalon is pulsing during braking at highway speeds but only sometimes. When it does it we can feel it in the steering wheel. I suspected maybe one of the caliper pins was seizing. So I pulled the front wheels. The pads and rotors look great. I removed the pins, cleaned and greased them. On the test drive it pulsed two times for me but was totally smooth on the rest of the drive.
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I was out late last night driving the car on a local freeway, and my friend wanted a better look around the interior of the car. So, I turned on the two front interior dome lights, the round ones next to the sunroof controls? Anyway, we both noticed right away that they were pulsing in intensity. It was very slow, may from high to low once a second or so...just like in a sci-fi show when you have a living machine?
Anyway, is that a sign of the alternator going? I've never seen this behvior in the car before. It went away at idle. The car was travelling 100km/hr in 6th gear. Headlights were on low beam, as were dash lights. No other electrics on. Just not sure if it is normal or if I should be concerned.
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