Steering wheel vibration

My 2001 PT develops a steering wheel vibration at 73 to 75 mph. It did not do this when new but started at about 5000 miles. It now has about 15,00 miles. It has been to the dealer 4 times for service where balance and alignment have not helped. An independent tire place where the owner races sport cars also has tried the balance and alignment but no help. The dealer now says this is how they are new and there is nothing to donow but put up with it. What are your suggestions?

Thank you for your help.

Dean

[Buck Spunni]

Dean, Mine developed a vibration at 70-80 KPH (Canadian, eh). After Goodyear replaced a few tires we finally narrowed it down to the right front axle. Replaced under warranty - fine since then.

[QBallr]

This same scenerio just started happening to me too. I have about 6,500 miles and have recently changed the tires and rims, but it did not do this until a couple of months after the change. I thought it might be a wheel balance problem and was going to have it checked at the dealer at the next oil change or see if it went away when I changed back to the original rims and tires for Winter. Now I know what else to look for as it is really annoying and can't be good for the front end; thanks!

[PT_Sean]

QBallr- you can try to swap the fronts to the rear and see if the steering wheel vibration goes away.

If it does, chances are its a balance problem.

If not, the rears COULD be out of balance as well, but again, chances are its soemthing else- bent shaft, ....

Can you swap the tires yourself?? Try it if you can to eliminate some of the dealer hums' and ha's.

[Chris M]

PT_Sean (21 Sep, 2001 12:32 p.m.):
QBallr- you can try to swap the fronts to the rear and see if the steering wheel vibration goes away.

If it does, chances are its a balance problem.

If not, the rears COULD be out of balance as well, but again, chances are its soemthing else- bent shaft, ....

Can you swap the tires yourself?? Try it if you can to eliminate some of the dealer hums' and ha's.

I'm in the same boat, except my vibration is at low speeds. I have 14,000 miles and have had the tires rotated twice, at 7,000 and 14,000 (yesterday), plus had a 4 wheel alignment done at 11,000. Still have the small vibration plus the car pulls to the right every so slightly (more then you would expect). Thanks for the note about a possible bent shaft.

Regards,
Chris

[Johnny D]

I've had slight recurring vibration in the front end...
with 5,600 miles on it now...having a really unbalanced front end after about 1,000 miles, which was magically corrected after three trips back to the dealer - although they informed both Chrysler and myself that nothing was done to the car. Anyway, yesterday I put about two PSI more air pressure in the front tires than there is in the rear ones, and the vibration has been eliminated, and the car grips and handles much better than ever.
My front tires are up to 34 PSI, and my rear tires are at 32 PSI. The tire/balancing problems seem to be most common in the Limiteds as well as some Tourings, but not in the base PT's. You might want to give this a try!

[ponaboy]

::::raising hand:::::

I had a problem with vibration, too. I wasn't terribly noticeable but it *did* annoy me so I took it into my dealer who said I had a bent wheel...repl. the wheel and tire (FOC) and it werks good-as-new now.

...now if I could only put the engine in the BACK of the vehicle mebbe I could GO faster!!!

[;')

-PONA-
Taupe 28F