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Help: Vibration and Rough Ride

17K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Mike Gerber 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi guys. Thanks in advance for any advice you might have for me.

I have a 2011 Camry SE with about 25K miles on it. I was pretty happy with my car until I purchased 4 new Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires. Based on overwhelmingly positive reviews, I decided to purchase those Michelin tires. However, as soon as they were put on, the nightmares began.

First, steering wheel started to shake and car felt very wobbly at highway speeds. The ride also felt a lot bumpier and the front of the car (floor, center console, etc) vibrated a lot. I thought, okay, tires probably just needed to be rebalanced. So, I took the car to the shop and had them rebalance the tires. That didn't help, so I took it back again and had 2 other shops attempt to balance them. It got slightly better, but still did the same thing. Thinking the tires were defective, I had the shop swap them out for 4 new Bridgestone tires. The shaking continued despite having the tires changed but the wobble went away. So, I had them rebalanced 2 more times with the last time being at a shop with the latest Hunter Road Force Touch machine. The mechanic told me he road force balanced it and the machine got it down to 0 with no indication of defective wheel or tires.

After the road force balance, it's gotten a lot better, but I still feel mild shaking/vibration on the steering wheel at speeds > 70 mph on most freeway surfaces (but not all). The floor vibration has also gotten a little better, but remained, and the ride is still bumpy.

I took my car to 2 different dealers and told them the situation. Both of them said nothing was wrong with the suspension or struts, nor were any mounts broken.

I have spent as much time as I possibly could trying to find a solution, to no avail. I commute to work an hour each way and the ride has been brutal lately. I'm at a point where I'm about to give up and just sell the car and take a hit.

Do you guys know what could possibly have happened as the car rode much better when it still had the OEM Toyo Proxes tires (Although these are bad tires). The mechanics at the place where I got my tires didn't seem like they knew what they were doing. What could they have possibly damaged? Is there anything I can do at this point to make the ride at least less bumpier? :help:

Again, thanks for any advice you might have.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Hello. Please dont take this as criticism, simply analyzing your situation.

You had no problems with vibrations until you replaced the tires. Your trusting internet reviews to the point you think somethings wrong with the car. Unfortunately most of the reviews are useless. Happy people raving about brand new tires. You never hear from them again after that. And if there is a high mileage positive review, likely a different car. So if there were no problems before, only after the new tires, the tire is simply not a match for the car, and there is nothing wrong with your car. Depending on where you bought them, you may be able to complain and get some kind of credit. The only way to test this theory without replacing the tires is get 2 different tires on the front somehow. My 02 has a full size spare, not sure if the 2011 still has that or not. If you do, slapping that on the front should tell you something.
 
#3 ·
None taken. As I stated in my first post, those new Michelin tires with great reviews were already swapped out to 4 brand new Bridgestones because I thought the tires were causing the problems. However, the Bridgestone tires are also causing the exact issues, thus I ruled out that the new tires are causing the vibration and bumpy ride.
 
#5 ·
I can only think of one other thing that hasn't been checked. It's possible the tire shop could have overtorqued the lug nuts when reinstalling the tires/wheels and warped the brake rotors. They could be warped to the point where they are hitting the brake pads each time the rotation comes to a certain point. I would have a competent tech check the rotors with a dial indicator.

Mike
 
#6 ·
Mike,
I read this a lot. I have never used a torque wrench tightening my lugs on rotation. Having loosened the lugs of a shop, I see what you mean. Far tighter than my own "almost as tight as I can" way of doing it. I'm wondering if he loosens and re tightens his lugs himself would that help, or is the damage done?
 
#7 · (Edited)
Well, the dealer told me they tightened the lug nuts to factory specs but it still didn't help. I am using the factory size.

Also, if my rotors are warped, wouldn't my steering wheel shake when I brake, even at lower speeds? I don't feel it shaking at all when I drive on surface streets when I brake.
 
#9 ·
I have the same exact problem (vibration & bumpy ride) since I switched my stock steel wheels with 17" Lexus IS300 wheels.

Balancing them helped a bit on the highway, but now the car (not just the steering) vibrates a little bit at all speeds. I expected a bumpier ride from the larger diameter wheels though.

What else can we check?

I might have to swap back to the stock wheels to see if the problem persists...
 
#14 ·
I have the same exact problem (vibration & bumpy ride) since I switched my stock steel wheels with 17" Lexus IS300 wheels.

Balancing them helped a bit on the highway, but now the car (not just the steering) vibrates a little bit at all speeds. I expected a bumpier ride from the larger diameter wheels though.

What else can we check?

I might have to swap back to the stock wheels to see if the problem persists...
You can help the OP and yourself performing that test and telling us what happens.
 
#10 · (Edited)
One more piece of information. I don't know if it's related, but shortly before I swapped out my tires (when I still had the stock Toyo Proxes tires), I would hear a loud pop when I go over bumps. It usually happens after I park my car for a while and the first time I go over a bump after I parked, I would usually hear a loud pop, then I don't hear it again until I park my car for a while. This is still happening now even with the new tires.

I read a couple of threads here that seems to indicate that Toyota currently has a bulletin for Camry sunroof (which I have) repair and that the sound is most likely from the roof. However, my head is literally below it and I really do think that sound is coming from the rear wheel area instead.

I don't know if this is a related issue.
 
#11 ·
most of the previous posts already addressed my concerns and even i'm puzzled..

but i noticed that you haven't gotten an alignment, now usually getting new tires won't affect it but

i'd say it's still worth a shot.
 
#15 ·
BTW my dad has a 2012 LE V6. Its not the Camry we once knew at all. Its a stiff tight sports sedan, I felt everything on the road driving it. Handled incredible, but its not soft. I think the 2011 has the same suspension as my dads. Unlike prior years, anything awry will be noticed IMO.
 
#18 ·
I'm not sure if this will help you but I have am ongoing and similar problem with wheel vibration and changing the brake rotors, rotating the wheels, new tires, three alignments from two different shops, and many of things have not solved the problem.

However, increasing the lug torque from the stock 76 lb/ft to 85 lb/ft have reduced vibrations significantly. This relatively minor increase should not have any negative effect on the studs, wheels, or anything else. Try it out.
 
#19 ·
Your wheels are aftermarket which may be a large cause of vibration and why more torque helps.

If OP has OEM wheels and has no legitimate tire or run issues a warped rotor face or suspension problem is likely the issue.
 
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