Could a tire condition make my steering feel loose and cause humming sounds?

I have Hankook Ventus V12 tires on my Subaru BRZ. Recently, I’ve noticed that the car understeers more than usual, and I’ve just installed brand new tires on the back (these are the front tires). Could this be the cause of the issues with steering and the humming sounds?


he

Thank you for posting to this forum, BrownieBalls!

If you are asking a question, please make sure to include all relevant details like the Year, Make, Model, Mileage, Engine size, and Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual) of your car.

This comment is automatically added to every successful post. If you see this comment, it means your post was successful.


Verified users will have a green background and an icon in their flair.


RULES FOR THIS FORUM

Rule 1 - Be Civil

Be respectful to others in the forum. We have a mix of professional and amateur mechanics, so all mechanical-related questions are welcome. Personal attacks or insulting comments will not be tolerated.

Rule 2 - Be Helpful

If you’re correcting someone, that’s fine, but only if you’re adding something useful to the conversation. If you don’t have anything to contribute, please don’t comment.

Rule 3 - Serious Questions and Answers Only

We welcome jokes, but please ensure your post and replies are about real mechanical issues.

Rule 4 - No Illegal, Unethical, or Dangerous Content

We don’t allow questions or answers that are illegal, unethical, or dangerous.

REPORT RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators if you have any questions or concerns.

If you’re hearing humming and the steering feels loose, it’s likely a bad wheel bearing. Jack up the wheel and grab it from the left and right side. If it clunks when you shake it, it could be a wheel bearing or tie rods/links. If the wheel moves when you grab the top and bottom, then it’s probably a wheel bearing. You can also try driving without much braking, then when you stop, touch the brake disk. If it’s really hot, that points to a bearing issue :slight_smile:

Why this tire? Is it different from the ones before?

The balance of the car will definitely change with new tires on only one axle compared to having all four tires the same.

Could be a ball joint issue.

Ball joint could be the problem.

Not sure about this, but it could be something with your wheel setup.

Sage said:
Not sure about this, but it could be something with your wheel setup.

The BRZ is a rear-wheel drive sports car.

Ren said:

Sage said:
Not sure about this, but it could be something with your wheel setup.

The BRZ is a rear-wheel drive sports car.

Ah, I see. Then it’s likely a bearing or suspension issue.

Sage said:
Not sure about this, but it could be something with your wheel setup.

Right, the BRZ is rear-wheel drive.

It could be a hub bearing issue.

Could the loose steering be causing the tire wear? Yes, that’s possible.

Make sure to have your wheel or hub bearings checked out.

This sounds like a wheel bearing issue for sure!

(If everything feels tight, you might just need an alignment. That wear could be from too much positive camber.)

Cedar said:
(If everything feels tight, you might just need an alignment. That wear could be from too much positive camber.)

I got an alignment done a month ago.

Ren said:

Cedar said:
(If everything feels tight, you might just need an alignment. That wear could be from too much positive camber.)

I got an alignment done a month ago.

Did the problem show up after the alignment? Maybe they missed something or accidentally damaged something. It’s unlikely your tire is causing the sounds, but an alignment problem could make those issues worse.

Try turning while the car is stopped. If you hear something, your steering pump could be the issue.