Flat Spot?
 

I was out of the country for 2 weeks. When I got back I took the car out for a spin. The tire warning was on and upon inspection found one of the tires to be about 4 pounds light. After making the tires happy I continued on with my spin. At any speed I noticed a rythmic thumping that could be felt lightly in the steering wheel as well as heard. I believe that this is coming from the front tire that was low. My initial thought was that the tires had just gotten flat spotted from sitting for the 2 weeks. My hope is that a couple days of normal driving will make them happy again. I can convince myself that it is getting better after my morning commute to work but I am not sure that this is so.

Early on, I had a PS2 fail catastrophically at speed with seemingly the same symptoms so I am very sensitive to tire problems. Any suggestions? Is it just a pipe dream that this will sort itself out? Should I make it to the closest PS2 dealer and get them to handle it?

Heya. I'm trying to think of what could have caused that. By the way, what is a PS2 ..?

Could anyone have taken your car out for a spin while you were away? As far as I know, the only thing that can cause flat spots like that is locking up the brakes at high speeds.. only we have ABS... So I don't know what it could have been.. maybe someone was doing donuts with your emergency break in the rain.. I dont know... My old car had low profile tires but no ABS and I did get a flat spot once from slamming on the brakes...

Maybe you have a defective tire. I'd say that's a good bet. Tires shouldn't get flat spots after sitting for a week. Call the dealer at least and ask the service department what they think. Sounds like a defect that could be covered under warranty to me.

You could also jack it up, pull the wheel off and look at it. That's easy enough.

Michelin Pilot/Sport 2 tires that used to come standard on most Crossfires.

I had the car detailed, some chips touched up and door dings removed while I was gone. Just can't believe that they would take it joy riding. It is a good shop that was recommended by my Chrysler dealer. The shop would not risk this recommendation just to amuse themselves in a customers car.

Ok well I think I hit the nail on the head before you even said it was at a shop... what else could it be? Maybe they have a new detail guy who just doesn't care. I don't know.. but sounds to me like you entrusted it with someone, only to return and have something going wrong... I mean it's not good to jump to conclusions.. but when you examine all the options, what else could it be caused by? I'd pull the tire off and take a look. If there's a definate flat/bald spot, someone is at fault.

Bent rims maybe the issue. I had a BMW a couple of years ago and didn't know my rims were bent until a flat spot show up on both front tires. Have teh rims checked.

Any time I leave a car at a garage I always note the mileage. Then when I collect it I can check to see how much it has changed by. I can understand it being taken round the block to check the work they have done on it (depending on the work carried out) but any more than 5 miles is out of order.

I park my CF inside and it has 1900 on it, I bought it last Nov. So you see I don't drive it very much. Most of the summer it set in my cement driveway on astro terf mats. When parked in the garage on the mats I had no problems but my first outing after parking it outside I noted a thump at 35 mph for about 20 minuts. I got into the habit of stoping just short of my mats and letting the CF set for about 20 minuts then backed it on the mats and covered it up. This helped cut down on the thump. The CF is back in the garage and no more thump even when I move it in the garage stright away. I always check tire pressure before I drive it.

I have a picture posted in my album of how I winch my CF in my side of the garage. I needed to leave a BIG space for the wife to park and she still hits the deviding wall at times. And no she does not drive MY CF. :lol:

Flat spots from sitting would go away after 10 miles or so. you may have a bent wheel.Try warming up the tires see if it goes away.If doesn't have a good tire wheel shop or dealer look at it.

The thumping is gone. The service guy from my local Chrysler dealer said it happens on the lot to Crossfires and 300Cs. Said a little time on the tollway to warm up the tires would take care of it. Sure enough it did.

My guess is that this flat spot was aggravated by the fact that the tire was a little low. Anyway good to go now.

Cool. Sorry to blame your detail guy :)

I've driven cars with low profile tires for years so it's surprising I haven't heard or experienced that before. Must be the PS2s.

I feel that little thump alot.Told you soooo.