[SIZE=2]I have a problem that's been driving me crazy over the past couple months, that no one, including the Mini Service Center can seem to got to bottom of.

Here's the issue: I have 2005 Cooper S with the stock S-Lite wheels, 6 speed transmission, and LSD. The car currently has about 23K miles on it. Late last year I noticed a shimmy in the steering that came on about 50 mph and peaked around 55-60 before subsiding around 70. I took the car in for service and ended up with an alignment and two new front tires. While the problem got a little better, it was still there and got worse over time. I took the car in again a month later and was told that the tech couldn't find anything wrong.

Yet the problem is still there! I get to 55 mph and the shimmy is back. It doesn't really effect the steering, but when I let off the wheel, it's visibly moving back and fourth. It's quite annoying.

If anyone has any suggestions on what the problem might be, I would be very interested in hearing them. Thanks.

Christopher J.
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Have a shop check the wheel balance.

 

I've thought that might be the problem, but wouldn't the Service Center have balanced the wheels when the new tires went on?

 

Yes......but that doesn't mean they did it right. I had my last set of wheels rebalanced twice to get rid of a wheel shake. Try and take it to a shop that does race wheels. They tend to be very **** about the balance.....

 

My '03 MCS did the same thing at about the same speed but only when braking- thought at first it was the snow tires/wheels but still did it when I put on the summer wheels/tires. New brake rotors fixed that problem!