Shimmy at 60mph???
Senior Member
Joined: 07-15-2006
Posts: 137
From: Eureka, Illinois
Here is an interesting twist. After leaving a restaurant today I felt a very bad vibration around 40MPH. After pulling over I noticed snow inside the rear wheels that must have gotten in there when I parked in an unplowed spot. After pushing out the snow and continuing on my way, the vibration was gone. In all my years of driving, I have never had this happen. Has anyone else experienced this?
Member
Joined: 07-30-2006
Posts: 52
From: new york
I have the same problem, 1LT with 16inch wheels. I notice it starting about 45mph up through about 60, then smooths out. The steering wheel remains solid but you feel it up through your feet/legs, etc, so I figured front is fine, it is back tires/wheels. Took it right in, week old. The pulled and rebalanced all the wheels, said they were all out of round, and retorqued to spec the lug nuts. I picked it up, still did it (which makes me mad, why didn't they test drive it). Went back, they pulled and rebalanced again, said they test drove it and was fine. Was not. I went back. Picked it up and they said wait until it gets 1500 to 2000 miles on it..they are finding the Firestones have such a hard sidewall that it is causing this on cars with Firestones, will soften up. I'm now at 1750 miles..waiting for 2000...so I can go back again! They said it can't be an out of round or bent rim as it would NOT be limited to just those speeds.
New Member
Joined: 05-26-2007
Posts: 27
From: Panama City Beach, FL
I bought the last new '06 on the lot about 3 months ago. I have the 17" polished wheels. I have the shimmy from 45 to 65 mph. The dealer balanced the tires. Then replaced 3 tires. I still had the problem. Then the service manager drove the car with me an admitted the vibration was present. Then he pulled a new one of the lot with 16" wheels and we drove that one. Same problem. This genious then comes to the conclusion that this is "normal" and that there is nothing that can be done. Have a nice day! I took it to a different dealer. They felt that the wheels needed to be "force balanced". They sent it out to a local Pontiac dealer with the proper equipment. It is alot better but not what I would call smooth. Has anyone else had success other than changing tire brands? This is not an option for me due to the expense.
Member
Joined: 02-19-2007
Posts: 64
From: Fort Lauderdale,Florida
Interested if anyone else is experiencing the same issue I am....? I've got a 2LT with the (OEM) polished 17's and approx 1900miles on my HHR. I've always noticed a slight shimmy (or shake) when I approach the 55 - 60mph range.
Logically- took it to the dealer advising the front doesn't seem to pull one way or another (eliminating an alignment issue) and stating it only occured at a specific speed. Well - they pulled the wheels off and re-balanced stating they were 'all out of balance *a little*'!
What exactly that means, I'm not sure- I always thought wheels were either IN balance or OUT... period!?
Well - turns out THAT wasn't the issue!!!
Hell- I don't even think the dealer took the vehicle out for a test drive after balancing!?!?!
Curious if anyone else is, or has, experienced this issue with your HHR? I've wrenched on my fair share of vehicles over the years, and although I'm no mechanic- I'd like to think my dealer's NOT that cheap and incompetent (right
) !!!!!
Logically- took it to the dealer advising the front doesn't seem to pull one way or another (eliminating an alignment issue) and stating it only occured at a specific speed. Well - they pulled the wheels off and re-balanced stating they were 'all out of balance *a little*'!
What exactly that means, I'm not sure- I always thought wheels were either IN balance or OUT... period!?Well - turns out THAT wasn't the issue!!!
Hell- I don't even think the dealer took the vehicle out for a test drive after balancing!?!?!Curious if anyone else is, or has, experienced this issue with your HHR? I've wrenched on my fair share of vehicles over the years, and although I'm no mechanic- I'd like to think my dealer's NOT that cheap and incompetent (right
) !!!!!
Senior Member
Joined: 01-31-2007
Posts: 2,479
From: New Hampsha
I have a shimmy in my new HHR...not terrible but not smooth as glass....feel a lot of in the gas pedal as well..If I look at my passenger seat you can see it shaking a bit...not terrible but not smooth either. Will wait a couple of hundred more miles and see if it smooths out...I have had problems with tires in the past and seems like the dealer screws things up more than he helps most of the time. They seem to love to chip the alloys with the wrenches right at the lugs 
Not to mention the infamous "Seems fine" lol
Not the greatest tire in the world to begin with...will more than likely be replacing them in short order anyways. If "buzz, shimmy" is still present at 2k I'll bring it in..until then we'll see if the tires "break in"
Goose
Not to mention the infamous "Seems fine" lolNot the greatest tire in the world to begin with...will more than likely be replacing them in short order anyways. If "buzz, shimmy" is still present at 2k I'll bring it in..until then we'll see if the tires "break in"
Goose
to the site!!!
Senior Member
Joined: 08-17-2006
Posts: 1,851
From: Ottawa, Ontario
The Firestone Affinity tires are not great tires to begin with. The Affinity tires on the HHR seem to be different than the Firestone Affinity tires that were on my 2001 & 2003 Malibus.
I have a slight shimmy, but it only shows up on one stretch of road (both directions) so I think it's the road rather than the HHR.
I have a slight shimmy, but it only shows up on one stretch of road (both directions) so I think it's the road rather than the HHR.