In stop and go traffic today I got a minor wobbling on the steering wheel when going slow. I figured ice was stuck to one of the wheels. Traffic then sped up and the wobbling went away. Then, I got a violent wobbling on the steering, a weird clunking under the car and it seemed like the steering was loose. I pulled over to the shoulder and just a few seconds before I stopped the car recovered and was fine. The ordeal prompted me to stop driving it and have it towed back to my house. After it was dropped off in my driveway, I was able to pull it into the street without any problems.

 

I'm wondering if ice buildup under the car could cause this or if something is likely on the verge of breaking. I did notice ice clung to various parts when I briefly looked under the car. It snowed here recently and the car was driven through deep snow and hard ice chunks at the side of the street from plows. I figured either snow and ice got somewhere it shouldn't have or I knocked something loose.

 

Does anyone know what the problem might be? When I looked under the car I didn't see anything hanging down or broken.

Edited February 7, 201214 yr by DavieGravy

Ice build up on the wheels can and will do this. Spray them with Pam that will keep it from happening.

 

A 97 it could be other things to, but lets go with this s-n-o-w thing. Whatever snow is.

I just drove it around the block for 10 minutes and it was fine. I even went over bumps and dips and everything remained solid. Looks like I wasted one of my free 4 tows for the year.

still spray them it will happen again

I saw a thread just recently on bad axle boots that end up heating up the axles once they loose grease and then the car behaves like that. Maybe check the boots just for kicks.

I saw a thread just recently on bad axle boots that end up heating up the axles once they loose grease and then the car behaves like that. Maybe check the boots just for kicks.

 

Same thought on possible bad half shaft axle boots. Recommend turning wheels so you can look under the car at the half shaft boots. Look for boot tears, and if so, you will prolly see axle grease slung around the inside of the road wheel.

 

Hope you get lucky with just ice build up on the tires.