my 1994 toyota corolla used to be able to do 150 km/h with no problems...however lately, the car shakes violently at speeds over 100 km/h..its so bad that further increase in speed feels like its gonna rip your car apart...what could be the cause? I didn;t change anything lately, this problem just happened suddenly..
It could be a CV joint on the drive axles, loss of a wheel weight, steering component nearing failure, I would not drive it until you find and repair what is causing it.
Like the other guys mentioned it could be anything. Let's start with the simple stuff: when was the last time you checked the air pressure in your tires? When the tires are balanced, they have a certain amount of air in them. If one or more tires is severely low, the balance changes and can cause the shaking you're talking about. Check the tire pressure first of all, and while you're at it take a good look at the tires, tread, look for bubbles in the sidewall, etc.
Then there's shocks. When was the last time you had the shocks replaced? A blown strut can cause one wheel to bounce, and thus throw the car off balance. Take it to someone you trust to have a look at the struts. Also, have then check the strut mounts st the tops of the struts; these usually make a CLUNK on bumps or corners when bad.
A worn tie-rod end can cause this also. When was the last time you had an alignment? Also, a worn ball joint will cause this (although, in all the years I've owned Toyotas, I have never had to replace a ball joint! Lucky?) You can check this by jacking up the car (and placing it on jack stands, with the jack as a back-up!) and wiggling the tires. If the tire moves left/right and the steering wheel doesn't, then something in the steering is most likely worn. Also, grab the top and the bottom and try to move it. If you feel a kind of 'chinking', then the ball joint is worn and could need replacing.
Good luck! This is the easy stuff. After that it gets more complicated!
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