Shake/vibration while driving
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 90
Likes: 11
From: Massachusetts
Shake/vibration while driving
2016 Lexus 3IS F sport here. Recently when I drive I’ve been feeling more vibration on the steering wheel. I guess you can say I feel the road more? Took the car in and they said I had 2 bent rims (stock f sport rims) so I had them fix that and rebalance my tires. Also diagnosed overheated front rotors. I got the car back and though it drives better, I can’t help to still feel some vibration on the steering wheel. I drive the car daily so I know how smooth it drove before. Any idea what it could be or has any experienced this? I am currently on stock suspension wheels and suspension. I think the dealership checked out my tires and all tires are about 6-7/32 tread. Front inner tire about 4/32.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 321
Likes: 270
From: MD
Weird coincidence. I just started experiencing something similar from last week. 2016 IS300 AWD. Didn't feel like starting a whole new thread for something potentially similar.
I took it to a dealer this weekend but the tech assigned to check my car said he couldn't feel any vibration or wobble, and he drove up to 50mph... but I can still feel it. It's especially obvious to me at highway speeds. Just like Zoomzoom1 mentioned, I know my car was much smoother before.
I noticed this morning that I can slightly feel it through the pedals when making long right turns on any on/off ramps, and sometimes when braking on the highway. Dealer checked my brakes and said they were still good and didn't have any odd wear.
The vibration is subtle for now, and I was really hopeful about catching it early before it turns into a problem. Had an alignment done just in January. I don't recall slamming into any potholes. I'm usually pretty careful about that.
Any ideas?
I took it to a dealer this weekend but the tech assigned to check my car said he couldn't feel any vibration or wobble, and he drove up to 50mph... but I can still feel it. It's especially obvious to me at highway speeds. Just like Zoomzoom1 mentioned, I know my car was much smoother before.
I noticed this morning that I can slightly feel it through the pedals when making long right turns on any on/off ramps, and sometimes when braking on the highway. Dealer checked my brakes and said they were still good and didn't have any odd wear.
The vibration is subtle for now, and I was really hopeful about catching it early before it turns into a problem. Had an alignment done just in January. I don't recall slamming into any potholes. I'm usually pretty careful about that.
Any ideas?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
2016 Lexus 3IS F sport here. Recently when I drive I’ve been feeling more vibration on the steering wheel. I guess you can say I feel the road more? Took the car in and they said I had 2 bent rims (stock f sport rims) so I had them fix that and rebalance my tires. Also diagnosed overheated front rotors. I got the car back and though it drives better, I can’t help to still feel some vibration on the steering wheel. I drive the car daily so I know how smooth it drove before. Any idea what it could be or has any experienced this? I am currently on stock suspension wheels and suspension. I think the dealership checked out my tires and all tires are about 6-7/32 tread. Front inner tire about 4/32.
Given the wear on the front tires, I wouldn't bother trying to tackle this now unless you feel the vehicle is unsafe.
It's gonna need front tires soon, and an alignment is definitely warranted.
After that, then I would revisit the vibration.
If the rims were truly fixed, then when the new tires are installed there shouldn't be an excessive amount of wheel weights needed. If there is, I would suggest getting them Road Force Balanced, and see if the rims are really straight.
The overheated brakes seem to be a seperate issue...maybe. If you had a caliper that was starting to bind or seize (the pistons in the bore), then you could get a vibration and overheated rotors.
But if the brakes were checked and they didn't find any uneven pad wear, then the overheating is a little mystery.
Usually overheated rotors are obvious to spot as the pad surface of the rotor, that's supposed to be shiny metal, will be blue-ish, purple-ly, or even bronze-like...or a combination of any or all those colors.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Weird coincidence. I just started experiencing something similar from last week. 2016 IS300 AWD. Didn't feel like starting a whole new thread for something potentially similar.
I took it to a dealer this weekend but the tech assigned to check my car said he couldn't feel any vibration or wobble, and he drove up to 50mph... but I can still feel it. It's especially obvious to me at highway speeds. Just like Zoomzoom1 mentioned, I know my car was much smoother before.
I noticed this morning that I can slightly feel it through the pedals when making long right turns on any on/off ramps, and sometimes when braking on the highway. Dealer checked my brakes and said they were still good and didn't have any odd wear.
The vibration is subtle for now, and I was really hopeful about catching it early before it turns into a problem. Had an alignment done just in January. I don't recall slamming into any potholes. I'm usually pretty careful about that.
Any ideas?
I took it to a dealer this weekend but the tech assigned to check my car said he couldn't feel any vibration or wobble, and he drove up to 50mph... but I can still feel it. It's especially obvious to me at highway speeds. Just like Zoomzoom1 mentioned, I know my car was much smoother before.
I noticed this morning that I can slightly feel it through the pedals when making long right turns on any on/off ramps, and sometimes when braking on the highway. Dealer checked my brakes and said they were still good and didn't have any odd wear.
The vibration is subtle for now, and I was really hopeful about catching it early before it turns into a problem. Had an alignment done just in January. I don't recall slamming into any potholes. I'm usually pretty careful about that.
Any ideas?
1. The vibration when braking on the highway is likely a warped rotor scenario...in which case you will feel the steering wheel shudder when you brake hard enough at highway speeds.
2. The vibration when just driving straight at highway speed is likely a wheel balance issue...if the wheels haven't been balanced for some time, get them balanced...easy place to start.
3. The vibration during turns is likely not an issue at all...some have noticed this on the AWD IS and AWD GS (which has the same drivetrain as the IS)...it's just a characteristic of the AWD system.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 321
Likes: 270
From: MD
It seems like you have 3 different issues here.
1. The vibration when braking on the highway is likely a warped rotor scenario...in which case you will feel the steering wheel shudder when you brake hard enough at highway speeds.
2. The vibration when just driving straight at highway speed is likely a wheel balance issue...if the wheels haven't been balanced for some time, get them balanced...easy place to start.
3. The vibration during turns is likely not an issue at all...some have noticed this on the AWD IS and AWD GS (which has the same drivetrain as the IS)...it's just a characteristic of the AWD system.
1. The vibration when braking on the highway is likely a warped rotor scenario...in which case you will feel the steering wheel shudder when you brake hard enough at highway speeds.
2. The vibration when just driving straight at highway speed is likely a wheel balance issue...if the wheels haven't been balanced for some time, get them balanced...easy place to start.
3. The vibration during turns is likely not an issue at all...some have noticed this on the AWD IS and AWD GS (which has the same drivetrain as the IS)...it's just a characteristic of the AWD system.
If I need new rotors what are the OEM part numbers? Or are there other brands I should consider?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...l#post10639091
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...l#post10637971
For the rotors, really any quality blank rotors will be fine. I tend to buy local as due to my environment/weather they get trashed fairly quickly...rotors will just barely last a set of pads due to corrosion and can't even be machined/resurfaced for a new set of pads...even rotors from Lexus.
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