Opel Frontera UE. Manual - part 67

WHEEL AND TIRE SYSTEM

3E–3

Diagnosis

Condition

Possible cause

Correction

Vehicle Pulls

Mismatched or uneven tires.

Replace tire.

Tires not adequately inflated.

Adjust tire pressure.

Broken or sagging springs.

Replace spring.

Radial tire lateral force.

Replace tire.

Improper wheel alignment.

Adjust wheel alignment.

Brake dragging in one wheel.

Repair brake.

Loose, bent or broken front or rear 
suspension parts.

Tighten or replace the appropriate 
suspension part(s).

Faulty shock absorbers.

Replace shock absorber.

Parts in power steering valve 
defective.

Replace power steering unit.

Abnormal or Excessive Tire Wear

Sagging or broken spring.

Replace spring.

Tire out of balance.

Balance or replace tire.

Improper wheel alignment.

Check front end alignment.

Faulty shock absorber.

Replace shock absorber.

Hard driving.

Replace tire.

Overloaded vehicle.

Replace tire and reduce load.

Tires not rotated periodically.

Replace or rotate tire.

Worn or loose road wheel bearings.

Replace wheel bearing.

Wobbly wheel or tires.

Replace wheel or tire.

Tires not adequately inflated.

Adjust the pressure.

Wheel Hop

Blister or bump on tire.

Replace tire.

Improper shock absorber operation.

Replace shock absorber.

Shimmy, Shake or Vibration

Tire or wheel out of balance.

Balance wheels or replace tire/or 
wheel.

Loose wheel bearings.

Replace wheel bearing.

Worn steering linkage ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Worn upper or lower end ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Excessive wheel runout.

Repair or replace wheel and/or tire.

Blister or bump on tire.

Replace tire.

Excessive loaded radial runout of 
tire/wheel assembly.

Replace tire or wheel.

Improper wheel alignment.

Check wheel alignment.

Loose or worn steering linkage.

Tighten or replace steering linkage.

Loose steering unit.

Tighten steering unit.

Tires not adequately inflated.

Adjust tire pressure.

Loose, bent or broken front or rear 
suspension parts.

Tighten or replace the appropriate 
suspension parts.

Faulty shock absorber.

Replace shock absorber.

Hub bearing preload misadjustment.

Adjust preload.

Parts in power steering valve 
defective.

Replace power steering unit.

3E–4

WHEEL AND TIRE SYSTEM

Hard Steering

Bind in steering linkage ball studs, 
upper or lower ball joint.

Replace ball joint.

Improper wheel alignment.

Check wheel alignment.

Tire not adequately inflated.

Inflate tires to proper pressure.

Bind in steering column or shaft.

Repair or replace.

Improper power steering system 
operation.

Repair or replace. Refer to Steering 
section.

Too Much Play In Steering

Wheel bearings worn.

Replace wheel bearings.

Loose steering unit or linkage.

Retighten or repair.

Worn or loose steering shaft 
universal joint.

Retighten or replace steering shaft.

Worn steering linkage ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Worn upper or lower end ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Poor Steering Wheel Returnability

Bind in steering linkage ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Bind in upper or lower ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Bind in steering column and shaft.

Repair or replace.

Bind in steering gear.

Check and repair steering gear.

Improper wheel alignment.

Adjust wheel alignment.

Tires not adequately inflated.

Adjust pressure.

Loose steering wheel nut.

Retighten.

Worn wheel bearing.

Replace.

Abnormal Noise

Worn, sticky or loose upper or lower 
ball joint, steering linkage ball joi nts 
or drive axle joints.

Replace.

Faulty shock absorbers.

Replace.

Worn upper or lower control arm 
bushing.

Replace.

Loose stabilizer bar.

Retighten bolts or replace bushings.

Loose wheel nuts.

Tighten nuts. Check for elongated 
wheel nut holes. Replace wheel if 
required.

Loose suspension bolts or nuts.

Retighten suspension bolts or nuts.

Broken or otherwise damaged wheel 
bearings.

Replace wheel bearing.

Broken suspension springs. 

Replace spring.

Loose steering unit. 

Retighten mounting bolt.

Faulty steering unit.

Replace steering unit.

Wandering or Poor Steering Stability

Mismatched or unevenly worn tires.

Replace tire or inflate tires to proper 
pressure.

Loose steering linkage ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Faulty shock absorbers.

Replace shock absorber.

Loose stabilizer bar.

Tighten or replace stabilizer bar or 
bushings.

Broken or sagging springs.

Replace spring (pairs).

Improper wheel alignment.

Adjust wheel alignment.

Condition

Possible cause

Correction

WHEEL AND TIRE SYSTEM

3E–5

Erratic Steering When Braking

Worn wheel bearings.

Replace wheel bearings.

Broken or sagging springs.

Replace spring (pairs).

Leaking caliper.

Repair or replace caliper.

Warped discs.

Replace brake disc.

Badly worn brake pads.

Replace brake pads.

Tires are inflated unequally.

Inflate tires to proper pressure.

Low or Uneven Trim Height

Broken or sagging springs.

Replace springs (In pairs).

Vehicle overloaded.

Reduce load.

Incorrect springs.

Adjust or replace torsion bar.

Suspension Bottoms

Vehicle overloaded. 

Reduce load.

Faulty shock absorber.

Replace shock absorber.

Incorrect, broken or sagging springs.

Replace springs.

Body Leans

Loose stabilizer bar.

Tighten stabilizer bar bolts or 
replace bushings.

Faulty shock absorber, struts or 
mounting.

Replace shock absorber.

Broken or sagging springs.

Replace springs (In pairs).

Vehicle overloaded.

Reduce load.

Cupped Tires

Worn wheel bearings.

Replace wheel bearing.

Excessive tire or wheel run out.

Replace tire or wheel.

Worn ball joints.

Replace ball joints.

Tire out of balance.

Adjust tire balance.

Condition

Possible cause

Correction

3E–6

WHEEL AND TIRE SYSTEM

Irregular and Premature Wear

480RS001

Irregular and/or premature wear has many causes.   
Some of them are incorrect inflation pressures, lack of 
tire rotation, poor driving habits or improper wheel 
alignment.  Incorrect inflation is common cause of tire 
premature wear.

NOTE:  Due to their design, radial tires tend to wear 
faster in the shoulder area, particularly on the front tires.   
This makes regular rotation especially necessary.  After 
rotation, be sure to check wheel nut torque, and set tire 
pressures. 

Tire Rotation

Tire rotation is recommended to equalize wear for 
longer tire life.

480RS002

Legend

EndOFCallout

If the following conditions are noted, rotate the tires:

• Front tire wear is different from rear.

• Uneven wear exists across the tread of any tire.

• Left and right front tire wear is unequal.

• Left and right rear tire wear is unequal.
Check wheel alignment if the following conditions are 
noted:

• Left and right front tire wear is unequal.

• Wear is uneven across the tread of any front tire.

• Front tire treads have a scuffed appearance with 

“feather" edges on one side of the tread ribs or 
blocks.

Tread Wear Indicators

480RS006

The original equipment tires have built-in tread wear 
indicators(1) to show when tires need replacement.   
These indicators may appear as wide bands.   When the 
indicators appear in two or more grooves at three 
locations, tire replacement is recommended. 

(1) Spare Tire