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Vibration while under load
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Vibration while under load
I have a 2010 RX Sport. There is a vibration, resonance/hum at several speeds, but it is most noticeable at 80KPH. The vehicle has 70,000KM on it. This vibration can be felt in the gas pedal, steering wheel, gear shift, but most noticeably in the front passenger seat belt lock. My wife continuously thinks her phone is on vibrate! I can hear a hum from the engine compartment while this occurs. It started out barely noticeable, but has gotten progressively worse. It seems to happen at 1200-1800 RPM and while the torque converter is engaged. It never occurs during hard accel/decel. Has anyone else experienced this?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 10
From: ON, Canada
I have experienced it before with my 1st car. Since then I faithfully take my cars for wheel balancing and wheel alignment every year regardless of whether there is any symptoms or not.
In particular to your case, I would urge you to consider wheel balancing check first as your symptoms belong to wheel balancing. You may need wheel alignment check afterwards as the two conditions are closely related.
Whenever you feel your steering wheel shaky at certain speed (notable at 120km/h or equivalent mph) but disappears at other speed, it is mostly related to wheel balancing.
In particular to your case, I would urge you to consider wheel balancing check first as your symptoms belong to wheel balancing. You may need wheel alignment check afterwards as the two conditions are closely related.
Whenever you feel your steering wheel shaky at certain speed (notable at 120km/h or equivalent mph) but disappears at other speed, it is mostly related to wheel balancing.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 10
From: ON, Canada
Good thought. I missed some of the details in the original post. Wheel balancing is not related to the load but rather with the the rotation of the wheel.
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Thanks everyone for your efforts. As noted, tires rarely cause vibration under the circumstances outlined. I also have relatively new Yokahama Paradas on the vehicle. This is definitely a drivetrain issue, only under load. There is no "shaking" and the vibration I feel is similar to a cell phone resonance, not wheel vibration. I also get regular rotations and balancing done. The dealer just called and said they would try changing all four engine mounts. They are baffled and looking for possible causes. If someone had similar symptoms, with a fix, I could steer them in the right direction.
Thanks again...
Thanks again...
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Vibration problem resolved!
Hi All,
Thanks for your efforts...as suspected, it was not wheel, tire, balance, or alignment related. The vibration I was concerned about manifested 2 ways. There was a noticible vibration through the vehicle, but it was most noticable through the passenger seat belt where it attaches to the center floorpan. My wife would often feel different levels of vibration through the locking mechanism. The 2nd symptom was a "droning" noise or hum coming from the engine compartment. This would come and go depending on speed, gear, load, etc. It always coincided with the vibration. My dealer changed all four engine mounts 2 weeks ago. This reduced the vibration by about 15%, but did not solve the droning noise or eliminate the vibration. They then agreed that the problem was not resolved and did some further research. There is a TSB for "engine drone" while in gear but idle. This did not apply to me, as my drone was not at idle, but they tried the fix none the less. The fix invloves removing a rubber bushing on an exhaust system mounting bracket. Once they removed the bushing, the drone and vibration stopped! So, it was RPM and resonance related.
I am now very happy with the results.
Thanks for your efforts...as suspected, it was not wheel, tire, balance, or alignment related. The vibration I was concerned about manifested 2 ways. There was a noticible vibration through the vehicle, but it was most noticable through the passenger seat belt where it attaches to the center floorpan. My wife would often feel different levels of vibration through the locking mechanism. The 2nd symptom was a "droning" noise or hum coming from the engine compartment. This would come and go depending on speed, gear, load, etc. It always coincided with the vibration. My dealer changed all four engine mounts 2 weeks ago. This reduced the vibration by about 15%, but did not solve the droning noise or eliminate the vibration. They then agreed that the problem was not resolved and did some further research. There is a TSB for "engine drone" while in gear but idle. This did not apply to me, as my drone was not at idle, but they tried the fix none the less. The fix invloves removing a rubber bushing on an exhaust system mounting bracket. Once they removed the bushing, the drone and vibration stopped! So, it was RPM and resonance related.
I am now very happy with the results.
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