Quote:
Originally Posted by spluberry
I have a 2009 s40 that has appx 120,000 miles on it--and I love it dearly. One of my wheel rims was cracked on the inside, which I got fixed a week ago (welding). It also is bent in two places. Unbeknownst to me, I should have gotten my wheels balanced and rotated when the tire was put back on).
Two days later, I was on a 7 hour road trip, and 2/3 of the way there, my car started to shake at high speeds. By the end, I could barely go above 55 without the car vibrating like crazy.
Now it is shaking upon acceleration as well as at 30mph and over.
I took it to the dealership today, and they diagnosed the problem as the following:
--front axles have excessive play
--front control arms are allowing excessive movement
--I need new tires (which I don't--not yet at least).
My car was not shaking like this until the fixed wheel was put on a few days ago. That's the only thing that has changed.
My question is this: is the dealership taking me for a ride? Wouldn't I have felt the front axles/control arms wearing out gradually instead of all of a sudden?
Would a new wheel/rim and balancing fix the vibration?
The estimate was about $4000 to do repairs + tires.
Thanks for any advice and help about this!
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lower control arms barely last 80k miles so if not been done before they almost certainly need doing. you can diagnose them visually and see the damaged bushing or when sharply hitting breaks you will feel the slight clunk as the car dives, and the bushing shifts. So most likely the garage is telling truth. In UK the arms are £75-£120 each plus fittting. 30 mins per side for an experienced mechanic. you WILL need an alignment after regardless what garage says.
drive shafts (axles) are also an iasue on these cars. they cause vibration under acceleration 40-70mph usually if the vibration starts to go away as you press through 70mph this means its likely driveshafts.
a buckled wheel will give terrible vibration and could damage the bearing and I suppose the axle if you drove a long way with a badly buckled wheel.
Volvo driveshafts will be several hundred dolars each and the after market ones are terrible.
If it was me I would go to a trusted garage. remove wheels have them checked for balance, buckles, damage and make sure tyres are true and round. This will be cheap (£40 for all 4 in uk). if all okay and no difference, then it could be what the garage says.
The other source of terrible vibration is the engine mounts. there are 3. one on ledt engine bay (prone to faliure). search youtube for focus mk2 engine mount vibration. this will show you how to check if this is the same issue you have. the s40 is basically the same car as the ford focus. if this is the issue, the u are lucky, cheapish to rectify.
good luck