Toyota Repair: 2002 Solara, sway bar bushings, cv axles

Question
"I have had my car (134,000 miles) into a local Toyota dealer three times without resolution.

Very very sporadically, I have a significant front end vibration that leads to a vigorous shaking of the front end and the steering wheel.

The dealer states that the problem is the tires since they were out of balance two times that I took the car in for the same problem.

I replaced the tires and the front end still vibrates (again very sporadically).

Can you give me some ideas what could be the problem?  I am very concerned about the time and expense that I have encountered thus far.

I appreciate your advise."


Answer
Rich,
You need to find a good Toyota mechanic, not Barney Fieff or Goober,
he will find the problem. Go to a different Toyota dealer, ask for there best mechanic, there is always one that can do the work of 5 others.

The fact that this happens just once in a while is weird!
The tie rod ends, ball joints, CV axles, hub, hub bearing, sway bar
bushings and links should be checked. Your telling me the tires have been changed and balanced and I can assume the lug nuts are tight.
Its much harder to solve problems this way (one dimensional) verses me checking out the car and driving it. If only I was there I could find the problem, but we don't have that 3 dimensional luxury.

Good luck,
let me know.


Tim