Problem all summer... hit a bump and car swerves... front control arm replaced... new right tie rod thing replaced... aligned... still doing it... thinkin rear shock bad... any input?? Just put 450$ into it... thanks
2008 aveo swerving on bumps
- Thread starter Tuffy1760
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bad shocks/struts...
Replace all of them.
Q.
Replace all of them.
Q.
Rear shocks
Rear shock wouldn't cause the swerve, it would cause it to bounce around a bit.
Along with the above, recheck the tie rod end to be certain it was torqued properly and the alignment is still set as it should be. Also check for worn out sway bar end links. Those can cause "stealth" problems and are fairly inexpensive to replace.
Originally Posted By: Jimzz
Dumb question, has the tires been rotated and the air pressure checked? many skip this basic step and go to more costly parts to quick.
+1 are your tires directional? Could it be tramlining badly?
Dumb question, has the tires been rotated and the air pressure checked? many skip this basic step and go to more costly parts to quick.
+1 are your tires directional? Could it be tramlining badly?
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
+1 are your tires directional?
directional tires on a 2008 Aveo? ehhh....
+1 are your tires directional?
directional tires on a 2008 Aveo? ehhh....
Other than the struts/shocks, I'd check the front stabilizer bar, bushings and stabilizer bar end-links.
Based on the ones I've driven, the Aveo is marginal handler in good working order. I couldn't imagine one with issues.
Based on the ones I've driven, the Aveo is marginal handler in good working order. I couldn't imagine one with issues.
gathermewool
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Who are you paying to trouble-shoot this? My recommendation is to poll those in the know and take this thing to someone who knows what they're doing. $450 is a lot of money to pay for NOT fixing a cheap, throwaway car like that.
Originally Posted By: stevejones
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
+1 are your tires directional?
directional tires on a 2008 Aveo? ehhh....
hahah not so popular in the midwest where we live, but not so uncommon in the south or areas with no snowy winters!
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
+1 are your tires directional?
directional tires on a 2008 Aveo? ehhh....
hahah not so popular in the midwest where we live, but not so uncommon in the south or areas with no snowy winters!
Thanks for the info... been sitting here drinking coffee this morning... my problems with the car started end of June... I want to throw this at you guys... end of June car was flat bedded almost 100 miles with electrical issue... after that the handling problems developed...
Gonna get tires rotated and balanced... start looking for shocks... thanks again...
Gonna get tires rotated and balanced... start looking for shocks... thanks again...
While it may be just a coincidence that the issue came up after a tow - I would be looking for bent parts.
With a wheel or dolly tow, only the wheels are secured (not counting the safety chain) and the car moves and rocks on it's own suspension.
A typical flatbed tow is a bit different. The car is chained down at the back of the bed and then pulled tight with the winch then secured with load binder chains at the winch end. This leaves the car in traction (as in funny hospital scene with a person's leg in a cast hung and stretched by a hideous medical contraption) and somewhat compressed on it's suspension. Every bumps sends a shock to the chain points but worse are the dips that cause the car to compress further and relax the chains. As the car springs back against the chains some pretty harsh forces are generated.
Back when cars had frames there were chain slots all over and tying down a car was easy. Now what few slot there are in frameless cars are covered by trim and drag reducers and tow drivers either can't find them or are too tired/lazy to look and will wrap chains around any convenient thing at hand like sway bars, control arms. and even FWD axles.
That 100 mile tow could have put your car through more punishment than a weekend Baja rally with Rosie O'Donnell as co-pilot.
With a wheel or dolly tow, only the wheels are secured (not counting the safety chain) and the car moves and rocks on it's own suspension.
A typical flatbed tow is a bit different. The car is chained down at the back of the bed and then pulled tight with the winch then secured with load binder chains at the winch end. This leaves the car in traction (as in funny hospital scene with a person's leg in a cast hung and stretched by a hideous medical contraption) and somewhat compressed on it's suspension. Every bumps sends a shock to the chain points but worse are the dips that cause the car to compress further and relax the chains. As the car springs back against the chains some pretty harsh forces are generated.
Back when cars had frames there were chain slots all over and tying down a car was easy. Now what few slot there are in frameless cars are covered by trim and drag reducers and tow drivers either can't find them or are too tired/lazy to look and will wrap chains around any convenient thing at hand like sway bars, control arms. and even FWD axles.
That 100 mile tow could have put your car through more punishment than a weekend Baja rally with Rosie O'Donnell as co-pilot.
Originally Posted By: Tuffy1760
Thanks for the info... been sitting here drinking coffee this morning... my problems with the car started end of June... I want to throw this at you guys... end of June car was flat bedded almost 100 miles with electrical issue... after that the handling problems developed...
Gonna get tires rotated and balanced... start looking for shocks... thanks again...
back in my late college days, I had a Mazda B2 block (Ford Festiva equiv) which was tow-damaged. 1 of the 2 rear shocks leaked after the tow. Tow company obviously won't pay, so I bought some monroe (re-labeled Austrian made with V-W stamped on it) replacements and swapped them out in pairs.
bet yours (1 or both of them) may have been damaged that way also (that's why I said change the struts/shocks on the rears).
Q.
Thanks for the info... been sitting here drinking coffee this morning... my problems with the car started end of June... I want to throw this at you guys... end of June car was flat bedded almost 100 miles with electrical issue... after that the handling problems developed...
Gonna get tires rotated and balanced... start looking for shocks... thanks again...
back in my late college days, I had a Mazda B2 block (Ford Festiva equiv) which was tow-damaged. 1 of the 2 rear shocks leaked after the tow. Tow company obviously won't pay, so I bought some monroe (re-labeled Austrian made with V-W stamped on it) replacements and swapped them out in pairs.
bet yours (1 or both of them) may have been damaged that way also (that's why I said change the struts/shocks on the rears).
Q.
Rear axle Bushings shot?
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