Steering wheel shuddering problem at highway speeds

Aug 19, 2007 2 Replies
J

I've got a bit of a problem with my Volvo. 1988, 240 GL. The steering wheel shudders at high speeds. It's fine until I hit 55 MPH or so, then it makes a clacking noise while shuddering. The steering is not affected.



I recall having this problem six months or so ago. Went away when I got new tires - or at least that's what I recall, memory could be incorrect. After getting the new tires I noticed that the steering seemed loose at high speeds. I took the car in for servicing recently and they fixed the brakes and rotated the tires. They said the steering column looked fine.



Any idea what this is? It's more of an annoyance than a real problem. I live in Orange County, near Los Angeles, and it's not common for freeway speeds to get over 50 MPH. I could just live with it until I junk the car, which could be just a few months. But if I'm courting disaster, I'd like to take care of it.



Any help or opinions is appreciated.



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C

That happened to my 1986 240 DL, if I remember correctly it was front wheel bearings and/or steering rack. Carter

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R

Nowhere in your message is there an indication that someone balanced the wheels - if that hasn't been done, then have that service performed. If that isn't the problem it is all but impossible to correctly diagnose the precise cause of a vibration via the internet. You will likely end up with a long list of possible causes that won't be particularly useful unless you have the skills to undertake analysis and repair at home. I would take the car to a Volvo dealership or a local mechanic that specializes in Volvos for an evaluation.

A vibration like that could be caused by serious condition like a bubble in the tire sidewall, so do get it checked out.

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