Just before Christmas I had all 4 tyres replaced on the Superb. Everything has been fine until last week when I started to get vibration through the steering wheel around 75-80 mph. On the way back from Manchester on Wednesday, I dropped in and got them re-balanced thinking that was the problem. All seemed well on the journey home.

However across Thursday and today the vibration has got worse, still around the same speed. Now either they haven't been balanced properly, or a wheel weight might have come off but something isn't right. Could the tracking be out?

Another strange thing is that the vibration only seems to occur when cold - start of journey is normally quite bad but then it disappears as the car warms up. Is it some fluid issue or drive shaft issue? It is due service in 1300 miles which will be when I return from holiday the week after next. They can check the tracking during the service but is it likely to be something else?

Any thoughts people.

Hi, it could well still be a balance related problem, either still not quite in balance or yes a weight could have detached? IMO I don't think it's related to tracking & that's preferable to check when new tyres are fitted. I have had a similar problem in the past with the issue actually relating to the tyre & yes even new tyres can be affected, sometimes not visually obvious. The temperature issue is interesting & that could relate again to the tyre itself or pressure, so may be worth re-checking. So if it was me:

- Check inflations & inspect to see if there's anything obvious (bulge / distortion etc).

- Option to swap front to back to see if that helps.

- Re-balance.

Good luck & hope you can resolve

How cold is it in Leics? I've heard of a similar problem before where what was happening was water condensing out and freezing in the bottoms of tyres, and then elting and eventuallly vapourising as the tyres got warmer.

If it's that, demounting the tyres from the wheels and remounting will probably fix it.

Hi Coops, did you manage to get anywhere with this ?

How cold is it in Leics? I've heard of a similar problem before where what was happening was water condensing out and freezing in the bottoms of tyres, and then elting and eventuallly vapourising as the tyres got warmer.

If it's that, demounting the tyres from the wheels and remounting will probably fix it.

Never come across that before Ken. It has been very cold recently, sustained periods below freezing, so might be it.

Hi Coops, did you manage to get anywhere with this ?

Nothing as yet Robk1 - back at work this week after a week off (so nothing got done last week). I'll going to speak to the service agent tomorrow and agree a plan of attack because the Superb is now due service.

Will keep this thread updated. Thanks.

I've seen the freeze-thaw thing happen twice, so it's more common than tyre fitters leaving pliers inside a tyre, but it's still most unusual.

Cheers Coops & it's interesting to learn a fact that's a new one on me Ken

Well this is now sorted.

After a long discussion before the car went in as to what it could be - out of shapre tyre, CV joint et al, it has come back from service all OK.

They took the wheels off, removed the tyres and all weights, checked the wheels for buckles, re-fitted the tyres and re-balanced. Have absolutely no vibration now at any speed.

Not really sure on the cause but suspect it was previous balancing attempts - a mobile van normally does my tyres but I general view is that you are never going to be able to balance them correctly in the back of van. Consequently, the 2nd attempt in a tyre depot was no better.

My service agent have a brand new, all singing and dancing balancing machine so suspect that it is more accurate than the previous attempts.

That makes some kind of sense; the only depot I've ever seen that had a balancer that wasn't well and truly bolted down on a concrete floor had an "on car" machine that spun the tyre up using a friction drive and then sought the balance point using a stroboscope and a vibration sensor on a separate platform about the size of a bottle jack.

Ah good news Coops & it's nice when you can resolve something without too much head scratching