Shimmy at highway speeds?

Does anyone experience more vibration when they increase their tire pressure?

 

I run 40 front 38 rear tire pressures, and I've driven significantly faster than the posted freeway limits with no vibration or stability issues. The front end doesn't get "light" as can happen on other small cars.

 

Sipnfuel, you should have no vibration when you raise the tire pressure. If you do then you had the vibration at lower tire pressure. The only reason to have vibration is as I stated above, a lost wheel weight, a defective tire (the belt has separated from the tread or you struck a curb and caused a bubble in the sidewall of the tire) or lastly and least likely you struck a pothole or other object at high speed and warped the actual wheel. So if you have a vibration in the steering wheel at around 55 mph then get it check out immediately.

 

I just got a Prius IV a month ago to replace my 2008 Prius with touring package. Call it a shimmy or a shake, but its as if I were driving on a washboard half the time. Took it in to dealer for balancing and it made no difference at all. And its back at dealer today.. Maybe they will find out what it is. Probably not.

 

Something I was told about 6 months ago was that there was an issue with the alignment on some Priuses when coming off the truck. I have no idea whether that was true. So, checking the balance of the tires is good, but also check the tires real closely to see if there is some uneven wear or maybe just have the dealer check the alignment.

And by the way, I was also told (many years ago) that even the best tires can get "out of round." But the better tires much less so than the cheaper tires. When that happens, good luck. I think it's time for new tires.

Mike

 

I've posted here a few times that the alignment was so bad in the drivers side rear wheel that it wore out the OEM tire in 5000 miles. We figured it out when we put the tire on the front and it sounded like I was driving a diesel the tire and road noise were so loud. Didn't feel a shimmy, but when Toyota replaced the tire for me, the car went back to whisper quiet like it was when new, and gas mileage went up.

Same thing happened on our Matrix. We thought we had a bad wheel bearing, but did an alignment and the car got quiet and the gas mileage improved.

I am now a believer that alignment should be checked regularly.

 

I have it on mine as well. I bought it in Dec but the build date says April 2010 so I figured it was flat spots from sitting on the lot. I have 900 miles on it now and I feel the sensation between 63 - 70 MPH. I have not taken it to the dealer as of yet due to my schedule as of late but I will very soon. While I am there I will have deal with the dash rattle and change the Reverse beep to just one alert instead of constant.