“I can’t calm down at high speed”
, “I feel like I’m being swayed left and right on steps”,
“I’m scared because it swells out on curves”
Because you are used to driving a car, you are sensitive to this “unusual instability”.
The wobble of a car is caused by the overlap of multiple factors such as suspension, bushing, tires, steering system, air pressure, load balance, and EPS (electric power steering).
Moreover, in most cases, the warning light does not turn on.
If you proceed unnoticed, it can not only reduce driving stability, but also lead to uneven tire wear and suspension abnormalities.
In this article, we have summarized the typical causes of feeling “the car is wobbly or fluffy” at VW and summarized it as a “navigation” that smoothly proceeds to individual articles that are close to the symptoms.
▼Driving problem diagnosis guide▼
👉Comprehensive summary of causes of poor running
The main possible causes of a wobbly car
Wobblehead manifests as “lateral instability”, but the background varies.
(1) Poor suspension (shock)
If the shock absorber is weak, it will not be able to absorb input from the road surface, and the car body will be prone to fluffiness.
- Rocking up and down at high speed
- Easy to bulge outward with curves
- Shakes remain on the steps
These are typical signs of shock deterioration.
Related: Causes of a feeling of bulging outward in curves|Reasons for increased roll volume
(2) Deterioration of bush joints
When the bushing around the suspension begins to weaken in VW, the change in the car’s posture directly appears as “wobbly”.
- Swaying from side to side on the steps
- The car body flows with acceleration and deceleration
- Steering response is delayed
It is easy to experience symptoms such as.
Related: Causes of swaying left and right on steps|How to identify suspension bushing deterioration
(3) Left-right differences in tire pressure, uneven wear, and wear patterns
It is a very common cause of lightheadedness and is often overlooked.
- Left and right air pressure difference
- Difference between outer and inner reduction
- stepped wear
greatly disrupts straight-line stability.
Related: Causes of wobbling due to tire pressure and uneven wear|Surprisingly many basic problems
(4) Poor correction of EPS (electric power steering)
VW’s EPS is responsible for fine corrections while driving.
When the correction weakens, you will experience it as a wobbly or “restless steering wheel feeling”.
・Low speed → heavy
・High speed → squeak
Be careful if there are any changes like this.
Related: Causes of wobbly + heavy steering wheel (light)|Points to suspect steering system abnormalities
(5) If it is susceptible to aerodynamics and wind
It is easy to think that it is because of strong winds, but if there are weaknesses in the suspension and tires, it is easy to become a “car that is vulnerable to crosswinds”.
Related: Causes of the car side when you feel weak in the wind|Checkpoints when fluttering in a crosswind
(6) Defective setting of the ride height control (external suspension)
If the damping force and vehicle height are not balanced, it may become more wobbly than the stock one.
Especially if the damping on the rear side is weak, shaking is likely to remain.
(7) When the rear side shakes strongly (only the rear wheels wobble)
If there is a problem with the rear wheel, such as a rear shock, rear bush alignment, or misalignment, the way it shakes will change back and forth, leading to wobbling.
Related: Causes of large rear shaking|Items to check when only the rear side is wobbly
(8) Lightheadedness with abnormal noises
Wobble + abnormal noise can be a more serious cause, such as rattling of parts, breakage, or loose joints.
(9) When the highway becomes particularly unstable
Most of the wobbling in the high-speed range is “weakness of the undercarriage” rather than aerodynamics.
The shock and tire condition are obediently revealed.
Related: Causes of fluffy car body at high speed|Reasons for increased wobbling while driving straight
(10) If you are prone to car sickness (fluffy and strong)
Lightheadedness is also directly related to the “ease of drunkenness” of passengers.
In particular, weak shocks and poor air pressure have a significant impact.
Related: Causes of car sickness when you are more likely to get car sickness|Reasons for increased fluffiness
Driving feasibility and risks
Even a small symptom of a wobbly car can have a big impact on safety.
- Reduced body control at high speeds
- Acceleration of uneven tire wear
- Premature deterioration of the bush
- Suspension leakage progresses
- Possibility of worsening EPS poor
- Vulnerable to crosswinds
Especially on the highway, the state of “worrying about not always correcting by hand” is a high risk.
It is recommended to inspect as soon as possible.
Checkpoints that you can do yourself
● Tire pressure
The left-right difference is a standard cause of wobbly.
●Confirmation of aero parts and loading
Roof carriers and luggage bias also have an impact.
●Left-right difference between vehicle height and subsidence
If there is a visual tilt, the weakness of the undercarriage is suspected.
● Tightening of wheel nuts
Be sure to check immediately after changing tires.
Approximate repair cost
The approximate cost for each major cause is as follows.
- Shock replacement: 40,000 to 100,000 yen
- Various bush replacement: 20,000 to 60,000 yen
- Alignment adjustment: 12,000 to 22,000 yen
- EPS inspection and light repair: from tens of thousands of yen
- Readjustment of external suspension: 10,000 to 30,000 yen
The milder the symptoms, the lower the cost.
👉Summary of maintenance and custom costs & working days of VW specialty store Nile Plus
Next Article
Choose one that is close to your symptoms.
- Causes of fluffy car body at high speed|Reasons for increased wobbly while driving straight
- Causes of swaying from side to side on steps|How to distinguish suspension bushing deterioration
- Causes of a feeling of swelling outward in curves|Reasons for increased roll volume
- Causes of the car side when you feel weak in the wind|Checkpoints when fluttering in crosswinds
- Causes of lightheadedness + abnormal noise|How to distinguish when shaking and sound come out at the same time
- Causes of wobbly + heavy steering wheel|Points to suspect steering abnormalities
- Causes of large rear shaking|Items to check when only the rear side is wobbly
- Causes of car sickness when you are more likely to get car sickness|Reasons for increased fluffiness
- If you wobble after installing the ride height adjustment (external suspension)|Problems with setting and compatibility
- Causes of wobbling due to tire pressure and uneven wear|Surprisingly common basic problems
Defect details by vehicle type
Although the “way of getting out” the defect is similar, “which model has many problems” is slightly different for each car model.
Trends by vehicle model and common breakdown cases among other owners are summarized on the following page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Can I continue to run if I leave the wobbly unattended?
A1. In many cases, it is not a failure that can be stopped immediately, but the shock and bushing deteriorate, and the tire wears unevenly, reducing safety. In particular, wobbly at high speeds is more dangerous, so it is recommended to inspect it as soon as possible.
Q2. Is there often only one cause of lightheadedness?
A2. Nope. Multiple factors such as suspension, tires, EPS, and alignment are often weakened at the same time, and it is common for cases where “the causes overlap and appear as swaying”. A professional diagnosis is more reliable than self-judgment.
Q3. Can tire pressure alone cause wobbling?
A3. There are very many. In particular, the air pressure difference between the left and right sides and the stepped wear have a surprising impact on straightness. First of all, the air pressure check is the top priority as a point that you can check yourself.
Q4. What is the suspicion if only the high speed becomes unstable?
A4. Most of the time it is caused by shock deterioration or tire condition rather than aerodynamics. If you don’t have a problem with low speeds, if you only feel fluffy at high speeds or if the steering wheel correction increases, we recommend checking the undercarriage.
Q5. Is there any safety problem if I have passed the vehicle inspection?
A5. The vehicle inspection is a test to see if it meets the “minimum safety standards”, and wobbly and deterioration of ride quality are not check items. Shock loss and bush deterioration are often missed during vehicle inspections, so “symptom-based inspection” is necessary.
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