Jimny - Steering Wheel Shudder

[Jimnyenfrance]

I have a Jimny and notice that when accelerating between 40 -50 mph and decelerating 50-40mph I get a steering wheel shake/shudder. Once out of this speed range the car is OK again. Has anyone experienced similar problems?

I spoke with Suzuki in the UK and they did not seem aware of any known problems.

Thanks

[Boris Ekner]

Check your king pin bearings. Jack up the front and place the front on jackstands. Now using a crowbar push one of the the front wheels upwards. Do the same procedure on the other wheel. If you feel a small gap when pushing the king pin bearing is worn out. Replace it.

.. Boris
www.jimny.se

[roni]

Had same exact problem with a 2004 jimny, with 25,000 miles on it. Spent 800 euros on new tires (2 sets of 4), as well as more money on wheel balancing and 2 alignments. No help. Suzuki Dealer scratched head in wonder as to what it might be........

Traded it in last week on a 2006 Jimny. Hoping problem doesn't return, but if it does will look into kingpin being bent.

[BIG J]

I have this same problem.

As boris has said sounds like the bearing.

I have had a bearing nipped up, and the shudder - again 45-50mph has been drastically reduced!

Boris, can you clarify what exactly i'm feeling for???
I understand the jack it up, push wheels up etc, but then....confused....

Thanks, Jonny

[Lindsey Devons]

Hi, i have a Jimny Mode 2003. For the passed few months i have experienced this dreadful shuddering when you hit 40 mph. It has about 15,000 on the clock. it has been back to the dealers twice and as yet they have not discovered the cause.
So far the balancing has been done 3 times the tracking twice, wheels have all been replaced to no avail.
Today it has been in for it's service and once again they are baffled by the cause!it is going in again in two weeks time for two days and they are going to try and sort it out. The Suzuki dealership where i bought my car has not heard from anyone else that they have had this problem. Iwill print off the replies on this forum for them to read!

[BIG J]

HINT...to them they might want to check the king pins.

As i said above, i had my driver side bearing tightened and the shudder is there, but no where near as bad!!!!

Good luck...Jonny

[Lindsey Devons]

Thanks i will do that, it is going in again next week for two days so they can have a "good look at it".
will let you all know how or if the problem is rectified!

[Jimnyenfrance]

I have now taken the car in to a garage and had the front two wheels balanced, and this appears to have solved the problem. It is like driving a different car!

[Armando Simon]

Hi everyone,

I have the same problem with the steering wheel turning 45 degrees to the left and to the right when I hit the speed of 60-80 kph. This happened first when I was going on a 250 km trip last year October, I had the wheels aligned since the steering wheel was a bit to the left (since I acquired it second hand). When I first hit 60 kph, started shaking madly. A mechanic on one of the gas stations helped by placing some washers in the two front wheels, cant remember which part since this was last last year. Shaking was lessened significantly. Just a week ago, I had it repaired in a Suzuki service center and they blamed the tierods for it (3rd opinion I got), which I had replaced, afterwhich, they naturally had it wheel aligned. Now it starts shaking madly again at 60-80 kph. Everytime it gets wheel balanced, the shake gets really scary! Now they say I need to replace my tires, but based on your exchanges here, I think I'll be wasting money replacing some still good tires.

Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it goes cause I'm on my way to a mechanic now.

[Armando Simon]

changed front tires but shudder is still present, now at 80kph. the mechanic i saw last weekend also does not know what to do with it. its like a guessing game, the ony thing sure is, as they keep guessing, you keep paying. so, until i get a really sensible answer, no one gets to touch and try to fix the car...more research...