Need advice: 2001 Bonneville
#1
Need advice: 2001 Bonneville
I need some advice, I own a Pontiac Bonneville 2001.
A week ago, at higher speeds my car vibrated when I slowed down. (from 90km to 80km)
My friend told me to change my rear brake pads & rotors, which I did. Another friend of mine told me it was my driver-side outer tie-rod, which was replaced, but it continued to vibrate.... I took it to the garage and they told me I needed to change my right control arm. (which was also replaced)... However, I gave it a test run and I still had little vibrations (but not as much as before) However, the car vibrates around 80km and kinda smooths out at 90km ... Also, my car seems to pull to the right more. (This time, I need to keep my hands on the steering because it pulled more whereas before it pulled little, I do have wear on my outer front tires)... Also lately, I can hear a sound like creaking from the steering when I turn right and little when the steering wheel goes back straight. (on mostly right turns)... In addition, I do know I need to change my back air shocks/struts (don't know what they are called)... What, I am wondering is, the noise I hear in my steering wheel can it be any indication that possibly something else is wrong with my front end... Such as, problems with my inner/outer tie-rods, ball joints, rack & pinion? How can I tell if any of these are bad? or does it just need an alignment? (along with new tires?)
I appreciate any advice and I hope how I explained the problem was understandable. Thanks
A week ago, at higher speeds my car vibrated when I slowed down. (from 90km to 80km)
My friend told me to change my rear brake pads & rotors, which I did. Another friend of mine told me it was my driver-side outer tie-rod, which was replaced, but it continued to vibrate.... I took it to the garage and they told me I needed to change my right control arm. (which was also replaced)... However, I gave it a test run and I still had little vibrations (but not as much as before) However, the car vibrates around 80km and kinda smooths out at 90km ... Also, my car seems to pull to the right more. (This time, I need to keep my hands on the steering because it pulled more whereas before it pulled little, I do have wear on my outer front tires)... Also lately, I can hear a sound like creaking from the steering when I turn right and little when the steering wheel goes back straight. (on mostly right turns)... In addition, I do know I need to change my back air shocks/struts (don't know what they are called)... What, I am wondering is, the noise I hear in my steering wheel can it be any indication that possibly something else is wrong with my front end... Such as, problems with my inner/outer tie-rods, ball joints, rack & pinion? How can I tell if any of these are bad? or does it just need an alignment? (along with new tires?)
I appreciate any advice and I hope how I explained the problem was understandable. Thanks
#2
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
Welcome to the forum. You should start off by having an alignment done..it should solve your pulling problem. The vibrations can be the front rotors, improperly balanced wheel, or a tire that has a broken belt. You can check the ball joints by jacking up the front of the car, put your hands at 12 and 6 o'clock, and shaking the tire up and down. You should also check the power steering fluid to make sure its at the correct level. Hope this helps, and good luck.
#4
"and they told me I needed to change my right control arm. (which was also replaced)... However, I gave it a test run and I still had little vibrations (but not as much as before) However, the car vibrates around 80km and kinda smooths out at 90km ..."
The car seems to still have lil' vibrations when I reach around 80km & when I do slightly touch the brakes, it would vibrate some... before, the control arm was changed it vibrated a lot. Tomorrow, I am going to get new tires and alignment done and I will see if there is any improvement. I will post of any differences. I am hoping it is not my rack & pinonion like my friend suggested.
The car seems to still have lil' vibrations when I reach around 80km & when I do slightly touch the brakes, it would vibrate some... before, the control arm was changed it vibrated a lot. Tomorrow, I am going to get new tires and alignment done and I will see if there is any improvement. I will post of any differences. I am hoping it is not my rack & pinonion like my friend suggested.
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