Q: My car shakes and the wheel pulls to the right in a jerking motion

asked by on December 09, 2016

When i start my car i do not have any problems, but when i start to accelerate even just at a creep the wheel jerks to the left like it is trying to turn. the horizontal part of the steering wheel can get vertical sometimes if not payng attention. The car shakes at any speed. I just recently got a tire put on and did not get an alignment. When at high speeds it does not jerk as violently but still has a very noticeable shake at 40 mph, when it reaches 60 to 70 mph the shake goes away but it still vibrates. What do i need to replace specifically to stop the jerking wheel

My car has 35000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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The pull, or jerking, at low speed could be due to an internal belt separation in the tread of a tire(s) which defect might not be externally visible. In a circumstance such as this, with the symptoms you are describing, IF the tires have irregular wear and less than 4/32 or 5/32 tread depth remaining, you should just replace the tires as a set, get them properly balanced and see if that resolves the issue. The alignment should also be verified immediately AFTER the new tires are installed (alignments with worn tires are not accurate). When replacing the tires, ask the shop to evaluate the wheels for damage and ask them to be sure each wheel runs true on the balance machine. If new, properly balanced tires do not resolve all the symptoms, I recommend you schedule a vehicle vibration diagnostic and a certified Mechanic will identify the issue during that and explain the needed repairs. Basically, with new balanced tires, if there is a remaining vibration it could be due to any rotating component and, as well, could be due to, or aggravated by, looseness or wear in the front suspension.

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