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Question

Difficulty: MediumBasic Maintenance and Daily Checks

You notice that your vehicle's steering wheel begins to vibrate continuously when travelling at higher speeds on a dual carriageway. What is the most likely cause of this vibration?

  1. A
    The tyres have been inflated to higher pressures for carrying a heavy load
  2. The front wheels are unbalanced and require adjustmentAnswer
  3. C
    The tyre tread has worn down close to the legal minimum limit of 1.6 mm
  4. D
    A red dashboard warning light has illuminated to indicate low brake fluid

Answer

The front wheels are unbalanced and require adjustment
Steering wheel vibration or wobble at higher speeds is the classic symptom of unbalanced front wheels. When wheels are out of balance, uneven distribution of mass causes them to vibrate as they rotate rapidly, which transfers up through the steering linkage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the symptom described in the scenario
The vehicle exhibits continuous vibration through the steering wheel specifically at higher speeds.
Different vehicle faults produce distinct mechanical symptoms; rotational vibration at speed indicates uneven mass distribution in rotating components.
2
Differentiate between tyre wear, load adjustments, braking warnings, and wheel balancing faults
Unbalanced wheels create centrifugal imbalance as rotational speed increases, producing noticeable steering wobble.
When tyres are fitted or weights are dislodged, small differences in weight around the wheel assembly cause vibration that must be corrected with balance weights.

Key Concept

Wheel balancing and steering vibration symptoms
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Basic Maintenance and Daily Checks

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