Vibration is usually caused by an out of balance or defective tire, a bent wheel or a worn driveline U-joint. You may find that the car shakes the car in an up and down motion. You may feel vibration through the seat, the steering wheel or even in the brake pedal.

While there are a variety of reasons your Dodge Neon has a rough idle, the most common 3 are a vacuum leak, an issue with the spark plugs, or a problem with the ignition coil.

The most common reason for a car to shake is related to tires. If the tires are out of balance then the steering wheel can shake. If your steering wheel shakes while you are braking then the problem could be caused by “out of round” brake rotors. This vibration can also be felt through your brake pedal.

Diagnosing a shaking steering wheel

1. Unbalanced tires. The weight distribution in every tire varies slightly.
2. Wheel misalignment.
3. Damaged or worn wheel bearings.
4. Worn steering or suspension parts.
5. Brake problems.
6. Forgetting to use turn signals when changing lanes.

Follow these steps if your tires are out of balance:

1. Choose which wheel may be the cause of the imbalance.
2. Remove all additional weights from the wheel.
3. Clean the wheel on the vehicle thoroughly, removing all the debris from the tread.

Mounting tires yourself can save you some money, especially if you have access to a tire mounting machine. However, you can also mount your own tires at home using little more than a pry bar and a great deal of effort.

Wheel Balancing A typical wheel balance service costs anywhere from $15–$50 per tire.

It’s not completely necessary to balance tires when rotating, but it is a good idea to do so. When performed by a shop, the balancing procedure is inexpensive, so its usually paired with the rotation. If you’re doing a rotation job yourself, it’s up to you whether you want to also balance.

A rotate and balance usually only costs around twenty dollars. If you employ a garage to change your oil, check with them to see if they offer this service. Many garages offer free to rotate and balance your tires for free if you purchased them there.

It’s generally recommended that you have your tires balanced every 3000-7500 miles, check with your mechanic or tire manufacturer for a precise guideline. Certainly, you should have your tires balanced if they’ve been taken off rims for some reason (swapping summer rubber for winter treads, for example).

A good rule of thumb is that your tires should be rebalanced every 12,000 miles driven or every other time your tires are rotated.