Expert Help for a Vibrating Steering Wheel in Your Volkswagen

Under the hood of your car, there are a number of parts that work together to bring about the reliable performance you love, especially in a car manufactured as intricately as a Volkswagen. With this in mind, remember that there are a large number of parts that can develop issues at any time. These parts are connected to a number of other parts that can have issues as well.

When it comes to problems under the hood, a vibrating steering wheel may not seem like a serious issue, but the cause of it can certainly be serious. However, it’s important to first understand how the steering system works before diving into what it may potentially mean the cause is.

How does the steering system work?

In short, the steering system is what allows you to control the direction of a thousand-pound hunk of metal. It converts the rotations of your steering wheel into a swivel motion that tells the wheels on your vehicle where to move and how much to move. By allowing only a light force to be necessary for moving the vehicle, anyone can successfully drive their vehicle.

However, any problem that develops with this system can be detrimental for obvious reasons. Your steering wheel is connected to this system via the steering column, which is connected to the wheel’s axles via the universal joint. This join allows the steering column to swivel in different ways that make the steering wheel movement feel completely comfortable.

At the base of the entire steering column are a rack and pinion. When your steering column turns, it converts the movement into a side-to-side motion that can be responded to by the wheels on your vehicle. Depending on your car, you may also have power-assisted steering that helps your vehicle to move if it is heavy, although this mostly occurs on larger vehicles such as trucks.

Given the intricacy of this system, there are a number of areas where things may go wrong that could result in a vibrating steering wheel. Watching out for some of the common causes and spotting them before they become worse should be your first priority as a Volkswagen owner if you hope to maintain the longevity of your vehicle.

Causes of a Vibrating Steering Wheel

As outlined above, the steering system of your vehicle is intricate and requires precise parts to move when absolutely necessary. However, given the sheer number of parts connected to this system, there are a number of causes for a vibrating steering wheel, ranging from serious to not- serious. Here are some of the most common causes:

Misaligned Tires

Your tires are set to a specific alignment that allows you to drive in a straight line. Without this alignment, your axles may be off which could result in a vibrating steering wheel when you try to turn. Fortunately, this can happen naturally over time and is a fairly easy fix.

Suspension Problems

Your suspension system helps bring your comfort in your Volkswagen and is responsible for softening the impact between you and the road. If there are problems with this system, it may first be reflected through the steering wheel via vibrations.

Brake Issues

Brake issues can develop under the hood of your car and reflect through the wheels first, as you may have guessed. However, this could translate into the axles, up through the steering column, and possibly be felt as vibrations on the steering wheel. Take notice if it seems to take your vehicle a longer amount of time to come to a safe stop.

Landmark Motors For Your Volkswagen Needs

Here at Landmark Motors, we understand how important it is for your steering wheel to be operating smoothly. If you choose us as your auto service center, it will be our mission to get you back out on the road safely and quickly.

Our experienced technicians have worked with clients all around Seattle, and Bellevue, WA. We can diagnose and solve any problem brought to our garage. Please give us a call or visit us today to see why we are the best in the business. We sincerely look forward to earning your trust and patronage.