I have a 2000 CRV with 54,000 miles on it. Over the past year I have experienced a problem that is getting worse. At very low speeds (5-10 mph) my steering wheel wobbles a lot. It slowly diminishes as I pick up speed, but never goes awaycompletely. I have had it up on a rack, but the mechanic says the tires are fine, the lug nuts are tight, nothing is loose,and he can't find anything wrong with the drive shaft. The problem is getting so pronounced that I'm afraid to drive the car.

Can anyone help me pin down the problem?

 

Aloha GreginLA: Welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay, hope we might all be able to assist you. When was the last time you had your front rotors/pads changed, Have you tried rotating your tires back to front, Have you had a wheel alignment done on your crv. Look at your tires and check to see if there is some minor unusual ware pattern.

 

I thought the wobble might be caused by faulty brakes, too, but the wobbleis most noticeable (and I mean very noticeable)whenever I am driving slowly and then diminishes as I accelerate. No brakes involved. And it doesn't get worse when I step on the brakes.

I haven't rotated tires back to front or had an alignment because they have been checked very carefully and show no bulges orunusual wear. Seems like a waste of time and money. Could it be a drive shaft problem or front joints?

 

try rotating your tires front to back, at the same time the crv is up on jacks, spin the front tires by hand and see if there might be a high spot on the rotor causing the tire to slow slightly at certain times of the spin
I beleive you mentioned that your mech had checked the front end, and if the joints were worn, it would be noticeable. A wheel alighnment shop could find this right away.
Honda does notdo a wheel alighment from the factory.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll get on it.

 

Steering Wobble

At such low speeds it wont be discs, driveshafts or wheel bearings.


there are two reasons for the low speed steering wobble.

1. First check your wheels are tight and balanced and not buckled.

2. If they are ok the wobble is caused by play in the steering and suspension.

In the steering you can usually tighten up the steering damper if the wear is low all other parts will need replacing.

One thing to bear in mind with the old CRV steering and suspension, it is not a very well designed setup which is why most manufactures do not use this setup any more mainly because of the steering nervousness in the straight ahead position which reminds me of the Audi 80 range which had exactly the same problems as the strut and steering setup is almost identical.

Find a very smooth piece of tarmac and if its rotors you will feel wheel wobble worst between 60 and 70 mph and the faster you go the less so. It shouldn’t be very noticeable below 60 mph apart from the small inherent steering wobble in the straight ahead position.

When you turn the steering wheel left or right the wobble should be less, this is because of suspension forces taken up the play in the system as it becomes loaded.

You should be able to reduce steering wobble to an acceptable low level but only when everything is new or change to the newer model CRV.