Would The Cold Do This To My Car...

[AKL_Megs]

... Cause it to shake during speeds over 70mph? It vibrates/shakes, and I can feel it on the seat under my bottom, and things in the cupholder will vibrate.

Under 70mph or so is smooth and normal.

It's been in the single digits the two times I have noticed it. It never has done this before.

Car has 14,000 miles, is an '09, and has had all routine maintainence. Nothing should be "wrong".

Could the cold temps be culprit?

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

Sounds to me like you need your wheels balanced. Take it in...it's a quick (and cheap) fix.

 

[golfgal]

I agree--either balanced tires are needed or possibly an alignment. If you have snow and have those chunks of snow between your tires and the body of the car, that can cause this as well but most likely a balance is needed.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yep, I concur, it is your tires/alignment.

 

[Jennasis]

As others have indicated it is likely that you are need of an alignment and wheel balancing. However, this happened to me one other time. Ihad my van parked on the edge of the beach during a hurricane, and the wigh winds had apparently blown a TON of sand into the wheels on one side. On the way home, the vehicle shook violently at speeds over 60mph. I pulled over at my aunts house and hosed out the sand and it was fixed.

I think the sand through off the alignment/balance, but I mention it because if you've had a lot of snow and ice, it could be an accumulation of that in your wheels.

 

[kirbsam]

ice and snow in the wheel bases can cause this also. a good underbody wash has solved this problem for me every time.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Thanks everyone! We HAVE had snow (Snowmageddon 2011 )

I'm going to try an underbody wash before I take her in!

 

[mtblujeans]

ice and snow in the wheel bases can cause this also. a good underbody wash has solved this problem for me every time.

This condition messes with my 4-wheel drive in the winter. Odd to have to wash the car in the dead of winter but it is the only way to keep my car from vibrating really badly!

 

[BKMETV]

An easy thing to try is to kick off all the snow and ice build up in the wheel wells of your car.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Oh my gosh, it's so funny you posted this!

My bff (of over 35 years) is single and we refer to my dh as her 'fake husband' because he very graciously does many of the 'manly' type things she needs (not THAT you people with dirty minds, LOL, I mean fixing her leaky toilet and things like that). He's also her 'go to' person for vehicle related questions.

She called the other morning at 7am in a panic. She's a teacher, on her way to school, and her car was doing exactly what you described. She'd get up to speed on the highway and it would shake. He said it was most likely ice chunks (we're in CT) and, sure enough, that's what it was!

The funny part is, I had never ever heard of this happening before...and now twice in one week!

I hope that's all it is for you.

 

[mamacatnv]

Check your "cold" tire pressure. When it gets really cold I have to add a bit more air/nitrogen to my tires otherwise I get the shakes in the front end also.

 

[sbell111]

I've heard of people having moisture build up in their tires (from gas station air hoses, I suppose). When it gets good and cold, this moisture ices up and results in out of balance tires.

 

[npmommie]

... Cause it to shake during speeds over 70mph? It vibrates/shakes, and I can feel it on the seat under my bottom, and things in the cupholder will vibrate.

Under 70mph or so is smooth and normal.

It's been in the single digits the two times I have noticed it. It never has done this before.

Car has 14,000 miles, is an '09, and has had all routine maintainence. Nothing should be "wrong".

Could the cold temps be culprit?

I don't know, but...........why are you driving over 70 mph?????
leave earlier if you are in a rush

 

[Jennasis]

I don't know, but...........why are you driving over 70 mph?????
leave earlier if you are in a rush

Speed limits very different in parts of the country. We have a 75 around here. Don't want LIVE by wikipedia but:

Michigan

Freeways in Michigan are usually signed with both minimum and maximum speeds. Typically the freeway speed limit is 70 mph. The minimum speed is usually 45 to 55 mph for all vehicles, despite a maximum speed limit of 60 mph (55 mph on non freeway roads that have a posted speed limit at 65 for cars) for trucks—effectively permitting trucks only a 5 mph range of legal speeds.[10]

* Interstate speeds for passenger vehicles range from 55 mph to 70 mph.
* Interstate speeds for trucks and military vehicles is 60 mph
* If workers are present, then the speed limit is 45 mph.

[edit]

Not a much of a stretch for folks to drive a mile or two (or more ;-) ) over the limit.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I don't know, but...........why are you driving over 70 mph?????
leave earlier if you are in a rush

LOL, this is a joke, right? Sarcasm...?

 

[npmommie]

Speed limits very different in parts of the country. We have a 75 around here. Don't want LIVE by wikipedia but:


Not a much of a stretch for folks to drive a mile or two (or more ;-) ) over the limit.

oh , well around here the highest I have seen is 65.
I have gone between 65-70 but over that just feels too fast for me LOL
65 kind of feels too fast for me, but I have to at least do that when on a hwy with that speed limit, or risk run off the road

 

[golfgal]

oh , well around here the highest I have seen is 65.
I have gone between 65-70 but over that just feels too fast for me LOL
65 kind of feels too fast for me, but I have to at least do that when on a hwy with that speed limit, or risk run off the road

Sounds like my DH Sorry guys, he is the guy tooling along in the left lane going 10 mph under the speed limit

 

[laurie31]

oh , well around here the highest I have seen is 65.
I have gone between 65-70 but over that just feels too fast for me LOL
65 kind of feels too fast for me, but I have to at least do that when on a hwy with that speed limit, or risk run off the road

The limit here is 70, but everyone drives 80 or faster. Most traffic in the far left lane is going 90-95. I have been going 80 in the center lane and been passed on the right. I'm not in a hurry, I just think it's not safe not to move with the traffic.

I can't imagine 65 feeling fast, though. Sometimes I feel like I'm just poking along when I'm going 70. I guess it's what you're used to.

 

[golfgal]

The limit here is 70, but everyone drives 80 or faster. Most traffic in the far left lane is going 90-95. I have been going 80 in the center lane and been passed on the right. I'm not in a hurry, I just think it's not safe not to move with the traffic.

I can't imagine 65 feeling fast, though. Sometimes I feel like I'm just poking along when I'm going 70. I guess it's what you're used to.

Here the left lane is about 10 MPH over the speed limit. The highways are 60 so people drive about 70, interstates are 70 but most people don't drive much more than 75-78 on those. Every once in a while you will get someone flying by at 90 but not on a regular basis and you usually see them a mile or two down the road with some flashing lights behind them .

 

[laurie31]

Yeah, me too!

I have actually looked down and noticed I was going 95 more than once. I quickly moved over to the right, but wow. I wasn't even late, I was just driving along with everyone else.

We call it the I-459 international speedway for a reason.