Porsche Has Rear End Vibration At High Speed: What To Do?

Rear end vibration at high speed on your Porsche can be quite worrying. Feeling as if your rear end might swing out at any moment is certainly not a feeling we want to chase. So, what can you do about it? Well, we’ll tell you.

This blog post will cover rear end vibration at high speed, what causes it, what it can be a forewarning of, and what potential solutions might be in order, as well as advice for the dreaded trip to the dealership/workshop to find out whether this is something you will need to foot the bill for or not! Let’s get right into it.

Highlights

• Rear-end vibration at high speeds on a Porsche can have various causes, including tire issues (uneven wear, imbalance, damage), suspension problems (worn-out components), driveshaft wear, brake problems (worn or damaged rotors/drums), and alignment issues.
• Potential risks from rear-end vibration include uneven tire wear, tire punctures or bursts, brake failure, structural damage to the drive shaft and suspension, discomfort and potential mistakes while driving, and increased accident risk.
• Solutions to reduce rear-end vibration depend on the cause but may include tire rebalancing, checking and replacing brake components, inspecting and replacing rubber bushings in suspension arms, and addressing alignment issues.
• If your Porsche is under warranty, there’s a good chance the dealership will fix the issue for free.
• It’s essential not to ignore rear end vibration at high speed issues and to have them checked by a mechanic to determine the cause and ensure safe driving.

What causes rear end vibration at high speeds?

Rear end vibration at high speed can have a number of causes, sometimes more than one, so it can be a little difficult to really pin down the issue. Unfortunately, removing the issue entirely is nearly impossible without first finding out what’s causing it! Porsche are generally quite reliable, but like any car, their components do wear and sometimes fail. So, here are the most common causes of rear-end vibration at high speeds.

• Tires: Uneven tire wear, tire imbalance, or a damaged tire (flat/puncture/tread-loss). This can result in the tire running unevenly and create a wobble/vibration that can be felt in the vehicle’s rear end.
• Suspension: Suspension components like rubber bushing or shock absorbers can also cause a vibration in the rear end of the vehicle if worn out and degraded. If they are too worn to properly absorb the shock from driving, it will feel like you are driving over gravel, and the vibration can be intense.
• Driveshaft: A worn-out driveshaft can cause a vibration in the rear end of the vehicle because the driveshaft transfers all of the power from the engine to the wheels. If it is not balanced or is damaged, it can cause the car to vibrate, and the power is distributed unequally to the rear wheels.
• Brakes: Worn or damaged brake rotors or drums can cause a wobble when driving, especially under braking, that can be felt in the rear end of the vehicle, this is most common at high speed or when setting off for the first time.
• Alignment issues: If the wheels haven’t been aligned properly, it will cause the tires to wear unevenly over time and a vibration in the vehicle’s rear end. Since your car is trying to drive straight forward and one or both rear wheels are trying to take you off at a different angle, it can cause a metallic rattling noise and vibration in the rear end.

What are the potential risks from rear end vibration at high speed?

The kinds of risks that stem from a vibrating rear end will vary depending on what the actual root cause is. For example, if the vibrations cause uneven tire wear or a slow puncture, you are at serious risk of spinning out from a burst tire.

Or, for example, if your brakes are so worn down or damaged that they are causing the rear end vibration at high speed, then they are also at risk of failing, sticking, or catching when you most need them.

Even minor issues such as degraded shock absorbers, which might seem uncomfortable, can cause structural damage to the drive shaft and suspension arms simply by forcing the shock to be absorbed by other components, not the absorber springs.

To a degree, you also have to consider the psychological issues and physical risks it can pose to you as an individual.

Driving while your car rocks you around like you’re out at sea can be uncomfortable and even painful. You might even find that it causes you to make mistakes while driving, or the bumps could actually force you into an accident by causing you to over/understeer in a dangerous manner.

Just because the effects aren’t immediately obvious for you or your vehicle does not mean they are not as important or as urgent. If in doubt, you need to contact a mechanic or your dealership to help you discover the problem’s cause.

Or, if you have a good idea what the problem is, they’ll fix it for you. Rear end vibration at high speed does not necessarily mean that there is a huge issue that is about to get a whole lot worse. But it often can, and it’s not worth risking that this time won’t be too bad.

Solutions for reducing rear end vibration at high speed

There are a ton of solutions available to you, depending on what the cause of the problem is. Firstly, if you have checked that all your tires are suitably inflated, puncture-free, and have adequate tread, you may want to consider rebalancing your car.

You might want to do this regularly anyway, so it shouldn’t be a huge inconvenience to get it done now as a preventive measure. You might want to think about changing your brake pads, calipers, or discs depending on what seems to be causing the issue.

If possible, you should check all of the rubber bushings in your suspension arms to make sure they haven’t come loose or degraded too much to be suitable. Swapping them out is cheap, it just isn’t easy to do without a lift.

Will Porsche fix rear end vibrations under warranty?

If your car is still under warranty, there is a good chance that they will fix it for you for free. That’s the point of a warranty, after all.

However, you might find that even outside of your warranty period, your dealership will be willing to meet you halfway and at least assess the problem for you so you can make an informed decision about what to do next.

They may even fix the issue for you if it’s just something minor, at the very least, you should mention it to them during your Porshces regular service.

Conclusion

Now we’ve taken you through the causes and risks tied to a rear end vibration at high speed on your Porsche. While there is a chance that it is not something major, the chances that it is a major issue are far too great to ignore.

If in doubt, have a mechanic check it out. That should be a rule of thumb for an issue like this. As always, thanks for reading, be sure to check out our other great blog posts; we hope to see you again soon. Cheers!

Daniel Motta

I’m Daniel, the founder of YSM Motors. I’ve been living and breathing cars since I was born and got into the online space when I was 16, writing about cars.

My unique view comes from owning several interesting cars, ranging from a Volkswagen Golf R, BMW M3, and, more recently, my Porsche Spyder. Owning these cars and a few others has allowed me to become close friends with other car enthusiasts giving me insight into rarer and more exotic cars such as Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche GT cars, and more.

I’ve been lucky to experience and maintain such a vast range of exciting cars, and in the process I’ve become close with a few car dealers and high-end workshops, which has allowed me to pick their brains on topics you can’t find info about online.

My eye for detail stems from my full time career as a Business Analyst. This all started when I studied a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Information Systems, leading me into my 13-year career.

After honing my online skills with various projects and immersing myself further into car culture, by 2019, I decided to dedicate myself to YSM Motors in my spare time and purely focus on my passion for cars and everything to do with them.