JcMack
Member
Were the tires spin or bubble balanced? Spin balancing will show up tire/rim problems.
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My car...at my wit's end! Any thoughts?
- Thread starter captorquewrench
- Start date
I'd recommend replacing your technician. There are no problems that are undiagnosible, otherwise we would all be broke. You would be surprised how much time is wasted assuming something is not the problem. Get the car on a hoist, and put it in gear. watch for things out of the ordinary. Spin the rear tires by hand, watch for things out of the ordinary. This can be done with a floor jack if done carefully. Drive the car on the road and get the vibration going, carefully shut the key off (be careful not to lock the column) if the problem goes away it's in the engine and not the chassis. Most all engine problems will have the CEL on.
I put new Michelin tires on my Grand Marques - a month or so later I had bad news vibration over 55 mph. Turned out to be a front tire. I went round and round with the place that I bought them. They did NOTHING. It got so bad that I had to stop on the way to Michigan from Tennessee. Took all of 10 minutes to find the problem and another hour an a half to change the tire --- Don't these guys watch NASCAR pit crews?
Have them spin balanced. - Somewhere else.
Ok, I know this sounds stupid but I have seen it before and did not want to believe it was the cause. Make sure all of the air dams and panels are secure and in place. On smaller cars I have seen these things set up a vibration that would rock the car. Other than that it looks like you've covered it all...
Comrad
Member
Something that turns faster as speed increases is the cause. Did you high speed balance both front AND rear. Don't assume it's a front end problem. How about those brake calipers? Have they been replaced or cut? Look at the air dam in front, is it damaged? This is a solvable problem. Even if you had one or more of these things done don't assume they were done correctly. Mistakes do happen.
JcMack
Member
There's a Saturn forum that suggests a rusty disintegrating muffler shroud that vibrates at speed.
BrianE
Member
Time to trade it in IMO. I'm not a Saturn fan to begin with and they stopped making them for a reason. I'm surprised you got that out of the car as I've heard from Saturn mechanics they're gar-bage. I wouldn't sink anymore money in it and get yourself a newer reliable vehicle. 
LVSteve
Member
But that can only happen if the sporadic mandragular bracket screws are cross threaded. I thought everybody knew that.
But that can only happen if the sporadic mandragular bracket screws are cross threaded. I thought everybody knew that.
I was thinking more of the conflict between the gravitational pull between Saturn and the Sun and Earth. I believe this is what the Mayans were worried about.
truckemup97
Member
In a truck, it's nearly always a balance issue. I know the tires are new, but have the balance checked.
truckemup97
Member
Since the car is a Saturn, that makes perfect sense!
troutjunkie
Member
I had same kind of vibration on my jeep. Tire separation...3 times on same set of tires. Short wheel base can make very difficult to determine which tire is vibrating so swapping em around won't always help. It doesn't take much at all to cause a bad vibration.
OP
captorquewrench
Member
Someone said replace the tech. No. I've been married to him almost 21 years, and it's just not that simple. The backup techs are family friends we've known over 15 years, and are ASE certified master techs. I've been to three different tire shops just to make sure.
Replacing the car is not an option. I'm dealing with being out of work for almost three years and other debts and obligations are priority. Yes, it's a Saturn. yes, I'm surprised I bought it. But seriously...what more can I ask for? At 207k miles and 12 years I have gotten my $13k's worth out of it. I get 33-35 MPG. Also, it was built in America. it has been the most trouble free and reliable car I've ever owned. To this point, everything has been normal wear and tear (except that stupid gas tank fuel pump issue).
When the tech recovers from his cold/flu, we will look at some of your suggestions.
Replacing the car is not an option. I'm dealing with being out of work for almost three years and other debts and obligations are priority. Yes, it's a Saturn. yes, I'm surprised I bought it. But seriously...what more can I ask for? At 207k miles and 12 years I have gotten my $13k's worth out of it. I get 33-35 MPG. Also, it was built in America. it has been the most trouble free and reliable car I've ever owned. To this point, everything has been normal wear and tear (except that stupid gas tank fuel pump issue).
When the tech recovers from his cold/flu, we will look at some of your suggestions.
straightshooter1
US Veteran
I doubt this is your problem, but it sure fooled me for a bit.
Brand new tires/balance, new alignment, drove only a few hundred miles, then, as I was exiting the grocery parking lot, a vibration, apparently coming from the front end, started and got worse and worse as I picked up speed.
I stopped, checked the tires, crawled under the car (not quite as easy at 65 as it was at 25) and found nothing. Started again, same thing.
Stopped again and this time found the biggest wad of chewing gun (I mean like two packs chewed at once) plastered in the center of the tread on one tire. That part of the tire had been on the pavement when I stopped the first time so I hadn't seen it.
Cleaned/scraped it off (yuck!!!), and found it had "something" in the gum (I did not autopsy the gum) and went on my way with no more vibration.
Never happened to me before, nor have I heard of it happening to anyone else, but, of course, something like that would only happen to me.
Bob
Brand new tires/balance, new alignment, drove only a few hundred miles, then, as I was exiting the grocery parking lot, a vibration, apparently coming from the front end, started and got worse and worse as I picked up speed.
I stopped, checked the tires, crawled under the car (not quite as easy at 65 as it was at 25) and found nothing. Started again, same thing.
Stopped again and this time found the biggest wad of chewing gun (I mean like two packs chewed at once) plastered in the center of the tread on one tire. That part of the tire had been on the pavement when I stopped the first time so I hadn't seen it.
Cleaned/scraped it off (yuck!!!), and found it had "something" in the gum (I did not autopsy the gum) and went on my way with no more vibration.
Never happened to me before, nor have I heard of it happening to anyone else, but, of course, something like that would only happen to me.
Bob
Have someone check the run-out on the front brake rotors. They may appear fine by eye, but when rotating they may be warped. Slight brake pedal vibration when braking is the first clue. You have a lot of miles on those brakes. That is where I would start looking first. Also, easy to see when the front of the vehicle is raised in the air and drive train spun up to speed.
