'08 Jeep Patriot vibrating like hell...

[zukuss]

Hi all - During my hwy commute this morning, I experienced something new with my Patriot...

At 70kmh, the steering wheel starts shaking...not bad, but unusual.
At 90kmh, you can feel the whole car shaking.
At 105kmh+, the vibrations are intense enough to give me a headache

On my return trip in the evening, same problem.

The only thing that happened recently, if ever, was that I got stuck in the snow on my community road yesterday, and had to push it. No big deal...but that was the last thing that happened before the vibrating issue.

So, I booked a service appointment asap, which is Friday, but I'm nervous of doing the commute tomorrow. What do you guys think?

[Unknown303]

Clean snow out of rims

[desto2para]

there is probably ice in your wheels

[Cos]

.

[spikerS]

could be a worn ball joint too on a tie rod, ice or snow in the rim, thrown wheel weight(s), bent rim maybe.

Hit any curbs the past few days?

Head down to chinook mall, and park underground for a few hours, let everything melt out from under it, and see if that makes a difference.

[AndyL]

Yeah, drift bashing has me shaking all over the road now ive picked up a few hundred lbs of wheel weight I'm sure... But I need to find a parking lot with a 8' clearance to go hide in...

[zukuss]

I park in my garage every night, temperature is currently +5C. I experienced that behaviour after a night there (didn't left home before 10:30). I'll look for snow/ice in my rims though.

No curbs hit...really nothing aside from that gentle snow push yesterday...

[spikerS]

Originally posted by zukuss

No curbs hit...really nothing aside from that gentle snow push yesterday...

Why do people think snow pushes are gentle?

Hitting snow is never "gentle". Its not like a down filled pillow fight. Pretty much every snow bank you hit is going to be a rough ordeal on your vehicle.

and +5 is not going to melt a whole lot of snow. If you can, throw a space heater in there too and crank the heat. you need to MELT everything under there, and you have to understand that it is at the lowest part of your garage, and heat rises. If you have the heater, focus it under the jeep if possible.

My old Compass would do this too in snow events, I just had to thaw out the under carriage every so often and it went away.

[Hage69]

4WD or FWD? Reason I ask is I had the exact same vibrations you're experiencing in QX4, turned out be the U-Joints. If it's 4WD inspect the U-Joints for excessive play.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by spikers


Why do people think snow pushes are gentle?

Hitting snow is never "gentle". Its not like a down filled pillow fight. Pretty much every snow bank you hit is going to be a rough ordeal on your vehicle.

and +5 is not going to melt a whole lot of snow. If you can, throw a space heater in there too and crank the heat. you need to MELT everything under there, and you have to understand that it is at the lowest part of your garage, and heat rises. If you have the heater, focus it under the jeep if possible.

My old Compass would do this too in snow events, I just had to thaw out the under carriage every so often and it went away.

I've hit tonnes of pillowy soft snow over the last two days in my neighborhood it's been so pleasant driving around.

[anomaly2]

wheel lug nuts loose, or bad u-joints on driveshaft

[spikerS]

Originally posted by Unknown303


I've hit tonnes of pillowy soft snow over the last two days in my neighborhood it's been so pleasant driving around.

it may be soft for you to fall on.

but go find a drift 4 feet high, and run at it full bore and try to shouldercheck your way through like you would when you drive through it's "pillowy softness". tell me how that works out for you.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by spikers


it may be soft for you to fall on.

but go find a drift 4 feet high, and run at it full bore and try to shouldercheck your way through like you would when you drive through it's "pillowy softness". tell me how that works out for you.

In the SW we don't have drifts. We're to classy for that.

[spikerS]

stupid dirty south.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by spikers
stupid dirty south.

I'm not that south. More the $$$outh.

[zukuss]

To answer to all questions...

It's a 4WD.
I'll check my lug nuts. Will also use my wife's hairdryer around the car...
The snow push was gentle, I mean it. Hit the snow bank at 5kmh, and was pushed back.

[zukuss]

Found there's a lot of ice around my front left wheel rim. Removed what I could, left a heater next (but not too close) to the wheel for the night. Hopefully all will be good tomorrow. G'night everyone!

[spikerS]

soooo...how did this turn out?

[zukuss]

Sorry I didn't update this morning. The ice totally melted off the front left tire rim. But still the same problem. Figured that when you drive over 100kmh, you clearly feel the steering wheel is shaking left to right (or right to left...). Lots of people drive slow due to road conditions, so I am not even slow driving 90kmh on hwy2, which is actually a good thing. Shop indicated they had to postpone my visit to Monday though. Well, it's too cold to go snowshoeing, so I guess I'll just stay in town.

If any of you have other ideas in the meantime, feel free to let me know!

[zukuss]

Weird thing - it was a bit better this morning. Vibrations were annoying, but definitely acceptable at 110kmh...