Car question where does it belong?
 

We've put 97,340 miles on our '04 Hyundai Sonata GLS. No problems so far but would have liked the info about how you need to pull the engine to replace the platinum spark plugs when I bought the ride, but whatever.

So we are creeping up on the ned of the warranty period and for the last 10k miles we've had a very slight, but now noticible, vibration problem which has been hard to get a diagnosis on. I'd like to resolve it before the warranty is up if it is a warranty issue and not a wear and tear thing.

Specific symptom: vibration in front end from 20 mph to 28mph. Now the vibration continues up through all speeds.

Wheels are balanced and rotated, snow tires are swapped for summers. car is routinely aligned. Vibrations happened with either set of tires. When the snows were pulled there was noticible scalloping on them. Our tire guy said that could have been from a number of causes, but couldn't be certain which one. Our regular mechanic said he thought the low speed vibration could be a bent axle, but he couldn't be certain. Both of them said to wait until the problem got worse...

Not wheel balance
Not Alignment
Not bad tires

I'm making an appointment at the dealer tomorrow. Someone suggested shocks, but the car rides fine and the 97k miles are almost all highway miles. I'm curious to see if the tires are scalloping again and if so, what would make them scallop if the alignment is good and the shocks are good? I need to check the service schedule and see if shocks are recommended by now.

Any of you have any thoughts on the matter?

I have thoughts, but none of them are relevant/of use.

Carry on.




Can you pinpoint the location of the vibration at all?

Are you sure they used fresh air in the tires? I've seen them try to re-use the old air (or mix old air with new air, which is even worse as the new air is much springyer).

cv joints

engine mounts

this is like a baby pool.

Struts , cv joints
These work togather , struts start going , allowing extra travel /extra were on cvs ,
I bet if you open the CV boots there is metal in the grease
the CVs you can do yer self , the struts need to be Pro done , oh and while the car is on the rack have them look at the Engine mounts

C.V. Joints.

My mechanic friend (John of John's Car Care in Cherry Hill) says it is likely a bent axle. He suggests swerving slightly to isolate the offending axle.

Canuter valve ;)

I've had many cv joints go and they've always made a clackety sound as I turned to one side or both depending. I'm thinking bent axle but how hard do you have to hit something to bend an axle?

it's not so much the hitting hard part, it's the fact that you kept running the homeless guy over that caused the problem.

oh and if you weren't sure - yes it is the beancounting GM managers' fault.

CAr ??mystery?? update:

The guy I bought the tires from wants me to put on a new set of tires (on my dime) to rule out his tires.
The Dealer wanted me to get a road force balance done to rule out the tires and rims.

I did that today, and although the machine did not indicate defective tires, the tech still suspected the tires. Since I am needing winter tires anyway, I will go to a different shop to get my snows. I'm a little unimpressed by my tire guy's unresponsiveness to the problem.

if the problem persists after the new tires, then it's back to the dealer, if not then the old all seasons go to the tire shop.

Oddly enough after the road force balancing, the wobble was worse.

99,400 miles

We have no money in this household and we are trying to figure out if we need winter tires. It's like $600 per car.

If we do, I want to get Bridgestone "Blizzaks", because I believe Snoop Dogg was recruited to name the product.