this past week during the winter storm we had here in new england, i was forced to keep my car outside. anyways, the following day when i went to dig my car out of the parking spot, it took me about 15 min (the snow around the tires was frozen) when i finally got most of the snow away from the tires, i hopped in, put the car in reverse and....no where lol...car slid....for 15 min i put the car in drive and reverse until i got out. i only drove to the gas station, about a mile from school and didnt go above 40. i then drove back to school where the car sat for about a day and a half. when i went to drive home i got on the highway and as soon as i went up 55mph, the steering wheel starting vibrating like crazy. not the point where i couldnt control it, just uncomfortable. so for the most of the way home (35 miles) i am worried that i did something to the steering/alignment when i had dug the car out. i get off the highway and the vibration goes away, i park the car in the sun..later on when i go to drive it again, i took the car to a long straight road just so i could see if it would vibrate again. well it didnt..i was so relieved, i asked my dad and he said it could have been ice stuck in the wheel well and affecting the suspension. has this ever happened to anyone else??

 

Snow or ice on the inside of the rim by the rotor. When it warms up it will be back to normal. It just changes the balance for a while.

 

That's a very common problem. Especially if you slide around corners a lot. The snow can relly get packed in there.

One or more wheels can have the balance thrown off. If it doesn't melt off on its own just take it to a car wash and melt it off with the pressure washer.

 

been there done that, had to use a hairdryer to get the ice chunk out

 

steering wheel hasnt vibrated for 3 days now...should i assume everything is alrite...or should i have it balanced just to make sure..thanks guys

 

You said it yourself: The vibration is gone. Your wheels aren't out of balance. The snow caused it. The snow's gone. It's as if it never happened.

 

im had teh same problem. once i chipped the packed snow away it was fine.

 

its fine,... snow and mudd does it. Its just something you get used to in the winter. It will be there until either the snow melts out or you clean mudd out.

 

You don't have to balance anything if everything is perfect.