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Intermittent steering wheel shake

Discuss the problems with your X5 (E53).
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JOSS
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Intermittent steering wheel shake

Post by JOSS » Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:15 am

Hi, I have an intermittent shake at the steering wheel when braking. Really weird not all the time. Not there under heavy braking, the car steers straight and fine, even take my hands off the wheel and its perfect.
Any ideas all.

Ta

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snrbrtsn
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Re: Intermittent steering wheel shake

Post by snrbrtsn » Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:29 am

Maybe worth having suspension components checked, lower, upper or track control arms
Other possibilities is warped brake discs though all the above would give troubles all the time.
There is the possibility of seized pad to carrier, as service intervals are extended there’s more meat on the pads, the molten metal from normal brake wear builds up and only ever cleaned during pad changes

Horizon
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Re: Intermittent steering wheel shake

Post by Horizon » Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:19 pm

[quote="JOSS"]
Hi, I have an intermittent shake at the steering wheel when braking. Really weird not all the time. Not there under heavy braking, the car steers straight and fine, even take my hands off the wheel and its perfect.
Any ideas all.

Ta
[/quote]

After you have had a good run in your X feel the wheels around the hub/ wheel stud location and see if there is one that is noticeably warmer hotter than the rest. I've had 2 separate callipers changed in the last 12 months due to sticking, the one I had done a few weeks ago was actually causing it to flag up a flat tyre warning after several miles on the motorway, as it must have been slowing that wheel due to rubbing.
The hub / disc was  getting hot . Not an uncommon problem on these cars.
When the front one was sticking I got a massive wobble on the steering when leaving the motorway,
2011 Kia Sorento KX3  2.2D 60 Plate Auto in black ( mine )
BMW E83 X3.  3.0d M Sport, 2008 in black ( now gone )
BMW E93 330i Convertible  Msport  2007.  ( Now sold )
VW Golf 2.0 TDI 140 GT 2010 ( now sold )
Now Sold 55 plate, X5, 3.0 D Sport. Silv

X5-D-Sport
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Re: Intermittent steering wheel shake

Post by X5-D-Sport » Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:19 pm

I had exactly this recently until bottom arm was swapped on both sides, this is the one that has a swivvel joint on it.
Both swivvels were so loose, I'm surprised I didnt loose the strut under the vehicle :-( 
any way, it seemed that the vehicle could settle so that some times everything shook & other times not.

Also understand that due to the constant tension on the under strut joints, the parts can be "hanging" and still pass an MOT because the set-up hides worn joints.

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