Vibration in Steering Wheel
 

My RX8 since new has always had an annoying vibration felt in the steering wheel whether I am cruising or sitting at idle. Its not an alignment or wheel balance issue as it occurs at all speeds and even when the car is at idle. Anyone else having this issue. I did a search and found nothing. Everyone talks about the smoothness so it makes me wonder if my car has a problem. It sometimes gets to the point where my hands start to feel numb. Thanks.

i have the same thing. i took it as being normal. it rumbles alot when it is warming up, and then it gets less noticable when driving.

yeah i have the same problem with mine, but i just figured it was because of my system but good to here it isnt just me, but it sure can get annoying

Nothing like that here.

Don't have that problem either. But you may want to look in to the electric assisted power steering module. Could be a lose grounding or something like that.

Mine's as smooth as can be. Definitely get it checked.

Ah...my 8 does not experience that!! Something is not right. Dealer time.

- Irish :cool:

I would say this is normal but you are looking at it under a microscope which makes the problem seem bigger then it is.

All RX-8's do this, for some it is nothing more then what we call 'normal' while others such as yourself are looking for this issue and are more sensitive to it.

I would have answered this question as a 'no my car doesn't do it' but today I went for a ride to look for what you are describing and it does indeed do it, I just consider it normal.

This car communicates with the driver and is not as insulated as some other cars like a Lexus ...while Lexus tries to solve all types of roan interaction, the RX8 doesn't since drivers like us need these feelings to tell us what the car is doing.

I bet if you stop thinking about this vibration, in time you will forget it's there.

I noticed mine doing the same thing. It slowly rocks back and forth as you cruise down the highway as soon as you let go of the wheel it stops. I figure it has to do with the electric steering. You think it is a very mild balance problem, but can't be because when you let go it stops.

smooth as silk here. I would get it checked out if I were you. That's what warranties are for.

Mine is too. I agree, get it checked!

Maybe I am wrong but it really sounds like the engine is being felt through the steering at idle and then as driving it sounds like roads feel. Unless the original poster is sayig he feels this vibration only when turning the steering wheel.

Those of you who are saying your cars are as smooth as silk ... please go and grip your steerig wheel with both hands and drive, then check back here and tell me if you feel anything through your steering wheel or if you are saying your steering wheel transmit no feedback of any sort ... I would say on some pavements which are rougher you will feel it greater.

Smooth as silk here too.

WRT the original complaint, that there is a significant vibration at idle. "Normal" might be a very, very slight vibration that you would notice only when thinking about it or looking for it. "Significant" would be something that pretty much anyone would notice as soon as they started the car. Without getting in the car, it's really tough to say which it is...or what the cause might be.

Once the car is in motion, the RX-8 steering rack transmits a lot more road feel than most other cars, but that's what it is...road feel. It's not a vibration.

typerr: do you have a manual or automatic? I can't speak for the automatic, but my manual does not exhibit excessive steering wheel vibration at idle. I had a '90 Integra that had ridiculous steering wheel vibration--this car is very smooth in comparison. You may have a problem with the engine mounts. They may be damaged, or extremely bound up. Either of these situations would cause excessive powertrain vibration to be transmitted to the body and possibly the steering wheel. Refer to the following threads related to engine mount problems:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...t=motor+mounts

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...=engine+mounts

To elaborate on steering wheel vibration and/or road feel ...
 

Inspired by another thread on this subject, the original poster said his steering wheel had a vibration in it at a standstill and while driving and it;s not a wheel balance problem or anyhting like that ... here's the link ... https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=48068


Anyway some people said there is smooth as silk and here is what I don't understand. I have driven both my RX8 and my stepfathers rx8 and they both have a vibration in the steering wheel. I wouldn't say it's noticable unless you actually feel the steering wheel and are thinking to look for it.

Meanwhile it is there and if the road is smooth it is not as much as on a rougher road. It doesn't numb your hands or anything that extreme but keep in mind I am now trying to feel for it.

I still find it hard to beleive this would not be normal ... all my past cars have some type of sign of this and I contribute it to normal feedback ...


Don't all RX8's do this ?

My 8 has no steeringwheel vibration at speed or under braking at all. Now, yes, there is a degree of vibration if driving or braking on a rough road surface. I think you need to help us understand if this happens to you always regardless of road surface.

Also, have you checked your tire pressures recently? My tires are always at 32psi.

- Irish :cool:

Well most roads here in Long Island NY aren't really smooth but here is exactly what I am saying.

With both hands on the wheel, you feel some engine feedback through the steering wheel. It is not something you would normally notice unless you are specifically looking for it but tomorrow when you are driving, put both hands on the wheel and see what you feel.

It's not like the steering wheel feels totally dead like when the car is off.

The best way to describe it is to say it has a slight feeling of engine to it.

BTW my stepfather said his car doesn't do it so I went there this evening to drive his rx8 and it does indeed have the 'feel' I am describing.

I am not talking about the same feeling from an unbalanced tire where it is obvious. I am talking about this as if we are talking about it under a microscope

Cool. I'll check it out tomorrow and PM you.

- Irish :cool:

Great ... thanks !!

i get a vibration in my steering wheel when i'm up to 100. does anyone think this might be a motor mount problem also. other then a high speed she's nice and smooth...

I don't think that is a sign of a bad engione mount (not that I know about these things) but I would think a bad motor mount would be seen in the upper rpm range when the engine is working harder ... this is my best guess ...

Maybe someone else can let us know ...

are we talking about a vibration or more like a buzzing being felt? Did any of your old car have elctric assisted steering like the 8? That's probably got something to do with it.

Can you explain how the electric steering would have something to do with it ? I'd like to learn about it - thanks !!

To answer your question I wish I could explain it better but it's hard to put in words but what I feel is what I would definitely say is roadfeel. It is a slight vibration (at times as it depends on the road surface and the rpm's) through the wheel and if you drive on rough pavement it is more noticable while there are other times like on a smooth road at a steady speed and you won't feel anything.

Keep in mind both my rx8 and my step fathers rx8 have this feeling. I remember the same feeling in my friends 2000 911 (think its called a 996) but in the Porsche it was definitely more pronounced. My old boxster had the same feeling as well but again more so in the boxster then in the Rx8.

Engine mounts are felt when you take off, especially with the steering wheel is fully turned left or right. I don't think it is the mounts.

I am betting it is the stiffness of your car. Sorry. Suspension vs. things moving around (engine, fuel pump, ac comp, belts, whatever.)

Maybe I am wrong.

Good luck.

i don't think it's the road pretty sure it's not. the roads are kept up. but then it might be so cause i was in the truck. but still confused at why i did not fill anything at 95 or even 96. but at 100 it was really noticeable..i thinking it might be the tires also. some tires have diff. speed rating....

It might be the tire balancing is very slightly off or a wheel is slightly bent but it is sooooo slight that you only feel it at very high speeds.

Check out this link http://128.242.141.111/

It is for the Hunter 9700 wheel balancer and it has a locater so you could enter your zip code and find a shop near you that has one.

This machine is amazing and will tell you if it is the tire or the wheel that might be causing it. It could be a slightly out of round tire that 99% of the balancers would never detect.

I would go on a day when there is no rain or snow on the ground because beleive it or not this machine is so sensitive that a wet tire would actually balance slightly different due to the weight of the water. I know it sounds crazy but the machine is that good.

Hopefully this solves your problem though to be honest I wouldn't really be too concerned of a vibration at 100 mph ...

AF, I am not a mechanic. When I here people talking about vibration I am not sure is they feel the steering wheel physically moving/shaking in their hands. I have a slight high frequency "buzzing" type of feeling or sorts and I'm not sure if this is what you guys are refering to. Its kind of like touchining an electirc motor vs a gas power motor. So thats why I thought that maybe its because it is one of the rare cars that have electric powered steering.

Your describing it pretty good ... from your description I would say its a buzzing type opposed to the vibration type. The wheel does not physically shake or move ...

When you feel this 'buzzing', is it when your driving or when you are actually turning the wheel. I would think if it happened when turning it would be the power steering motor.

Mine has this buzzing feeling when driving sometimes depending on the road surface when when racing up the rpm's so I think it is not related to the power steering motor but more of a normal type of roadfeel our cars have.

To explain it even more, there are plenty of times when normal driving on smooth surfaces I feel nothing but then others when accelerating to the high rpm's or riding on a unsmooth road that I would feel it.

I feel it a various different times but it is so minor and such a fine buzzing, I don't notice it anymore and it doesn't concern me. Actually I would bet money it is probably the electric power steering motor that drives it. There are absolutely no ill effects whatsoever with the steering of the car and in fact ift feels so well weighted and balanced. So, until you start hearing funny noise or deficiencies in the steering, don't go chasing the "problem" because I think its just the way the car is.

i could more likely go with the wheel balancing. it was a vibration this i'm sure of. why it happened well thats a diff. story. and i've never noticed a buzz feeling before, but then i did not know about the electronic steering either. but yep vibration, i guess my car is telling me to keep my speed low.. but i was told if i did that i'd be a wimp... :)

Shamblerock .. I always chauked it up to good roadfeel translated through the steering wheel until some here say there 8's steering wheel is smooth as silk ...

I can't imagine how the steering wheel would feel 'dead' when it tranmits road feedback so clearly ... the problem is not many people are actually posting on this so it can be some people don't understand what I am talking about and they don't know what to look for.

Quick update on this thread, I drove my stepfathers RX8 and his had slight less vibration then mine at 40mph and over.

I decided to rotate my tires since I had a feeling it was an unbalanced tire causing it being that the vibration was felt at 40+ mph ...

I swapped front to back and back to front ...

Car is much smoother now ... I can't beleive the difference ... I never thought to have my tires balanced eventhough when my rx8 was brand new there was a vibration through the steering wheel where the wheel actually shook side to side (classic balancing or tire out of round problem) but after 700 miles it mostly went away ... I kept thinking I should have the front tires balanced but never did it.

Anyway ... I hope this thread helps someone in the future is they need a reference to it.

Glad to see that you got rid of some of that vibration.

MG RX8 Steering Vibration Issue during speed above 100KH
 

I have the steering vibrating issue during speed above 100 KH, since I purchased new 4 month back, I complain to company they said this manufacturing fault they cant do anything.
I strongly recommend not purchased MG Cars