[usmcveteran]

Now I have to take my car to the shop tomorrow and hopefully get it figured out and fixed tomorrow before work sunday.

I was driving down the express way today and all of a sudden my car started to thumb and vibrate. Immediately I thought I must have a flat tire. So I kept driving to find a good spot to pull over and when I got around the bend I saw a car pulled over by the police so I parked 50 feet in front of them lol. I figured that was a safe spot. I got out tires looked fine so I kicked them and all seemed well so I started driving again. It was still rumbling at high speeds and at low speeds it bumped slower so I thought it was tires or something related. Plus I can hear metal vibrating which doesnt make me feel to safe.

So I got to my destination and had someone watch my tires as I drove to make sure they weren't wobbling or anything and they werent. I did notice was looked like a burn type color on my tire on the outside in the shape of a rectangle at a 45 or so degree angle about an 1.5 inches wide and 5 to 6 inches long.

On my way home same things happening except the bumping went away after a couple minutes on the express way but I can still hear metal vibrating.

Am I right to assume (I know nothing about cars except how to change oil, change tire, and change lights) that my issue is most likely one of my brakes? I have drum brakes in the rear and disc in front. I just really hope its not going to cost alot and that I can get it fixed tomorrow.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

I'm not a huge car buff myself but it could be one of your brakes has locked up either halfway or part of the way and is grinding and causing vibration, does the sound get better or worse or change at all if you apply breaks?

 

[sr20sean]

I would check to make sure none of the band's in the tires didn't shift. just run your hand over the tired and you will probably feel a bump/bubble if it shifted.

 

[usmcveteran]

Once I get below 10 - 15 mph the sound is gone or atleast I cant hear it anymore. Other then that I think it only gets better the slower I am going regardless if I am braking or not but I am not sure, I didnt listen for that. I also dont remember if it started when i braked or not. I do remember the last day or two feeling uneven wear on brakes when I was braking. I could feel the slight bumping from uneven wear.

 

[usmcveteran]

I would check to make sure none of the band's in the tires didn't shift. just run your hand over the tired and you will probably feel a bump/bubble if it shifted.

Would that explain the vibrating metal noise? If I had to guess what the noise sounds like, it would be like gears with broken teeth barely making contact. Now I dont think thats what the noise actually is but thats what I would guess if someone played the audio to me.

 

[sr20sean]

Actually I take that back. Check your motor mounts and your axles. Mine shook like crazy if I was under acceleration but if I was just coasting it was fine. both the axle and mounts were shot

 

[usmcveteran]

Oh something I forgot to mention (thanks for jogging my memory sr20sean) when I was getting up to speed my car sounded like the engine was working really hard but my RPM's were normal. But then that went away as well as the bumping on the way home and just the loose vibrating metal sound was left.

 

[sr20sean]

Without really looking at it I can't really tell. What kind of car is it? lol I usually just test drive or look at most cars before confirming a diagnosis lol

 

[usmcveteran]

LOL! And I thought you knew what you were doing. I mean really I gave you awesome technical descriptions lol jk. its a 2002 Jeep liberty limited.

When I used to ask my buddies dad all the time he would always say " I dont know I would have to look at it" lol. I guess I am just really hoping its a brake issue that is quick and easy to fix and cheap lol. I am hoping I guess maybe I hit a squirrel that got lodged in the brake lol.

 

[sr20sean]

Is there a check engine light on? If so what is the light for?

It could be brakes but shaking while just driving isn't very likely to be brakes.

My guess would be some sort of ball joint or tie rod end.



If the engine light is on it could be more of a fuel system problem since it could just not be getting enough fuel to the engine causing it to run poorly. There are quite a few possibilities lol I've had people walk into the shop I worked at saying it was one thing when it was completely different.

 

[Chicken Shoot]

Good Lawd!! Without seeing/driving the car, it could be a number if things. Bad strut, bad ball joint, bad mounts (engine/trans), bad axle, shifted/broken belts in the tires, broken/cracked rotor, bad brake pads worn down by a sticking caliper, bent rim, broken strut mount, rear brake problems with similar causes mentioned for the front, bad U-joints (if 4x4 or AWD) bad wheel bearing assembly, broken sway bar mount, broken A-arm or bushings, loose wheel ..... what kind of vehicle again???


Edit: Just saw the Jeep Liberty listed ... ok ..... bad wheel bearing assembly AND or bad brakes/rotor/caliper. There ... that's my guess and I'm sticking to it!!!! (hopefully it's not an axle issue but that's possible if AWD) Oh .... TAKE IT OUT OF 4WD!!! lol jk


It could also be the headlight fluid is low, the air freshener needs replacing and the wally valve could be stuck.

 

[usmcveteran]

I checked that when I got back in the car. No check engine light, not overheating, RPM's appeared normal. I looked under the car and everything looked normal (again I am not expert). Something I think unrelated though when I started my car just to move it when I put it into drive after having it in reverse the engine slowed down a little hinting that it might shut off.

I hate cars lol.

 

[usmcveteran]

Good Lawd!! Without seeing/driving the car, it could be a number if things. Bad strut, bad ball joint, bad mounts (engine/trans), bad axle, shifted/broken belts in the tires, broken/cracked rotor, bad brake pads worn down by a sticking caliper, bent rim, broken strut mount, rear brake problems with similar causes mentioned for the front, bad U-joints (if 4x4 or AWD) bad wheel bearing assembly, broken sway bar mount, broken A-arm or bushings, loose wheel ..... what kind of vehicle again???

LOL, the thought of broken tie rod or arm that holds wheel in place came to mind but tire doesn't wiggle when moving. Nothing looked broken or missing under car but then again I dont know anything about cars lol.

 

[usmcveteran]

But yes it does have 4 wheel drive

 

[Chicken Shoot]

OK ... so I'm trying to determine if this is a running issue or a more driving as in rotational issue somewhere. When it does this shaking and rumbling, have you tried putting it in neutral? If you do, does the noise or whatever get better/worse? I'm really thinking if this is a rolling problem, that your bearing assemblies have since said "screw this!! I'm done!!" ... causing other damage to possibly the braking BUT ... with a Jeep Liberty, I wouldn't rule out a bad coil pack!!! This will cause a skipping/shaking/underpowered feeling BUT ... this won't produce a metallic/bumping sound. So ... I'm sticking with the original guess of wheel bearing assembly and some brake system damage.

(I don't want to tell you how many subframe bushings I've replaced in those and at the tune of $495+ for a subframe ....I won't tell you about this problem either because I really like you and don't want to get you worried!!)

 

[Chicken Shoot]

LOL, the thought of broken tie rod or arm that holds wheel in place came to mind but tire doesn't wiggle when moving. Nothing looked broken or missing under car but then again I dont know anything about cars lol.

Tire/wheel won't wiggle when moving. The way to check the ball joint(s) is to jack the vehicle on the lower A arm to mimic the weight of the vehicle on it ... then try pushing inwards on the top and bottom ot the tire/wheel to see if you get "wiggle". Side to side would be checking the tie rods ... again ... wheel off the ground. From what you describe, it sounds pretty weird and I don't think I'd recommend driving the vehicle until someone qualified can look at it. The last thing you want is for a tie rod, wheel bearing assembly or ball joint BREAKING!!! If it does ... that turn on a straight away you didn't want to make will happen and you'll be off road for sure.

Get that fixed ASAP as I don't wanna read a bad thread on here ya got it??

 

[usmcveteran]

Lol thanks for not telling me about it.
I did not put it in neutral to see if things were better or worse. Again all the stuff went away on my way home except for the metal noise. Which happens even if I am going down hill in drive with no gas. Oh and the metal noise is still there even when I am braking until I get below 10 to 15 mpg. So if it is a break issue then one of them is toast I fear.

 

[usmcveteran]

Tire/wheel won't wiggle when moving. The way to check the ball joint(s) is to jack the vehicle on the lower A arm to mimic the weight of the vehicle on it ... then try pushing inwards on the top and bottom ot the tire/wheel to see if you get "wiggle". Side to side would be checking the tie rods ... again ... wheel off the ground. From what you describe, it sounds pretty weird and I don't think I'd recommend driving the vehicle until someone qualified can look at it. The last thing you want is for a tie rod, wheel bearing assembly or ball joint BREAKING!!! If it does ... that turn on a straight away you didn't want to make will happen and you'll be off road for sure.

Get that fixed ASAP as I don't wanna read a bad thread on here ya got it??

Yea I stopped thinking it was that on my way home when it "fixed" itself minus the metal noise. Which is why I think its a break thing. Either way luckily for me I am going to take it to a shop that is a 2 minute drive besides stopping and I wont be going faster then 30 mph to get to it. Plus besides a couple of slow turns its all straight aways lol.

 

[Chicken Shoot]

Lol thanks for not telling me about it.
I did not put it in neutral to see if things were better or worse. Again all the stuff went away on my way home except for the metal noise. Which happens even if I am going down hill in drive with no gas. Oh and the metal noise is still there even when I am braking until I get below 10 to 15 mpg. So if it is a break issue then one of them is toast I fear.

The fact that one noise or shaking feeling went away isn't reassuring. Makes me think axles. Good Luck Bro!! Let us know what it is when the garage gets their hands on it. Hopefully ... just brakes .... or that protestor you ran over had a metal sign and it just got wedged underneath. .... Oh ... I forgot .. that's the new skid plate you installed!!!! Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[usmcveteran]

Thanks man I appreciate your thoughts. I have to say you didnt make me feel any better lol. I will post back here tomorrow. If it starts out with a lot of censored stuff then that is not a good sign. I am really hoping for under $400 to fix.
I have to get to bed. Need to be the first one at the shop in the morning so hopefully they can squeeze me in.