diagnose clyde's car
 

Symptoms:

1. At any speed or road condition, steering wheel may begin to vibrate lightly, then builds up to pretty severe shaking within a short period of time (seconds as opposed to minutes) and doesn't stop until the car comes to a stop. Intermittent. Happened once about a month ago and didn't repeat until tonight. Takes a few miles of driving after the car has stopped for a period of time to start when it happens at all.

2. There seems to be more play in the steering wheel at center than there used to be, particularly at low speeds. Sometimes, but not always.

I haven't jacked the car up to shake the wheels (too late, too cold, too lazy). Not sure if there are any noises.

First thing that comes to mind is tie rods/ends. Then CV joints. Then steering rack. Does that sound right?

ball bearings

Sounds like what happened to our old Protege. It was CV Joints.

Eventually they got bad enough to where the sounds/feels were not rare at all.

It's possible there could be a multitude of issues coming into play at the same time.

S1 could be brake related (calipers, rotors, etc.). Does the car tend to pull more pronouncedly to one side or the other under vibration?

S2 could be any of the above mentioned.

Sunday and Monday look like warmer days for your region. Quit slacking and get under it. :)

It's going in Monday morning and all the things I listed should be covered.

I don't think brakes have anything to do with it. The fronts looked good last I looked (relatively recently). The rears could use new pads and rotors. The vibration seems like it may be worst off-throttle without brakes, but basically, braking doesn't seem to make any kind of difference. The vibration feels like it begins at the right front, but it quickly becomes a side to side and up and down thing, equal in severity in all directions.

I don't see any odd tire wear (cupping, scalloping, etc), fwiw.

Clyde,

Did you check the Car Talk website database? Sounds like the sort of thing they'd have encountered at some point - perhaps not with your exact make and model, but it could get you thinking.

Ed

I'm wondering if it could be a bad motor mount.

Ed

Which car is this, the nissan truck?

Might be fun to call in and have click and clack diagnose it!

Seems like classic Car Talk material, doesn't it :)