Steering Wheel Vibration

[hail hail]

Hi all, Had my 55 plate t3x since sep 04, while its been a fantastic car there are a few annoying faults. I'm getting quite bad vibration from the steering wheel anything over 55-60, It's had the tracking checked and fixed, alignment and balance done last weekend when I got 4 tyres replaced, and still vibrates :censor:. It was pulling to the left but that seems fine now.

Any ideas before my arm falls off?

Only other problem apart from keeping the dirt off (black car) is the headlights are really poor. The visibility is quite shocking at times.

[Bosnjo]

Mine is Saloon 1.8VVTi 2005.

First, the easier thing. I've replaced headlight bulbs to Bosch xenon BLUE 4000K and I feel satisfied with headbeams. I also had to lift up (adjust) driver side headlight. It was pointing down and I've learned that all come out of the factory like that. I guess Toyota preferes them pointing a bit more down then a bit more up. You can always go to any shop that has headlight adjustment control unit and do adjustment there.

Second, the more complicated one. You said you've done alignment and wheels balance after putting all 4 tyres new, right? So it has one of following possible deffects.

1) Shop did poor job on balancing one of tyres

2) One of tyres is defective (oval). You have to go back to the shop and put tyre by tyre on that machine they use to do balance. Roll the tyre low speed on machine. The best way would be to turn the machine on, let it roll full speed and then turn it off and watch carefuly tyre surface as machine is slowing down. Look at its behaviour. If tyre is OK surface would give impresion that is not moving up and down. If tyre is bad (oval) you'll see surface "jumping" in one point. Important: There is no perfect tyre. All of them have surface moving a bit.

3) Try to put more air in tyres. I use 2,3 in mine and there are people saying that 2,45 is the best for Avensis. (I would start with this one)

4) This one is the worst. You maight have one rim oval (damaged). If it was that, when you test the tyre on the machine for balance and you find out that surface is "jumping" it maight be the rim. Take the tyre off and roll the rim on the machine to see the area where tyre fits. If you're not sure put one glove on and while it's rolling (low speed) put the hand on the inner surface (where tyre edges fit, to feel if it (jumps).

Hope this helps

[Rene]

Had same problem with my Carina E. New tyres and balancing didn't work. We also checked for oval rims but didn't find any. The dealer solved the problem by balancing the wheels still mounted to the car. They thought it could have been a drive shaft problem.

[victor kakol]

Driveshaft should be balanced at the factory or maybe one (or both) of your shock absorbers are done.

By the way.............................I realise the way your eyes deceive me! :)

[DVH]

If the supplying garage cannot find anything wrong with the wheel balance and fitting, try to have them balanced on the car, takes into account all rotating mass, wheel tyres disc shafts etc.

is it only felt through the front?

if so swop front to rear

on a 55 plate why did you need tracking resetting, had it been curbed, the vibration could be related.

can you drive out of the vibrating ie 70-80 smoothes out

If you have a good relationship with your dealer they could swop wheels off a known good car and try them on yours.

another possible, when wheel was refitted, dirt was trapped betweem wheel and hub face, wheel would then be running out of true.

on a balance machine ensure tyre tread is running true not side to side, as well as checking side to sid emovement

are wheels on tight,