Strange Steering Wheel Vibration

[goingape]

I have a 2015 NVP 3500. it has 43k miles on it. Over the past 5-10k miles I notice an intermittent vibration in the steering wheel. It comes and goes without any other notice of symptom. When its not vibrating you would never know anything was wrong. When it is vibrating it feels like something bad is about to happen. When I stop or slow down or make a turn it usually goes away. I took it to the dealer which is 30-40 minutes away. They kept it for two days and said the only thing they noticed was one of the front tires had a flat section on the treads that may have been causing it. I hd them put two new tires on the front and alignment when I drove it home it seemed tight and no rumbling. The next day my wife was driving and as soon as she pulled out of the driveway it was rumbling worse than ever. She got it on video on her phone. I took the van back to the dealership and they cant seem to find anything wrong or even recreate the problem. Anyone have similar problems?

[ASD Dad]

Not on mine and we have the same year and similar mileage.  Any way to post a link to that video?  

 

To me it sounds like something is loose or has gone bad on the side where the tire flat spotted.  Something like a tie rod end or bad bearing maybe.  If it gets bound up and tight if it were something like a bad rod end then it would act normal.  You hit a bump or it works loose then you get the weird vibration and that wheel/tire will wobble causing the flat spot.  When you turn, hit the brakes or load up that wheel it can bind itself again and you are OK until the next time.  

 

I think the problem caused the tire issue not the other way around.

 

Please post a follow up on the issue and good luck.  Intermittent problems are always the hardest to fix.  

[radin2son]

On fast, steep, long downhill sections, our 2012 NV intermittently starts shaking when brakes are applied (hard) and in 5th. I assumed it had something to do with abs. The way to avoid it is to put it in 4th manual mode. Getting into third is another matter. It goes away when slowed down. Another issue has been a faint whining, noise, but no shimmy when applying the brakes on hills. Dealer service has looked at me like I’ve lost it...

 

No tire or brake issues. Since we put new tires on, I don’t recall this recurring... Maybe I just anticipate it better and get into 3rd sooner.

 

Put it into tow mode and see what happens.

[radin2son]

If terrain does not factor in, ckeck the wheel balance. The front left oem wheel and tire on our NV had no weights at all (made it easy to see if they rotated tires). When new tires were put on, all wheels needed weights to be balanced. Not surprising, but they have been rebalanced twice. At 60+ mph there was a slight shimmy. Nothing compared to hard braking on steep hills...

[ASD Dad]

RAD, this is OT but have you had your brake rotors checked for warpage?  High speed shimmy when applying brakes is almost always a warped rotor.  They dont need to be out much to cause an issue.

[radin2son]

I haven’t specifically requested this, but thanks for the suggestion. There are no problems with braking in general and presumably were checked during “major” service. “Your brakes are fine...” (Our independent VW mexhanic would let me know even before I noticed a problem.) Next service, I’ll have them checked.

 

Shimmy may not have been the right word to use regarding wheel balance. Thump? You feel something through the steering wheel similar to driving on minimally rough or uneven pavement. With free balancing for 3 years, I have them check it when the tires are rotated or as needed.

Edited December 10, 2017 by radin2son

[trdriver71]

It sounds like you may have the same problem that Dodge and Fords have known as the "Death wobble" or at least the start of it. It sounds like you are on the right track on getting it fixed the next thing i would check out is your front sway bar bushings and see of they are worn. I will post a couple of links about the death wobble and how to fix it and a video on how to fix it. 

 

http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/1305dp-curring-death-wobble-tightening-up-your-steering/

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ford+f350+death+wobble&qpvt=ford+f350+death+wobble&view=detail&mid=BB0E08CA78992997F2A9BB0E08CA78992997F2A9&FORM=VRDGAR

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=dodge+ram+death+wobble&&view=detail&mid=F8F55D51AA7124B90272F8F55D51AA7124B90272&FORM=VRDGAR

[wizardberry]

I have a 2015 NVP 3500. it has 43k miles on it. Over the past 5-10k miles I notice an intermittent vibration in the steering wheel. It comes and goes without any other notice of symptom. When its not vibrating you would never know anything was wrong. When it is vibrating it feels like something bad is about to happen. When I stop or slow down or make a turn it usually goes away. I took it to the dealer which is 30-40 minutes away. They kept it for two days and said the only thing they noticed was one of the front tires had a flat section on the treads that may have been causing it. I hd them put two new tires on the front and alignment when I drove it home it seemed tight and no rumbling. The next day my wife was driving and as soon as she pulled out of the driveway it was rumbling worse than ever. She got it on video on her phone. I took the van back to the dealership and they cant seem to find anything wrong or even recreate the problem. Anyone have similar problems?

I have recently started having this problem as well.  I got brand new tires about 3 months ago, no problems until about a month ago.  The tires are fine and this problem only happens at 45+, but only once in a while.  It's not balance, I've had a variety of balance issues in other vehicles and those are all noticeable and reproducible.  This vibration only occurs at speed, not when braking...brakes are fine, no warp, smooth...  It definitely does it on road that is really smooth, like fresh paved freeway and new roads.  It has me stumped and I don't want to take it to the dealer (2016 still well under 5 year/100K) unless it is wayyy more reproducible.

Edited January 29, 2018 by wizardberry

[drysuit2]

I had this issue starting about 3 months ago after my mechanic replaced my rear than front rotors and brakes. When you hit the brakes hard at about 60+ MPH it feels like the ABS is pulsating left and right jerking the steering wheel , ie a shimmy.  I brought it back and they replaced the front rotors for free.

 

I had not problems for about a month...then boom it started all over again least week.

 

It is an intermittent problem and you have to be going 60 and hit the brakes hard. So it's difficult to reproduce. My mechanic thinks I'm crazy.

I am beyond frustrated.

[drysuit2]

So it's October now. And once again. My steering wheel is shaking from side to side when breaking.

 

This is getting ridiculous. I need new rotors again???????!!!!!!!

 

Don't know I'll bring in the truck next week. 

[andy_george]

It

[radin2son]

Assuming your mechanic didn

Edited November 21, 2019 by radin2son

[MJK]

I have a 2018 Nissan NV3500 Cargo Van and the steering wheel shakes really dramatically all of a sudden.  Mechanics say nothing wrong.  Really bad when breaking down hill.  Funny thing is I had a 2012 Nisssan NV2500 that did the same thing and never found the problem.  This is definetely a design problem.

[Local Apparent Friday]

I just had a hell of a shake on the one we bought...turned out to be a wheel weight had come off, especially prevalent if you've upsized your tires. Bigger tires can be harder to balance.  Worth checking in to, could be an easy fix.