Vibration; Right Front Tire

[usafle]

Hello all. I've got an 06 AWD Magnum. When doing around 80MPH I can feel a slight vibration coming from the right front tire. Kind of like the tire is un-balanced or something. I took it into the dealer, they can find nothing wrong with it. They even re-balanced the tire in question but state it was not out of balance.

It only happens at 80mph and above. Not at 79mph, 80! It's strange. It also may just be me hallucinating, but if I turn the ESP off, I do not get the vibration.

Any ideas?

[Dr Teeth]

How do you know its the right front and not the left?

[usafle]

Because I can 'feel' the vibration through the floorboard. And, I had a passenger tell me it was really vibrating on the right side.

[LowGo]

I'm also a little curious how certain you are that it's the right wheel.

If you're energetic, you could try moving the front wheel to the back and see if the problem follows the wheel. If it still vibrates up front after moving the wheel, you may have a suspension issue.

[LowGo]

Just so I understand you... are you saying that you can be doing 80+ down the highway, feel the vibration, turn off ESP, and instantly feel the vibration go away (and I assume, return again if you turn ESP back on)?

[usafle]

Yup, that is what I am saying. I turn the ESP off, let the car "idle" for a second and then put some throttle into her to get back up to 80 and no vibration.

The dealer is going to look at it again on Wednesday. I have a 'clear-coat-peeling-off-the-rims' issue so they are giving me 4 new Rims.

I doubt they are going to find anything though, they are stymied.

Just so I understand you... are you saying that you can be doing 80+ down the highway, feel the vibration, turn off ESP, and instantly feel the vibration go away (and I assume, return again if you turn ESP back on)?

[crhemi]

Check your tie rods.

[grinner]

I say go with it. Take the mrs for a ride.
When I was 16, I had a knot in one of my bigole ballon tires on my 72 chevy stepside. At about 20 mph, that thing would all but hop. Ironicly, I had a lump in my seat cover in the bench riiiight next to me. I can't tell ya how many residential areas, I use to cruise through while on dates. About 15 minutes of christmas light lookin usually made for a sweet night no matter what month it was.
enjoy.

[LowGo]

Yup, that is what I am saying. I turn the ESP off, let the car "idle" for a second and then put some throttle into her to get back up to 80 and no vibration.

The dealer is going to look at it again on Wednesday. I have a 'clear-coat-peeling-off-the-rims' issue so they are giving me 4 new Rims.

I doubt they are going to find anything though, they are stymied.

Since you're getting all new wheels, once they're on, if you still get the same vibration, you can pretty much eliminate the wheels as the problem.

I've never heard of ESP causing a vibration before. Someone with more knowledge is going to have to chime in on that one!

[usafle]

Got all new Rims and rotated them. Still have the vibration. Strange. Still can't find it either. :(

[LowGo]

Got all new Rims and rotated them. Still have the vibration. Strange. Still can't find it either. :(

Well, I guess you can rule out the wheels or tires then. I'm still baffled by the fact it will go away when you turn ESP off. That tells me that, for some strange reason, ESP is doing something when you're driving that fast. I would have to have a lot more knowledge of the ESP system to even start to offer any advice.

[usafle]

Thanks anyway. It is kind of annoying this problem of mine.

[Shelby]

I believe the only thing the ESP can do to a front tire is apply the brake on normal RTs- is the brake disc on one side wearing more/weird? With AWD it could change the throttle but that should impact more stuff. Also the ESP could control the front/rear power split.

[usafle]

Nope, not wearing weird. But I did "bake" my front rotors racing a WRX STI down a winding slope... I've got the lovely "shudder" when pressing on my brakes now. Vibrates the wheel horribly.

[crhemi]

I had the same issue and an alignment cured it.