Q: The tire sems unsteady during driving
My car has gone around 170,000 miles. Lately, when I drive, the front right tire feels very unsteady. I tried to move it when the car is parked but it seemed stable. It doesn't seem to have lost balance either. I've only noticed that one of the wheel weights is missing. I had the tire pressure checked and it is fine. The tires are in great condition and there are no loose lug nuts. However, occasionally it feels as though the tire might fall off. I don't feel completely safe driving the car. What should I do?
It is possible that you have a wheel bearing with some play or a loose tie rod or ball joint. Any suspension part that has a joint on it can have play and cause the wheel to wobble and make the vehicle unsafe to drive. I would strongly recommend having a steering and suspension inspection performed by a certified professional. This would include raising the wheels off the ground and shaking down the wheels to determine where the play is coming from. Once the unsafe part has been located, a replacement can be made as necessary to make the vehicle safe to drive again. A wheel alignment will likely be required after the part is replaced in order to keep the vehicle tracking straight and to prevent abnormal tire wear.
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