Hello all! Total newbie here and this is my first post. So, of course, I’m asking for help.
I bought my first ever Mustang last year in August. Since it is my first pony car, it had to be a GT. Because...GT. It is a 2009 model coupe and currently has just over 50k on the ticker. Manual transmission and all parts are stock and original.
About a month after purchase, I noticed the 70mph vibration that has been discussed in other threads. I have much in common with the previously mentioned vibrations – it normally appears around 70mph and disappears by 85mph, I can feel it in the floorboard, pedals and steering wheel, it makes the passenger seat shake, and it does not go away when I press in the clutch pedal and coast at speed. Where my car's vibration is different is that it is not always there. It comes and goes with varying severity. Some days it is almost not there at all, some days it is somewhat noticeable and other days it is so severe it shakes my whole car. I can’t seem to detect a pattern yet, either, which is frustrating.
I have had the dealer look at it three times since last August. The first two trips, they performed a visual inspection and checked to ensure everything is within spec. Those trips resulted with newly re-balanced wheels and the dealer’s assurance that everything is good and that my wheels are not bent or warped. I asked them about the wheels numerous times as the wheels are factory Bullitt 17-inchers and they have been scarred-up pretty good with clamp-on balancing weights (indicates to me that these wheels have been re-balanced over and over and over). One wheel looks like an impact wrench got away from its user and so one of the spokes is gouged pretty good. (My intent at purchase was to replace the wheels asap once I have some spare $ and decide on what I want.)
Every time the wheels are re-balanced, the vibration goes away almost entirely. Almost. On average, it takes about six weeks for the vibration to return and then it takes another two weeks for it to become severe enough for me to do something.
I've read in the other threads that the majority of responses are balance-related. But, shouldn’t a vibration coming from unbalanced wheels be more consistent than this? Shouldn't it always be there?
On my third trip to the dealer, they performed a Road Force test on the tires and used “chassis ears” to try to pinpoint my problem. The road force test indicated my tires are not warped, they said. They also told me again that my wheels are fine. The “chassis ears” allegedly helped them to determine that the U-joints on my drive shaft were "binding." (My bull
alarm was ringing when they told me this, but at least I have Ford Premium Care to cover such things.) Since I badly want a vibration-free ride, I said okay. Luckily, it only cost me the $100 deductible to get my car back after the drive shaft replacement. To my utter lack of surprise, the drive shaft turned out to not be the source of the vibration. That’s about par for the course in my dealings with a car dealer’s service department.
I know that wheels and tires are the culprits the majority of the time. But, has anyone ever heard of or had experience with something like the suspension causing this type of vibration? Especially with an original suspension at 50k miles? Any ideas as to why the vibrations seem to be so inconsistent? Could the TCS be a part of the equation?
Thanks for reading my novel and for any insight you can offer to my baby’s problem.
I bought my first ever Mustang last year in August. Since it is my first pony car, it had to be a GT. Because...GT. It is a 2009 model coupe and currently has just over 50k on the ticker. Manual transmission and all parts are stock and original.
About a month after purchase, I noticed the 70mph vibration that has been discussed in other threads. I have much in common with the previously mentioned vibrations – it normally appears around 70mph and disappears by 85mph, I can feel it in the floorboard, pedals and steering wheel, it makes the passenger seat shake, and it does not go away when I press in the clutch pedal and coast at speed. Where my car's vibration is different is that it is not always there. It comes and goes with varying severity. Some days it is almost not there at all, some days it is somewhat noticeable and other days it is so severe it shakes my whole car. I can’t seem to detect a pattern yet, either, which is frustrating.
I have had the dealer look at it three times since last August. The first two trips, they performed a visual inspection and checked to ensure everything is within spec. Those trips resulted with newly re-balanced wheels and the dealer’s assurance that everything is good and that my wheels are not bent or warped. I asked them about the wheels numerous times as the wheels are factory Bullitt 17-inchers and they have been scarred-up pretty good with clamp-on balancing weights (indicates to me that these wheels have been re-balanced over and over and over). One wheel looks like an impact wrench got away from its user and so one of the spokes is gouged pretty good. (My intent at purchase was to replace the wheels asap once I have some spare $ and decide on what I want.)
Every time the wheels are re-balanced, the vibration goes away almost entirely. Almost. On average, it takes about six weeks for the vibration to return and then it takes another two weeks for it to become severe enough for me to do something.
I've read in the other threads that the majority of responses are balance-related. But, shouldn’t a vibration coming from unbalanced wheels be more consistent than this? Shouldn't it always be there?
On my third trip to the dealer, they performed a Road Force test on the tires and used “chassis ears” to try to pinpoint my problem. The road force test indicated my tires are not warped, they said. They also told me again that my wheels are fine. The “chassis ears” allegedly helped them to determine that the U-joints on my drive shaft were "binding." (My bull
alarm was ringing when they told me this, but at least I have Ford Premium Care to cover such things.) Since I badly want a vibration-free ride, I said okay. Luckily, it only cost me the $100 deductible to get my car back after the drive shaft replacement. To my utter lack of surprise, the drive shaft turned out to not be the source of the vibration. That’s about par for the course in my dealings with a car dealer’s service department.I know that wheels and tires are the culprits the majority of the time. But, has anyone ever heard of or had experience with something like the suspension causing this type of vibration? Especially with an original suspension at 50k miles? Any ideas as to why the vibrations seem to be so inconsistent? Could the TCS be a part of the equation?
Thanks for reading my novel and for any insight you can offer to my baby’s problem.
