Steering Wheel Vibration

so @10K miles it started ... that is to me , with my investigations the front diff bearings etc casting of the front diff ..

check the diff output shafts and the input shaft .. block wheels put in neutral .. grab on the shafts see if they flop around .. if so then you need this replaced poor casting of the front diff damages the bearings ...

now since you had all those wheels screwed with and tires etc...... more confusion !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope they did balance the tires properly toyota wheels do require special tools to do this balancing ..

 

how did this work out ?

 

I've had the same issue on my 2017 sr5 premium. Mine started at 5000 miles. I took it in for a rotation and noticed the steering wheel shimmy/shake. I had numerous balances including road force balances. They swapped the 2 front Dunlops with new Dunlops. They then swapped the sr5 stock wheels with a new set of Trail wheels and new dunlop tires. The shake came back. They then bought me 4 new Michelins and the problem persist. They then had the regional field tech look at the vehicle and he said the tires were the problem. After 10 visits to the dealer which I bought the vehicle I used the NCDS(national center for dispute services), an entity which is paid by the auto makers. The arbitrator rode in my vehicle and noticed the shake. We then drove a brand new off the lot sr5 and no shake was noticed. He ruled in Toyota's favor stating that while there was a shake he did not believe that the shake caused an issue with the operation, safety, or value of the vehicle. I call BS on the value for sure. Following this I purchased the TRD pro black wheels crossing my fingers that it would help. When I purchased the vehicle my plan was to buy those so I thought I might as well try it. They were better for a brief period, but the shake came back. I went to a different Toyota dealer for the purchase and install of the TRD pros. I brought the 4runner back to them and they moved my tires to another 4runner on the lot and put that runners tires on mine. Both shook. They then contacted their regional field tech(different region from the previous tech). He came out and said he did a road force balance and found one bad tire. He bought a new Michelin and installed it and said the problem is fixed. The wheel shake came back the next day. I currently have a lawyer and am persuing litigation against Toyota. I also follow a forum on CarGurus.com and it has many other owners having this same issue. The link is below for anyone interested. The most recent one is from a finance manager at a toyota dealer in Michigan. He is have the same run around and said to stay away from the 4 runner until they figure it out. I've literally had 16 different rims and 19 new tires on my vehicle in just over a year of ownership. The dealers are trying to help, but Toyota is denying any problems with their vehicle.

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t60099_ds754672?sntEmlId=1866168786#msg834185

 

so you had NO problems until the dealership rotated the tires @5K miles correct ?

 

I had no vibrations until the 5k rotation

 

possible they damaged the rotor or wheel when they rotated the tires..

I have seen idiots torque the wheel lugs down improperly when they torque them down .. they snap the drive train with the wheels off the ground.. they do not torque wheels sitting on the ground this can damage the drive train bearings or other related parts like the U joints..

I would go to the dealership and ask them how the torque the lugs down ... vehicle on ground or up off the ground ///,,,,,
do not reveal your vehicle issue before asking ..

 

Steering wheel vibration/shake. This is the flange plate and pins, use with Road Force on these Toyotas, as Toyota also has a TSB out on this, not current.
Get a good tire store to do road force, then one that will up the game with the 6 pin flange plates. I have owned 4 new 4Runners since 2008, all had the same issues, except the '08, almost perfect. Latest one, just took delivery a week ago, 2018 SR5-4WD. First up, new Michelin LTX/MS tires, and used these on all previous. First with Defenders, all other years, MS2. Great tire. IMO, R&P; out of balance rims, etc, does not get it. The tire guy has to know indexing, and Michelin should have the red and yellow dots on each tire. You can research indexing wheels. Discuss 'lug centric-cone centric'

Crank

 

The Haweka adapter firmly locks the wheel onto the balance machine in its true center. It holds wheel very solid and prevents movement. Toyota realized they had a problem with balancing these wheels and issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB SU002-96) requiring the Haweka adapter when balancing these wheels. The problem is that it seems that few Toyota dealers know about the TSB let alone have the adapter.

While on one of my many, many visits to the dealer to get the vibration fixed, I saw one of my tires on their balance machine. I walked over to it and grabbed the tire and shook it. It wobbled all over the place. I asked they guy how he thinks he can balance the tire with it moving around so much, “all the truck wheels do that.” That my friends, is the very center of the problem. If they cannot get the wheel to hold still on the shaft there is no way they can ever properly balance it. The Haweka adapter does two very basic things. First it mounts the wheel to the balance machine the same way it is mounted to your truck, and second it locks it to the shaft of the balance machine and prevents movement so you get a consistent and proper balance.

 

@f631 I posted this thread a while ago and just now getting back on the forum. Sounds like we’re having the same issue. I’ve been out of the country for a while and now that I’m back I’m pissed off that my car vibrates when I get on the highway. I put the 3rd set of rims and 5th set of tires on today. Still terrible. I wrote Toyota USA customer service and brought it to yet another dealer. I haven’t heard back from customer service, but I love the quote from every tech from every dealer I’ve been to “oh well it has all-terrain tires on it so that’s going to cause a little more vibration.” It’s a goddam 4Runner, you’re telling me it can’t handle an all terrain tire? And I’ve been in plenty of vehicles with much larger and agggresive tires and their steering didn’t visibly shake at 55mph.

If this dealer doesn’t offer a solution beyond a tire rebalance I’m trading it in and never buying another Toyota in my life.

 

You have a dealer problem, not a Toyota problem.
The problem most likely is the tires are out of balance so enjoy your non toyota vehicle I guess.

 

Hey folks. I haven't made a proper introduction thread yet so, sadly, this will be my first post on the forum. Howdy.

Anyway, my wife and I bought a 2018 TRD Off-Road Premium this week and I noticed the shimmy in the steering wheel the day I test drove the vehicle. The sales guy blew it off as being that the T4R had sat still long enough on their lot that one or both of the front tires had a flat spot. I've been around this game long enough to know that he was full of crap, but I also know I'll be swapping on better tires at some point anyway.

The shimmy is still very much there, especially at highway speeds. If I am tracking what you guys are posting, though, not everyone has had that problem go away after putting on new tires or just having the existing tires re-balanced? That concerns me, if so.

Anyway, glad to be here. Can't wait to get started on the modifications.

 

why did you buy this vehicle ..? test drive has vibs and you bought it ?????
IMO not good...

In the cold north east and your air temps are below 10F deg sure the tires will be stiff and have a flat spot but after driving it perhaps 500ft the tires have no flat spot.

sales guy screwed you I would bring it back now .. this can be a long process and it is possible the tires require balancing or bad tire/rim ...can also be drive train good luck ..

 

First, I'd recommend some decaf for you. Second, I'm not a chicken-little and I know the dealership will take care of me. I've dealt with these guys for years and they'll do whatever they need to do to make it right. Third, as I said I plan to replace the tires anyway so this is likely a moot point. If the vibration persists, it's already documented with my dealer with the vehicle 100% stock and we'll just work through until we find the solution.

People freak out about the silliest things.

 

I've been to 3 separate dealers and 3 different discount tires for a total of 3 different sets of rims, 5 different sets of tires, and a nice 15 tire rebalances and the result is always the same... At this point I've learned more about tire balance than I would ever care to..

I'll update with what the dealership says today, but I'll put money on that they want to do another tire balance and the problem won't go away.

Would be super satisfying to just put it in crawl mode and watch it go down a boat ramp into the river.

 

so you do not believe all the stress these 4runner owners have to solve this problem ?
before I purchased my 2016 4runner I was on the forums every day several months before my purchase . so I knew all about the issues some have had .....

the sales guy allowed me to drive the vehicle I was gonna purchase and I went thru all the issues others had ..
no vibration on my 4runner ..

since you believe the dealership will do everything to solve this then, when it is not fixed you believe they will give you another 4runner ??? again Good Luck .. perhaps a wheel got bent when it was shipped ..

 

Yeah I would be as frustrated as you for sure, that is crazy. I am guessing they don't have the proper equipment to properly balance those tires. Ask them if they have the adapter or one like it that is mentioned in @Crank's post #39. If they don't then they can balance it a 1000 times and it wouldn't matter.

 

Take your truck to a reputable 4x4 shop. Discont tire is no good and Toyota does not know how to service a stock 4runner much less a modified one. My 4x4 shop usually ends up fixing what Toyota broke.

 

I ran into the issue over the last month, as I just purchased a 2018 ORP runner, I have gone through 2 sets of rims, and 3 sets of tires to resolve. After troubleshooting, and completing a ton of research on my own, I found that you have to use a special adapter, and road force balance (My local Toyota dealer was clueless!) However, even after figuring out the issue, road forcing the balance showed two of the tires bad out of box. The shop replaced, and the issue was resolved, man what a nightmare it was!

 

bought a 2019 4runner premium with xp package traded a 16 sr5 2wd the 16 rode perfect I test drove the 19 only a couple miles an seemed good drove it home and all was good got up next morning an me an wife took of to tampa had a vibration at 60 to 65 I called dealership an they said if it didn't go away to bring it in so I did an they bal all 4 wheels still had vib took it back 3 days ago an they tried to force bal with the lug adapter , they called me yesterday evening an told me that 3 tires were out of round [ GY duratracs 265 70r 17] an they were waiting for Toyota to approve 4 new tires , so here we are 8am on Saturday morning waiting to here from dealership truck has lest that 400 miles.i hope I didn't trade a good 17 sr5 for a lemmon.

 

post back how it worked out ..

 

A lemon? Bad tires mean nothing except they are bad tires. Has nothing to do with the vehicle mechanicals or it's reliability.

 

how can any vehicle with a couple of miles on it , have 3 bad tires ? perhaps it can happen one tire but 3 ?
this is so common that the dealerships pull this type crap ..on this vib issue ...they are guessing .
many have posted the dealership swapped wheels tires from on the lot new runners and they did it a few times till it was a drive train bearing issue.. could be a tire problem but 3 wheels/tires ?

 

that's what I was thinking 3 bad tires but anything is possible, I refuse to accept a brand new vehicle with vibrations , If the new tires don't cure it ill take it back again an if they don't fix I will lemon law it . I don't understand the post where people buy brand new 4runners an drive them thousand of miles with vibrations , I have 2 other cars an refuse to drive it , I also have a good attorney.

 

mine started doing this once I put the mid lift on (2.5"). the 4 months it was stock no problem. after road force balancing problem almost went away completely. read and was told at a local 4x4 shop a bushing will fix vibration. if yall have stock 4s and having problems Toyota should take responsibility but it yall have lifts or tire tires that arnt oe I think it's on you.

 

Just got an 18 sr5 4wd. For my wife and had it for a bit over a month now. It has 1100 miles now. The first two weeks of ownership she mentioned the steering wheel vibrated only for a bit. But then goes away. I’ve only felted once going into the highway ramp. Should I be worried? It hasn’t happened since. You guys seem to have it worse

 

I get the wobbles depending on road surface and speed. My daily driving keeps me almost always below 60 mph so I hardly notice it. You may have to drive the same roads your wife does. If you or she rarely feels the wobble, I wouldn’t worry about it. If you feel it every day during your hour-long commute, that’d be a different story in my opinion.

 

if it vibs at a certain speed that can be a wheel out of balance . if it vibs on a wide speed range then that can be a drive train failure . bearings drive shaft u joints..

I had a vib on my GM truck ,, 60-80 MPH.. well what caused it was the ujoint bearing was seized .. just one of the 4 .. so when the vehicle lifted in the front when at 60-80MPH the drive shaft angle changed , created this vib due to the seized ujoint,..

I checked all the wheels and tires rotated the tires swapped the tires .. rotated the drive shaft checked for drive shaft slop.. so finding and testing I then dropped the drive shaft and there it was ...rear ujoint at the pumpkin .. I lucked out that the alum drive shaft did not require replacing as these GM ujoints are steel and did some metal reaction corrosion..

 

What bushing was your shop referring to? Thanks.

 

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html?
credit to topdec for the link