Poll: How many 00-05's have the 70mph death shake/shimmy?

[Ken_W]

Does your 00-05 Bonneville start shaking when going between 65-75 miles per hour? This seems to be a common problem with this generation of Bonnevilles. This poll aims to find out just how widespread it is.

If you used to own one of these but no longer do, feel free to vote on behalf of that car.

Ken_W

[00Beast]

None of the 4 we've had have (Past - 00 SSEi, 02 SLE & Current SSEi & GXP) have had it.

[01bonneSC]

Mine stops at 80.

[dpnewfie]

It did, but I got rid of the RSA's that were on there. lol

[00Beast]

Well, I guess I did, but that's because of my sh*tty tires, lol. It started at 15 and got worse with speed, lol.

[chuckk_]

Definitely have this issue, amongst others on my 2002 SE that I bought in June. Brought it to the mechanic and he attributed it to bent tie rod ends... This very well could be (haven't replaced them yet), but from what I've read I can't imagine bent tie rod ends would cause the WHOLE CAR to shake at 70mph.

[viper79]

It must be a rotation caused effect, thus start with the tires and move inward. I had a shake at 60 and had my tires rotated and balanced...this fixed the problem. Also you could have a a bad tire. I think it in the wheel well due to the physics. Anything else inward is to small at that rotation to shake the car as you described. I understand the death shake as "ice in the tires". This is just my two cents.

[bonnelover]

I had this problem on my 97, it was the tires. I took the tires to get them road forced balanced at another tire shop, since Goodyear could not get them balanced right, and they found out that one of the tires had a high spot on it that was causing the vibe. The tires were new. Goodyear gave me a new set, instead of replacing the one, which was dumb. Had a vibration with the second set also. This time Good year found out that two of the ties had high spots. Ended up with a third set of tires, different series, and the vibe is gone. Three sets of tires in one month, lol. It ended up just being the tires and not any of the other things that I had read about!!!!

[zamjohn]

I have an 04 that already has the shake at 56000 miles and I also had an 01 that had the shake worse than this 04 has. I find it extremely annoying know that even cheap little cars don't do this. zamjohn

[Jrs3800]

Mine comes and goes... I am going on a trip soon.. I am going to clean the hub and wheel, replace my front struts( they are shot )..... And then I am going to have the tires balanced and rotated... Mine isn't bad and seems to come and go... Seems the worst at 70-80, there is no sign of shimmy at all until 65... Once you get to 80ish it seems ok.. So I think I have more of an out of balance issue, and I can see where a wheel weight was...

[crash93ssei]

Our '03 shakes pretty bad. Replaced rotors, pads, tires, even shakes with the winter wheels and tires. The struts are bad and will be replaced soon as well.

[zigger21]

Our '03 shakes pretty bad. Replaced rotors, pads, tires, even shakes with the winter wheels and tires. The struts are bad and will be replaced soon as well.

This has nothing to do with the Bonneville, I just had to comment on the Cutlass Supreme. I love the look of your car. I used to own a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that I put alot of $$ and love into it. I dropped a 454 with a Fiberglass Hood scoop. Also installed a rear spoiler, I had 16 inch 255/60/16 on the back and 205/60/15 on the front. The car had a 2 inch lift in the back and 1 inch in the front. I loved that car but had to get rid of it when my girlfriend(now my wife) got preganant at age 20 and Ive missed it ever since. Ive seen it a couple years after I got rid of it and the owner had the front end smashed in and it had got hit in the back. Almost made me wanted to cry since it was my first car and I will never fall out of love with the 1982 to 1987 cutlass supremes, pretty pathetic I know but I just wanted to comment on your beautiful Cutlass.

[Ken_W]

So; as of this posting it looks like almost two-thirds of the 2000-2005 Bonnevilles had/have the notorious shimmy.

One guy said he fixed it; would love to hear how!

Ken_W

[97seagain]

While mine isn't a Bonne... my 2001 Park Avenue does have a vibration that comes and goes, usually between 65-75 mph (and goes away at 80+). Happened with old and new tires, and have had them balanced and rotated three times.

Its seems worse with somebody sitting in the passenger seat.

I just find it so odd that some days its smooth as glass, others I can and hear see my water bottle rattling away.

[crash93ssei]

I seem to remember many members here that have had the problem in the past few years that weren't able to correct it. They tried new tires, new wheels, road force balancing, new CV axles, new rotors and pads, new wheel bearings, new struts. If I remember correctly, there is a TSB from GM about this shaking and they replace the control arm bushings, but don't quote me on that as I am not 100% sure about that.

[Archon]

I recall reading about the lower control arm bushings in, I believe the TSB regarding the Hunter Road Force balancing. That section is no longer there and I couldn't find it in other related bulletins. Perhaps it was removed after it was found not to help?

[chuckk_]

Definitely have this issue, amongst others on my 2002 SE that I bought in June. Brought it to the mechanic and he attributed it to bent tie rod ends... This very well could be (haven't replaced them yet), but from what I've read I can't imagine bent tie rod ends would cause the WHOLE CAR to shake at 70mph.

Update: I finally got the car up in the air at my brother-in-law's house, only to find out the tie rods are 100% fine on both sides. Rather, the Sway Bar Link was broken on the left side. So, either my mechanic misspoke when he gave me the diagnosis, or he shouldn't be a mechanic... not sure.

Regardless, I replaced the broken sway bar link (too lazy to do the other after 6 hours of futzing with an aftermarket catalytic converter that didn't actually fit my stock pipe) and I'd say, at 70mph, the death shake is "better" but not gone. Tires come next.

[01bonneSC]

Sway bar link shouldnt have anything to do with the shimmy.

[2003BlackSapphireSLE]

my 03 had it badddddd!!! finally after about a year or so i fixed it and now no longer have the death shake.

[golfyeti]

my 03 had it badddddd!!! finally after about a year or so i fixed it and now no longer have the death shake.

Seriously? You're going to tease a whole forum of people that are perplexed with how to fix this annoying problem with a statement that you fixed it, without telling us how?