I bought a new set of tires for my '94 vert. I chose Continental Extremes which suit the way I drive the car. I bought them from a chain store in New England known as Sullivan Tires. I had the new tires put on and left. As I was driving home, when I reached speeds between 57 amd 62 mph I started to get a strong viabration in the steering wheel. If I went faster than 62 it seemed to smooth out. My first thought was that they didn't balance the tires properly as that what it feels like. I didn't have this vibration with my old tires. I called Sullivan's and told them what was up and they said bring it in so I did. They found that one front tire was missing about 1/4 ounce of weight which I do not believe would give me the strong viabration. They also said that the direct rotation was backwoods on 2 front tires and that probably was my problem. I drove the car home and the vibration between 57 and 62 mph was still there. I called Sulivan's back and told them. I asked if the tires could be out of round and they said they were not as they checked for that. I am at my wits end. Looking for help from anyone who might have an idea what could be going on with these tires. Appreciate all replies.

Thanks
Bob

 

The "plus" for you is that it was a local buy. Did they actually mount the wheels on the incorrect sides or were they like that when you took the car in? Are they actually correct now? Regardless, the "direction" has nothing at all to do with your issue. Ask if they have a "road-force" machine. How much weight has actually been attached to each wheel? There's likely weights on the inside and outside of each. If there's excessive weights have them rotate the tires on the wheel and rebalance the tire/wheel.

Do you have LTPWS on your car? If yes did it work prior? Do you have DIC warning lamps now?

 

Yes they mounted the new tires backwards and when I took the car back they switched them. I agree that the direction has nothing to do with the problem I have. I am bringing it back this Thursday and I will ask them about the road force machine.

I do have LTPWS but because I start my car during the winter and it doesn't move I get the service LTPWS message. Bottom line is it isn't working. I have no DIC warning lights either. What does DIC stand for?

Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

 

DIC Stands for Driver Information Center. Also, I would have them use a roadforce balancer, and I would watch them do the tire balance. The machine should read 0.00 on both left and right sides when the tire is done. The vibration didn't happen before, it only happened after they worked on it. Therefore, they are legally responsible for the problem.

 

Legally I would doubt! Within reason they should do what can be done to correct the situation and I'd be reasonably sure that they will. If the tires were ordered for the job then they would need to order another if they can't "road-force" the vibration from it.

There's a very good likely hood that a sensor is broken from the mounting band. You might be able to take a tire wheel off, roll it and hear it if it is.

OP check your owners manual and if you have the FSM for LTPWS "key-on" check procedure. I'm not sure on a '94 and I wouldn't want to steer you wrong. You've got four days to check and establish a plan for conversation with them. Good luck and I'm confident they should square you away.

 

The tire pressure light would come on if the sensor is broken, which can happen if the technician who used the tire balancing machine was not trained properly.

 

Bob,
Have that tire store replace both front tires. I'd be willing to bet you have belt problems on one or both new tires. There have been several complaints on those Continental Extremes if you search the Internet.

Mick

 

Thanks to all have provided input to my tire viabration problem. I am taking the car back into the shop on Thursday (7/25). I will let you know how I make out.

Thanks again

Bob

 

Good luck Bob,
I'm still betting you have a defective tire. It happens. My wife had a BFG T/A All Season tire fail on her old BMW Z3. It would shake the wheel at 47MPH and was gone above that speed. Fletcher's Tire opted to replace all 4 tires for a ridiculously low price rather than try to balance the vibration out by adding lead.

 

I think you are right about defective tires. They should have been able to balance them the last time I was in there. Guess I should have opted for a different brand but friends told me Continental tires were ok. What do you run on your car?

 

275X40X17 on the stock 9.5" wheels all 4 corners, BFG G-Force Sport.
I have learned that BFG has replaced those tires with a G-Force Comp-2.

Mick

 

Manufacturing defects sometimes get though quality control including ballancing the wheels, have had the same problem many years ago with a vibration ended up showing the tire place the center of the tread had a high spot. They replaced all the tires with new.

So jack up the car and spin a wheel check the tread does not have high spots, sometimes you have to show the defect to those that should know better.

Also another set of tires i had put on the car vibrated, i went back and they ballanced them again ... same.
Went to a local tire store who usually do it right and they ballanced them, perfect !!! so do not trust the person doing the balancing knows what they are doing get a second opinion.

By the way my latest tires are Nexen N3000, they are very cheap but have the best wet and dry grip of any tire i have had on my vette over the last 17 years (better than the hankook ventus sports i had before they were double the price!!). Smooth as silk on the highway no vibration at all.

 

Bob,
Any luck on fixing your problem with the new tires?

Mick

 

Hi Mick.

I took the car back to where I bought the tires last Thursday. I sat there for 2 waiting for them to tell me it was ready. They initially drove it and agreed it was definitely a balance issue. Due to traffic in the area they couldn't test drive it after they finished working on it. They told me they took all the outside weights off the tires and balanced them by putting weights on the inside of the wheels. They said they found 2 tires that were not balanced right. I told them that I doubted that the tires would be properly balanced with no weights on the outside of the tires. I drove it home and sure enough the viabration between 56 and 62 mph was still there and actually I think it is worse. Being that I was totally upset I called them right a way and told them we will either do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way. They now have a senior tech and a supervisor from another state meeting there on Wednesday. This is the last draw for me. I told them to have replacement tires there or forget it. They are getting replacement tires. I told them that if the problem is not fixed Wednesday I will be taking my car to the Chevy dealer and ask them to fix it and they will pay for it as I will put the sale of tires that I paid on a credit card in dispute until they agree to pay for the Chevy garage services.

I will let you know how I make out Wednesday.

Bob

 

WOW, what a mess. Your local BBB may need some of this info if they fail to fix the problem this time. I don't see how some of these shops stay in business with this kind of customer support. (NOT)

Good luck,

Mick

 

I would maybe approach this a little differently at this point. If you have a conversation with them at the start of the day when you take in your car and your not comfortable with it I'd just make a call to Continental and explain your dissatisfaction without getting rough. Continental or any other manufacturer of anything doesn't want a consumer out there with issues.

I wouldn't be surprised if Continental might suggest and make arrangements for the replacements to be done at another facility and be very accommodating. I would imagine that you could end up with an upgrade to another tire if they're aware of possible issues as it was suggested earlier.

The threat to take the car to a dealer and have it repaired at the service facilities expense I doubt would accomplish a thing. I would think at least the dealer might have a road-force machine but beyond that I wouldn't think there's an advantage if there's a product issue. Does the service shop have a road-force machine?

I believe I'd just have the conversation with the service shop "toe to toe" and if you've got any concerns I'd just make the call to Continental, explain your concerns and give them a legitimate opportunity to correct the issue.

Inquire as to Continentals mount and balance policy, most have one that involves the amount of weight involved. If there's excessive in your opinion whenever and wherever it's done ask that the tire be rotated on the wheel to get the balance within the specifications of the tire manufacturer. It's a nuisance but some service shops just do it anyway, others just seem to push the in, out and consider it done.

 

The shop worked on my balance issue for 3 hours Wednesday. They had an expert tech from their company come to the shop from Boston. All this guy does is trouble shoot problems like mine with tires. He seemed pretty competent. After driving my car he agreed that something was not right and he suspected balance. He proceeded to check everything out and later came and told me he didn't find anything significant that could cause this problem. He checked the total indicator run out of each tire and said they were all in line with correct specs. He said he was now going to replace the two front tires and see if the problem goes away. We went for another ride and I thought for sure he had it as there was no more vibration at 56 to 63 mph. After driving several miles on the highway we turned around and headed back to the shop and low and below it came back. It isn't as bad as it was and almost at a point I could live with it but the tech was bs and said he wanted to investigate more. He said he needed to know if this is a problem with Continental tires or is it something inherent with my car that we are over looking. I reminded him that I did not have the vibration with my old tires and it appeared to me it is the tires still. He kind of agreed but wants me to leave the car with him one day next week so he continue the investigation. If the guy wasn't good I would have said enough is enough but I will let him have it one more time and we'll see what happens. I told him that even though this is not costing me anything it is getting really old and I am hoping Sullivan Tire will make this right for me. So we will see what next week brings. Hard to understand why we didn't have the problem and then it came back unless a weight fell off but he doubted that very much.

 

This is getting pretty old. I would ask for a new set of tires or your old ones remounted and your money back with credit for future purchases for your inconvenience. Have they tried to balance the tires on a different machine? Sometimes they can get out of calibration.

 

Did he come up with an answer?I've had pirrelli's and bfg's on my 91 and they both vibrate at around the same speed.Also my brother had goodyears F-1'S on his and they had the same vibration if not worse.So how could 4 different manufacturers have the same problem.I feel there is a suspension wear problem going on.But what part?Also maybe u-joints?It would be nice to find a solution to this problem.So is yours fixed now?Thanks,DINO84

 

+1
You have done your part, they should get you a new set of tires and be
done with you.

Mick