2002 Ford Explorer Steering wheel vibrates/shakes

SARAH82172

MEMBER
2002 FORD EXPLORER
135,000 MILES

I had to turn the steering wheel hard while the truck was not running and or in nuetral. I have now noticed that when I turn right that the steering wheel shakes badly even feels like it is vibrating. Also now when I am driving the steering wheel feel a little looser. I can deal with that but there is definetly something going on when I turn the vehicle and it feels like the whole truck is vibrating. Any thoughts?

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,133 POSTS

Does the vehicle have to be moving for you to feel the vibration?

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Wednesday, November 20th, 2013 AT 9:50 AM

SARAH82172

MEMBER
2 POSTS

As far as I have noticed it only vibrates/shakes when it is moving and it is an extreme shake/vibration when turning.

What happened is I was parked on a angle/decline and I was super low on gas so the truck wouldn't start this morning. I needed to get it into netral so I could coast down the hill and then the gas would settle and the truck would start (which it did just like I knew it would.) Well the wheels were turned hard into the curb so it wouldn't roll overnight (a safety precaution we all know) and I had to really struggle with the steering wheel to get the wheels straight so the truck would roll. It was also pretty hard to get the truck into netral but it finally did.

Anyway. The truck coasts down the hill. The gas settles, it starts finally and I am on my way.

While driving, and after that wrestling with the steering wheel, is when I noticed the steering wheel was looser and when I turned right is when the vibration and shaking started.

These issues had not happenned until after this morning's wrestling match with the steering wheel.