Inconsistent Aggressive Vibration at high speed

Imprezaspeed07 · 11-06-2019, 05:31 PM

Hi,

I had been having what sounded like power steering issues, and this just started happening with the cold weather. I was thinking that it maybe was a bad hose.
Then all of a sudden I was driving around 70 on the highway and the steering wheel starting vibrating like crazy, and I let off the gas and it seemingly went away. It happened again randomly around highway speed. I remember reading that it could be power steering related, but I'm not sure how that would work
I ended up bringing it in and the mechanic said that It seems as if the passenger CV boot split again, which was replaced about a year ago. I'm wondering if this is because of my wastegate exhaust or perhaps the axle had enough debris from before to damage it again?
The mechanic said he gets vibration under heavy loading, is this normal for an axle issue? It's a 2007 wrx with ~70k miles.

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Patrick Olsen · 11-07-2019, 03:04 PM

Having such a pronounced vibration be intermittent is definitely unusual. I guess I would start with a new axle (to fix the CV boot issue), perhaps some heat shielding (if you think heat from the WG may be causing the CV boots to fail), and see how things go from there.

BDZ · 11-14-2019, 04:49 PM

Usually here in the northeast we look to see if we have the back side of the wheel full of snow, ice, mud, dirt when it does that.
Not sure if you've been anywhere to get anything on the back side of the wheel to create that much of a balance issue where you're located but it happens here every winter.

Imprezaspeed07 · 11-20-2019, 09:22 PM

So they replaced the axles, then bled air from the power steering system, replaced the gasket at the power steering bolt, and rotated the tires. They said that rotating the tires seemed to help the most.

It is better but I still had a bit of vibration driving it home. Only at 75ish on the highway in a corner. They said it would be good to rebalance the wheels as the next option. I think I may try that but I think it may be the power steering due to the fact it happens when turning. If balancing the wheels doesn't help I'll probably try to replace the reservoir hose and washer... Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

fuelMuncher · 11-21-2019, 02:33 AM

My guess is the heat from the wastegate is warping some component

BDZ · 11-22-2019, 12:00 PM

Do you by any chance have a bent wheel?

Imprezaspeed07 · 01-21-2020, 10:16 PM

Interesting comment about the waste gate, the wastegate, when installed originally was bent around the axle, but to get it to fit the guy ground the interior of the bend, which left an open hole dumping exhaust gas onto the axle. They ended up replacing the axles and rotating tires and that seemed to fix it. The wastegate exhaust tube was fixed sometime ago however, but this must’ve caused enough damage to trash the grease and cause it to fail now. Is it common that wastegate exhaust damages parts?

And the wheels should be good to go.

Only option was to rebalance the tires but I haven’t had an issue since the repair.

gard · 01-27-2020, 04:20 PM

I had a similar issue last week, turned out to be snow/mud in the wheel, went away when it warmed up

11-06-2019, 05:31 PM	#1
Imprezaspeed07 Scooby Newbie Member#: 154863 Join Date: Jul 2007 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Greenville, SC Vehicle: 2007 Impreza WRX World Rally Blue	Inconsistent Aggressive Vibration at high speed Hi, I had been having what sounded like power steering issues, and this just started happening with the cold weather. I was thinking that it maybe was a bad hose. Then all of a sudden I was driving around 70 on the highway and the steering wheel starting vibrating like crazy, and I let off the gas and it seemingly went away. It happened again randomly around highway speed. I remember reading that it could be power steering related, but I'm not sure how that would work I ended up bringing it in and the mechanic said that It seems as if the passenger CV boot split again, which was replaced about a year ago. I'm wondering if this is because of my wastegate exhaust or perhaps the axle had enough debris from before to damage it again? The mechanic said he gets vibration under heavy loading, is this normal for an axle issue? It's a 2007 wrx with ~70k miles. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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11-07-2019, 03:04 PM	#2
Patrick Olsen Scooby Guru Member#: 120 Join Date: Jul 1999 Chapter/Region: AKIC Location: Where the Navy sends me... Vehicle: 1997 Legacy 2.5GT 1996 Impreza coupe	Having such a pronounced vibration be intermittent is definitely unusual. I guess I would start with a new axle (to fix the CV boot issue), perhaps some heat shielding (if you think heat from the WG may be causing the CV boots to fail), and see how things go from there.

11-14-2019, 04:49 PM	#3
BDZ Scooby Newbie Member#: 246673 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central NY	Usually here in the northeast we look to see if we have the back side of the wheel full of snow, ice, mud, dirt when it does that. Not sure if you've been anywhere to get anything on the back side of the wheel to create that much of a balance issue where you're located but it happens here every winter.

11-20-2019, 09:22 PM	#4
Imprezaspeed07 Scooby Newbie Member#: 154863 Join Date: Jul 2007 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Greenville, SC Vehicle: 2007 Impreza WRX World Rally Blue	So they replaced the axles, then bled air from the power steering system, replaced the gasket at the power steering bolt, and rotated the tires. They said that rotating the tires seemed to help the most. It is better but I still had a bit of vibration driving it home. Only at 75ish on the highway in a corner. They said it would be good to rebalance the wheels as the next option. I think I may try that but I think it may be the power steering due to the fact it happens when turning. If balancing the wheels doesn't help I'll probably try to replace the reservoir hose and washer... Thoughts? Thanks in advance

11-21-2019, 02:33 AM	#5
fuelMuncher Scooby Specialist Member#: 301554 Join Date: Nov 2011 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Wagon PSM 2002 WRX Sedan JBP	My guess is the heat from the wastegate is warping some component

11-22-2019, 12:00 PM	#6
BDZ Scooby Newbie Member#: 246673 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central NY	Do you by any chance have a bent wheel?

01-21-2020, 10:16 PM	#7
Imprezaspeed07 Scooby Newbie Member#: 154863 Join Date: Jul 2007 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Greenville, SC Vehicle: 2007 Impreza WRX World Rally Blue	Interesting comment about the waste gate, the wastegate, when installed originally was bent around the axle, but to get it to fit the guy ground the interior of the bend, which left an open hole dumping exhaust gas onto the axle. They ended up replacing the axles and rotating tires and that seemed to fix it. The wastegate exhaust tube was fixed sometime ago however, but this must’ve caused enough damage to trash the grease and cause it to fail now. Is it common that wastegate exhaust damages parts? And the wheels should be good to go. Only option was to rebalance the tires but I haven’t had an issue since the repair.

01-27-2020, 04:20 PM	#8
gard Scooby Newbie Member#: 511121 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Vermont Vehicle: 2014 WRX White	I had a similar issue last week, turned out to be snow/mud in the wheel, went away when it warmed up