# Help! 1997 maxima steering wheel oscillates back and forth



## Jacob Armstrong (Dec 20, 2004)

symptoms: have to continuly correct steering and at high speed (60 mph) the whole car shakes, this happend in two days and now I can't drive the car. I have removed the axle shafts and CV joints they seem sound (80k miles) ball joints and tie rod ends ok. suspect power steering malfuction, but this only occurs while moving. Just had all four tires spun balanced and they have good tread. front brakes fair and wheel bearings ok. 

It feels like one of my front tires is coming off while I drive but thats not what is happening. I've run out of ideas and am very open to suggestions.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

how did you check the tie rod ends and ball joints? the rocking method doesn't work on them quite often. my tie rod ends passed that test every time I mess with them, but i finally just broke down and replaced them and the vibrations went away.

also check control arm bushings. they're often knowk for problems like this on Maximas.

Engine mounts could be doing some strange stuff as well. if you have a 5 spd, did you notice any change in the feel of the shifter? usually if an engine or tranny mount breaks, the shifter will flop around more and you may get speed or RPM dependent vibrations in the steering as the engine moves around with the axles.

also may want to have your tires checked again through a load balancer. spin balancing often won't detect a broken belt in the tire, but load balancing can.
look for a tire shop in your area that uses Hunter balancing equipment- the best out there. http://www.hunter.com

If you don't want to do that, start rotating your tires two at a time. swap both right side tires and see if the vibration changes. if not, then swap both left tires. if it does, then your problem is a tire/wheel on the left side. swap the tires left to right then to figure out which one it is.


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