My Car Wobbles When I Accelerate | Here Are Possible Reasons Why
When a customer says to me my car wobbles when I accelerate, there are a few possible reasons why this might be happening.
Possible reasons for the car to wobble while accelerating
- Worn front end parts I.E Bad wheel bearings
- Separated tire belt
- Bent or out of round rim
How do I know if I have a bad wheel bearing?
First, let us start off by educating you about what a wheel bearing is and what role it plays in a vehicle operation.
A wheel bearing can be found located behind the rotors or brake drum of every vehicle in the front and also the rear.
Wheel bearing in the rear of a vehicle.
Wheel bearing in the front of a vehicle.
The wheel bearings purpose is to allow the wheels to rotate with minimal function, and they also support the vehicle’s weight.
Wheel bearing symptoms
- growing noise/Groaning noise
- Abnormal tire wear
- Wobble while driving
- Trouble rolling the car
Risk of driving with a bad wheel bearing
- Run the risk of damaging the drive axle if wheel bearing locks up
- Run the risk of damaging the transmission if wheel bearing locks up
- Run the risk of having a crash, injury, and possible death due to uncontrollable steering from the wheel bearing separation.
How do I know if I have a separated tire belt?
A separated tire belt is dangerous and you should never drive your vehicle if you see signs of separation.
When a tire is separated it bulges on the interior of the tire as in the image below. Separation in a tire can also be found by performing a simple little inspection of the tire.
There are times when a tire is separated and it is not noticeable to the eye. So what you have to do is raise the vehicle of the floor and take your hand and rub it along the tire’s surface and spin the wheel at the same time.
Close your eyes block out everything else and become one with the tire, no seriously no joke. You’ll know the tire is separated trust me.
How to tell if have a bent or out of round rim on your vehicle
The best way to find out if your rim is bent is to take it to a shop that solely specializes in fixing and diagnosing this condition. In a nutshell, they’ll remove all 4 wheels and place them on a machine similar to a wheel balancer and spin the wheels various miles per hour.
How much does it cost to find out if my rims are bent?
It could cost you anywhere from $10-20 per wheel. Most shops will forget about the cost of the diagnosis if you do the job with them.